Course: Energetics III Date: June 3, 2008 Class #: 7 Ren Channel Pathway Begins Lower ab (uterus in women, genitals in males). 2 Branches: 1. Perineum midline at abdomen and chest throat/chong winds around the mouth, terminates below the eye 2. Enters the Spine flows midline at back (du and kidney) Once upon a time old texts talked about how blood excess converts to hair growth. Explained relative lack of facial/body hair in woman as relating to monthly blood loss. Luo Connecting Begins at Ren 15, spreads over the ab area. Can treat: Excess: skin hurts in ab area Deficiency: itching in ab area. Not really for skin problems, but for skin itch feeling. If patient has blisters, itching due to allergies, you ll need more than just Ren 15. Ren 15 for skin that looks normal, weird sensations. Ren as the Sea of Yin Channels Ren Channel is nicknamed Sea of Yin Channels. See Slide 4 of Ren Channel.pdf. Note that there area LOT of Front Mu points on the Ren channel. Functions/indication of Ren Channel 1. Sea of Yin channels balances the Yin and Yang, treats psycho-emotional disorders. Especially used to treat patients with Yang or empty heat. Nourishes the Yin. Some practitioners in China use it for mania, often Ren 17/15/12/4/6 depending on the situation. Per the NeiJing, when there are Yang diseases, choose Yin channel (and viceversa). Mania, hard to calm down refers to excessive Yang or deficiency of Yin. Can choose channels on Du channel for depression same concept of using the opposite to balance. 2. Start form Lower ab/uterus a. Fertility problems male or female b. Leukorrhea (abnormal vag discharge), abnormal menses c. Tonify Kidney (Ren 4-7 is the location of the Dantian and the home of the Kidney essence which you tonify in Qigong. Also, Ren 3 is used to tonify Ki in clinic) 3. Zang-fu organ problems. (Front Mu points) Front Mu used to balance different organs. 4. Pathway along the Ren meridien a. Upper jiao b. Middle jiao Ren 12 and 10 Page 1 of 7
c. Lower jiao Ren 3, 4, 2 Points Point Category Indications/uh-oh s Ren 1 Ghost Also, mtg pt of Ren, chong, Du Local problems 1. urinary problems 2. reproductive problems Rescue Yang Qi: loss of consciousness, coma Calm Shen: mania, depression, epilepsy Rare to use, but can help a lot in certain cases. Ren 2-4 Often used in the clinic. All points on lower abdominal are are contra d for pregnancy as can lead to miscarriage. Also, when you punc, have pt empty bladder fer sure, dude. Ren 2 Ren 3 Ren 4 Front Mu of BL Mtg of Ren w/3 foot yins Front Mu of SI Mtg of Ren w/3 foot yin All are used for both excesses and deficiencies in the following areas. Ren 3 and 4 are the more commonly used as is the meeting of Ren with 3 foot Yins. 1. Reproductive problems 2. Urinary problems 3. Local problems like ab pain for several different reasons (excluding preggers). Menstrual cramps, digestive difficulties causing pain, pain at ovulation. 1. Rescue Yang Qi: coma, loss of consc. Mostly used for deficiency cases. 2. Front Mu point of Bladder emphasis on urinary problems. Good point to treat bladder rel d problems. Urinary freq, painful urin, kid xu hard to hold the urine (dribbling). 1. Guan yuan gate of origin (Dantian). Promote and foster the original Qi, benefit essence, fortify KI yang, nourish KI yin (moxa with healthcare) Basically, all Kidney dysfunctions. Can help with overall general healthcare too like you tonify on ST 36. Do this for ppl over 30 y.o. has to do with children having more Yang Qi don t want to screw this up. Too much Yang for kids, will start having migraines after age 50 with excess heat feelings. Very very important point to tonify kidney! Sometimes might ask pt to do moxa at home on this point. Add Du 4 for more of that. Can be good for ppl who are trying to get preggers. Also good when Kidney pulse is poor Page 2 of 7
2. Rescue Yang Qi, coma, loss of consciousness 3. Ascending clear Yang Qi prolapse of internal organs. Very close to uterus, bladder so very commonly used for these. Helps lift up the organs. 4. Digestive problems front mu of SI, so helps digestives. Diarrhea, weight control. Compare ST 25, SP 15. These are more commonly used for digestive problems, but if have both KI and SP xu, use this one. (i.e., chronic diarrhea) Warm needle on Ren 4, 6 for hot flashes, dryness of vaginal area. Ren 5-7 Dantian! 1. Repro problems 2. diarrhea, constipation 3. local problems Ren 5 Front Mu of SJ Anciently, forbidden to puncture this area as it made women infertile prob has more to do with larger and less sterile needles in pre-modern times. Note that it will not prevent preggers! Contraindicated in preggers as is a lower ab point. Ren 6 Ren 7 Ren 8 Sea of Qi (lower) Sea of Qi 1. Qi xu: tonify (moxa) for health care General Qi xu Rescues Yang Qi: coma, loss of consciousness Ren 17 is also sea of Qi, but more often for Qi stagnation. 2. Qi Stagnation Per the Classics of Difficulties Upper Jiao: Ren 17 Middle Jiao: Ren 12 Lower Jiao: Ren 7 (urinary probs) Ren 17 and 12 more often used than Ren 7 Junction of Middle and Lower Jiao, so is used to treat both. Needling is contraindicated! Can use cupping however with good affect as well as moxa, massage. 1. Digestive problems mostly diarrhea. If diarrhea for spleen qi xu, do the moxa and works great. Can only use for cold deficient type of diarrhea if use for other, will make diarrhea worse! Page 3 of 7
If you do moxa and it gets worse, stop it! Watch for thick yellow coating on the tongue and other heat signs. No moxa with heat! 2. Rescue Yang Qi: coma, loss of consciousness. 3. Balance Qi and blood: skin problems hives (cupping) 4. Lower Jiao probs: a. Urinary problems b. Reproductive problems Ren 9-12 Digestive problems, usually upper and stomach related. Not so much for gas/bloating, but for stomach ache type problems. Also used for local, but that s redundant to the previous sentences. Ren 9 Shui Fen which means water separation, separating the clear and the turbid. Retention of urine too. Edema, abdominal edema. When you choose ab edema, use moxa, not needling. Ancient texts say contra to needling when there is water illness such as edema, asceites. Makes the abdominal tissues thinner, greater risk of peritoneal penetration. Direct moxa is more common, sometimes as much as 20-50 small moxa cones traditionally. Now can just use moxa stick, 10-20 minutes. Patient will feel area warm up. Can also send this home with patient and have them do it x1/day. Ren 10 Ren 11 Ren 12 Front mu of Stomach Hui of Fu Ren 13-16 Lower Cavity affect lower portion of stomach. Food stagnation more excess than deficient Includes abdominal fullness, epigastric pain, n/v after eating, lack of appetite, undigested food in stools. Nada 1. Front Mu of Stomach: a. Digestive: Stomach problems both excess and xu. ST 36, Ren 12, PC 6 often used for different types of stomach problems. b. Resolve phlegm. Remember sp/st are source of phlegm. Combine with SP3 (because is the yuan source, prevents phlegm from forming), ST 40 (clear phlegm once it has formed). Sometimes when pt is vomiting, but not food but saliva use this point. 2. Calm Shen mania/depression. Especially good to calm shen when shen disorder due to phlegm retention. Example: phlegm misting the mind. Phlegm heat too. Yintang, Ren 17, Ren 12 is a good combo. Herbals for resolve phlegm heat 3. Hui Meeting point of Fu Located upper ab area, treats problems here. More dangerous points since they are on peritoneal cavity, esp Ren 14/15 can damage liver or heart. Page 4 of 7
Patient may not know they have a swollen liver or liver problems. More common to transversely puncture Ren 14/15/16. Works fine. Even though dangerous, is a good set of points to use. 1. Digestive problems upper like Stomach stuff 2. Psycho-emotional problems (ren 14 for heart, 17 for pc, etc): mania-depression, epilepsy, timidity 3. Local problems: stomachache, chest pain Ren 14-16: Respiratory problems (these are located higher and near the chest) such as cough, shortness of breath, etc. Ren 13 1. Shangwan, upper controller The upper portion of the Stomach a. Rebellion of Stomach Qi: n/v, vomit blood, acid reflux, belching. Most common usage. b. Stagnation in the epigastrum and abdomen: pain, distention, fullness and masses. Can often palpate around this point and will feel pain if they have these problems. Ren 14 FM of the Heart 1. Front mu of the heart. Physical or psychological problems. a. Calm Shen same as the other points use needling or moxa b. Heart organ problems: palpitation, chest pain, fullness in chest. Will often choose Ren 17 instead of this point, as Ren 17 is FM of Pericardium, is safer. Ren 15 Luo Connecting 1. Luo Connecting a. Excess: skin hurts in ab area b. Xu: itching Luo connecting, from where the qi disperses and spreads down over abdomen Ren 16 Technically, for infants vomiting milk, but not really used much. Ren 17 notes Used often due to location, ease to get to, protection for internal organs. Needle it transversely, usually either upwards or downwards. ZZ often punctures where it s easy to get to. Alternatively, according to current Chinese practitioners, puncture with 4 needles either in toward the center or from center outwards. Go out from Ren 17 a bit and puncture towards the point. Or from Ren 17 or close to it, 4 needles going outward. Used for strong patients since this requires some Qi depletion. This does help grasp the LU qi, asthma, sob, can t get enough air inside, so use the needles going in method. To scatter chest pain, fullness, puncture outward to disperse the stagnant qi. Page 5 of 7
Can also use for breast disorders, all excess cases. So many needles will make a deficient patient more deficient. Ren 17 Ren 18 Ren 19 Ren 20 Ren 21 FM of Pericard Hui of Qi Sea of Qi (upper) 1. Respiratory problems Rebelliousness of Qi of Lung. During asthma attack or coughing, very good to use. Sometimes can make an asthma attack worse, but ZZ says never has seen that herself. 2. Upper Jiao problems a. Heart problems Front Mu of Pericardium i. Heart organ problems usually chest tightness or pressure, heart pain. Comb: P6 + Ren 17 ii. Calm shen Heart rel d shen disorders. Not so much for phlegm retention. CAN use this for liver Qi stagnation see #4 below. 3. Chest problems a. Promote lactation (insufficient lactation remember SI 1), breast tenderness, breast nodules. Don t really want to puncture where the nodules are. b. Fullness of chest, chest tightness 4. Hui Meeting point of Qi: Regulate Qi. Good for this. Ren 6 and Ren 17 are both Sea of Qi. For Qi xu, mostly use Ren 6. Ren 17 comparatively used more for Qi stagnation than deficiency. a. Rebellious Qi: stomach and/or lung Qi Comparating Ren 17 and Ren 12, Ren 12 is more used as it is the FM of Stomach. b. Liver Qi stagnation Chest problems, chest tightness type stagnation. c. Qi deficiency. This is a major point good point for upper jiao problems both for heart and lung. Breast problems, but Ren 17 better Rebelliousness of stomach qi Food stagnation Ren 22 Window of Sky Local problems, mostly. Puncture technique: Barely perp puncture (0.3cun), then change direction, punc downward behind the bone. In ancient times, puncture behind the bone, then remove it immediately. 1. Local problems a. Throat problems sore throat, throat pain, plum pit qi, sudden Page 6 of 7
loss of foice, cough, sob. Technique: barely punc then have patient tilt head back which angles the needle downward. Then insert down. b. Esophagus problems n/v, hiccups c. Neck problems goiter Ren 23 Mostly for local problems. Don t need to retain needle here either. Insert, then change directions toward root of tongue or du 20. Have pt wave hand when they get qi sensation, remove. 1. Local problems See above. a. Tongue swollen tongue, pain of tongue, stiffness of tongue due to stroke, ulcers of the tongue. b. Throat sore throat, sudden loss of voice, etc. c. Stop cough and asthma. Better points for this, however. 2. Wasting and thirsty Diabetes, other problems such as cancer on the parotid glands, anything that damages the salivary glands. Helps those glands work better. Helps if patient sucks on a non-sugary lozenge while you re doing this. MD Anderson clinic even recommends this as an adjunct therapy to western treatments this point specifically, plus LI 1 but more medial than standard. (Metal point on metal channel which is mother element of water could be the logic behind this. Probably a 5 element practitioner who formulated this) Ren 24 Ghost 1. Local problems a. Mouth, throat: deviation of mouth, toothache, gum pain, tongue ulcer, sudden loss of voice, thirst 2. Ghost point - Calm shen, like epilepsy. More often during epilepsy. Combine with ST 6. Relaxes the jaw during an attack. 3. Urinary problems like euresis. Not often used for this, however. Page 7 of 7