Dr.

Tan Acupuncture 1,2,3

Step 1: Identify the sick meridian

Tai Yang: e greater Yang region of the body, commonly meaning the posterior Yang area.
Yang Ming: e anterior portion of the Yang area.
Shao Yang: e minor Yang region of the body, lying between Tai Yang and Yang Ming

Tai Yin: e greater Yin region of the body, commonly meaning the anterior Yin area.
Shao Yin: e lesser Yin region of the body, commonly meaning the posterior Yin area.
Jue Yin: e Yin region lying between the Tai Yin and Shao Yin.

e four traditional Chinese medical diagnostic methods are relied ton to identify the affected meridian. is is
the most important step in obtaining precise and accurate results. e methods are Inspection (Wang),
Auscultation/Olfaction (Wen), Inquiry (Wen) and Palpation (Qie).

Inspection (Wang): e affected meridians are identified by observing swelling, color changes, atrophy,
deformities, etc. Distinguishing where these changes occur in terms of Chinese anatomy helps make an accurate
diagnosis.

Auscultation/Olfaction (Wen): Listening to the sound and quality of the patient’s voice, and smelling their
particular odor.

Inquiry (Wen): Asking the patient exactly where the pain is located and at what depth the pain occurs. e
more specifically they can identify the location, the more accurate the diagnosis and better the result will be.
Ask the patient to use one finger to point to the painful area.

Palpation (Qie): One of the most powerful tools to identify the affected meridian.

e pain may be located directly on a meridian, between meridians, or may cover two or more meridians.

With Acupuncture 1,2,3 it is not necessary to make a Zang Fu diagnosis such as LYR or Wind-Heat invasion.
e acupuncturist’s focus should be on the location of the discomfort. By treating the affected meridian, the
practitioner brings balance to the body, reduces pain, and restores health - both internally and externally.

Step 2: Determine the treated meridians

Use the Six Systems to determine treated meridians.

System 1: Chinese meridian name-sharing opposite side

System 2: Bie-Jing/branching meridian either side
System 3: Biao-Li/interior-exterior pairs opposite side
System 4: Chinese clock opposites either side
System 5: Chinese clock neighbors opposite side
System 6: Same meridian same side, opposite end of meridian

With internal disorders, the global balance method is used to arrange treated meridians on the body. Global
Balance is a combination of dynamic balance and static balance.
Dynamic Balance: when the meridians on the opposite hand and foot balance each other according to the Six
Systems (i.e. LU on le hand and SP on right foot; ST on le foot and LI on right hand)

Static Balance: when the meridians on the same side hand and foot, or both hands, or both feet, balance each
other (i.e. LU on le hand and SP on le foot; LU on le hand and LI on right hand; ST on le foot and SP on
right foot).

Example of LI LU
global balance
for treating sinus
pain on LI/ST
meridians with
SP/ST xu
symptoms

SP ST

If a patient has pain on a meridian or meridians, but also has internal symptoms, use the Global Balance method.

Step 3: Select the points

1. Mirroring format & reverse mirroring format: mapping one limb and another limb
2. Imaging format & reverse imaging format: mapping a limb to a different part of the body
A. Upper limb to head and trunk
B. Lower limb to head and trunk
C. Head to upper and lower limb
D. Scalp to the spine
3. Four-segment timing: five-shu points are chosen based on four-segment timing (season or time of day).
Especially useful when pain is influenced by seasonal or temporal elements.
4. Global Balance - Ba Gua: for Six Channel patterns (i.e. Tai Yin - Yang Ming; Tai Yang - Shao Yin; etc.)
and special syndromes (SP-HT imbalance, 8 Magical Points). e gua of the hand meridian is
transformed to the gua of the foot meridian on the same side. Depending on the Six Channel pattern,
either the 3rd & 6th points (III/VI) on the meridian will be selected or the 1st and 4th points (I/IV).
5. Five Element Ba Gua: for internal diseases with a clear excess or deficiency, when sedation or
tonification are desired. Points are selected using the “Ba Gua” shiing method. e bottom gua (ti
gua) is always the same as the sick element. To tonify, the top gua (yung gua) is transformed to the
 mother element of the sick element, or the same element as the sick element. To sedate, the top gua is
transformed to the son or the grandmother of the sick element.
6. Seasonal Balance: this method is based on the rhythms of nature and the five shu-transporting points.
Our sleep cycles, hormonal levels and mental states are all affected by cyclical rhythms. Points are
chosen by using the hexagram of the current season to balance the hexagram associated with an affected
meridian.
7. Ba Zi: based on Chinese metaphysics. I don’t know much about this strategy.