What Are Meridians? By Kit Yoon, L.Ac.
Just as trees have roots and braches making up pathways for water and nutrients for their optimum vitality, so do the human bodies. In Western medicine, we may consider blood vessels, nerves, or the lymph system to be the equivalents. In Chinese Medicine, we call these pathways meridians and collaterals.
Since the 2nd century, through decades of observing the therapeutic effects obtained from stimulating certain points on the body, Chinese Medical practitioners have mapped out the courses of Qi and Blood. Overtime, they gradually reshaped and expanded the knowledge to what we now know as the Channel Theory, the basis of acupuncture therapy practiced worldwide today.
The Channel theory determines that there are 12 main meridians that run throughout the human body, crisscrossing horizontally, and vertically. Found along the meridians are acupuncture points where more Qi and Blood are gathered. A combination of these points is selected during acupuncture treatments depending on the patient’s symptoms. Together, they access the therapeutic effects and re-direct the Qi and Blood to minimize or diminish the patient’s ailment.
The meridians are connected to the major organ systems as well as skin, muscles, and bones. These primary channels bear the name of the 12 vital organs, namely: Lung, Large Intestine, Heart, Small Intestine, Liver, Gall Bladder, Spleen, Stomach, Kidney, Bladder, Pericardium and the (elusive) Triple Burner. Most of the meridians either start or end at their organ system, but the course of each meridian can travel far and wide.
For instance, you might wonder why a practitioner places an acupuncture needle on your leg, right below your kneecap, if you come in with stomach pain. This is because one of the major points to treat any stomach or digestive problems is Zhusanli, or Stomach 36. Its location on the stomach meridian is about 3 inches below the lateral side of your patella, but its function directly impacts the stomach, the organ system to which it belongs.
Chinese medical theory believes that when the 12 meridians are free of blockages and stagnations, the body is in harmony and void of pain or disease. Though all the 12 main meridians are connected, some have deeper relationships with one another.
Out of the 12, 6 of them are considered Yin meridians, and the other 6, Yang meridians. Each Yin meridian has a deep connection with its corresponding yang meridian. Using the Stomach meridian as an example; it is a Yang meridian, so it is paired with the Spleen meridian, its Yin counterpart.
Clinically, the relationship between these Yin and Yang meridians allows us to utilize both meridians for optimum therapeutic results. For instance, not only can Stomach 36 be a good choice for stomach pain, but a Spleen point on the spleen meridian can benefit the treatment as well. Your practitioner may choose Spleen 6, on the medial side of lower leg, in addition to Stomach 36. Together, the two points work together to reduce or diminish the stomach pain. As they say, two points are better than one!
The Channel theory includes several other meridians and collaterals. Besides the main meridians, there are divergent meridians, extra meridians, muscle channels, and more. Together, they create a web of roots and branches, making up a whole complete system.