In this blog we will explore the classical acupuncturist’s perspective on treating pain syndromes. Most of the pain syndromes we treat with acupuncture in our NYC clinic are muscular in nature. Is acupuncture an appropriate treatment for pain? You bet it is!
I am an acupuncturist in New York City who has been researching these classical texts to determine the best acupuncture treatments for pain conditions. Ling Shu chapter 13 of the first book written on Acupuncture, The Yellow Emperor’s Canon, devotes the entire chapter to diagnosing and treating muscle pain. It begins the chapter by discussing the sinew pathways of the Urinary Bladder system.
The bladder muscle meridian starts from the tip of the 5th toe, binds at the outer ankle, and ascends to the back of the knee. A (second) branch curves along the side of the foot, follows the outer ankle and connects with the heel and ascends to unite at the back of the knee. A (third) branch from the outer ankle ascends to the side of the calf and ascends to the medial aspect of the knee. All branches combine and ascend to the buttock, then ascend along the vertebral column, to the nape of the neck. A (fourth) branch which diverges from the nape of the neck connects with the laryngeal prominence. A (fifth) branch goes from the back of the head ascends along the top of the head then descends to connect with both sides of the nose. A (sixth) branch passing through the upper eyelid gathers at the region beside the nose. A (seventh) branch separates from the posterior ridge of the armpit, and connects with the shoulder. The (eighth) branch and enters the inferior aspect of the armpit, ascends to the trap region and connects with bone behind the ear.
I wanted to include all of this text to show how detailed the pathways were. The chapter then proceeds to the disease symptoms and treatment of this sinew pathway.
When the bladder muscle meridian is diseased, there is pain in the 5th toe, swelling and pain of the heel, cramps at the back of the knee, twisting curvatures of the spine (scoliosis?), sudden spasms at the back of the neck, and shoulder pain with inability to raise shoulders. There is pain from the armpit to the region of the trap.
To treat these conditions, apply rapid insertion and withdrawal of the fire needle and cease treatment when puncturing begins to effect a cure irrespective of the time period of treatment. Insert the needle into the pain spots on the diseased area.”
This is one of 12 sinew pathways discussed in Ling Shu chapter 13. I decided to include this pathway because it involves the most common areas of pain: the back, neck, and shoulders.
Treatment of Pain with Acupuncture — NYC Acupuncturist Explains Fire Needling
Ling Shu Chapter 13 discusses using the fire needle to treat pain in ancient times. During these times people were exposed to harsh cold. The coldness created significant impairments in circulation, which would be significantly relieved by this technique.Today, we are not as exposed to cold, so the fire needle is not used as frequently. Fire needle is one acupuncture technique I will use at our Flatiron, NYC office when other techniques do not bring about the desired result. In the last part of the chapter, they discuss when to use the fire needle.
As a rule, when the muscle meridian is caused by cold, the muscle will contract and harden…The heated needle is used for the treatment of contracted muscles caused by cold.
The chapter states that this technique should only be used when the muscle is contracted and hard. They say if the muscle feels soft, the fire needle should not be used.
Pain in general is simple to treat, it often involves treating the local areas of pain. However, there are times when local treatment is not sufficient. In these cases understanding the channel pathways is very important because the region that may release the painful area is often found somewhere along the channel course. By regulating these areas, we are influencing circulation in the entire pathway. When this is done, we are one step closer to resolving the condition.
