Synonyms
Meridian:Geographical: Connection between North and South Pole, as a reference line for the localization of places In acupuncture: Chinese. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the different parts of the organism are connected by a network of channels, capillaries and guidelines called meridians. The English term “channels and collaterals” is better because it is a literal translation.
According to the Chinese view, the so-called “Qi”, which means life energy or life force, flows in the meridians. In TCM the meridian is not seen as an isolated entity, but as part of a system that is part of the so-called 5-Elements teaching. One of the basic assumptions of TCM is that a total of 365 acupuncture points are arranged on these specific energy paths, the meridians.
The points are connected to one or more organs or body parts and can therefore influence them. If disturbances occur at an acupuncture point, this also affects the organ or body part connected to this point. The skin resistance is demonstrably reduced in the projection zones of disturbances of internal organs (i.e. at the acupuncture points).
This is caused by different swelling states of the skin. A distinction is made between twelve main meridians, which are mirror images of each other on both sides of the body. Further acupuncture points are added due to eight extra meridians and extra points.
The meridians and acupuncture points are closely related to the system of Yin and Yang: Thus the interior of the body has a Yin quality, as do the organs in which substances are stored (so-called “zang organs”). The outside of the body and also the so-called hollow organs (“fu-organs”) have a yin quality. Both qualities must balance each other: So if a Yin-organ is ill, the function of its Yang-opposite must be throttled a little bit, so that a balance can reign again.
This works through acupuncture, because each organ is assigned to a meridian and certain acupuncture points, which can be addressed by acupuncture. This idea of a connection from the surface to internal organs initially seems very confused, as there is no comparable structure in the human body in the current anatomy (just as blood flows in the vessels, for example). Investigations have, however, provided interesting findings: If, for example, iodine 125 is injected into various acupuncture points on the meridians, after some time a significantly higher storage is found in the respectively assigned organ – when injected into Ma 36 (stomach meridian, point 36), storage in the stomach was accordingly shown. Conversely, investigations on rabbit ears in peritonitis, which was caused by turpentine, also showed changes in skin resistance in the corresponding ear zones. Since each meridian is also assigned to a specific pulse site on the wrist, a pulse diagnosis can already provide information about which meridian and thus which organ is malfunctioning.
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