Acupuncture Chart

Following acupuncture charts require that a person be trained in the ancient Chinese medicine of acupuncture. There are many different areas of knowledge that must be learned before being able to use the acupuncture chart correctly to insert the needles in the correct areas of the body for treatment.

The acupuncturist must first spend time with the patient to diagnose what the patient's main issues are. These can be ascertained through the person's medical history, but also through an examination of the person's body. Unlike traditional medicine, acupuncturists look at a person's face to start with to make a diagnosis.

The tongue is of special importance to the acupuncturist, as he or she can read what some of the person's main issues are by examining it for shape, color, coating and teeth marks.

Besides the tongue, acupuncturists also listen to the breathing of the person, listening for any wheezing sounds or other abnormalities in breathing. There is also palpitation of the body which allows the acupuncturist to determine where the person's 'ashi' points are, which are the tender points on a person's body where he or she may be storing things, as well as palpitating the fingers and wrist.

In addition to these observations, the acupuncturist must also as questions called the 'seven inquiries' which help him to determine where the person needs acupuncture.

These inquiries cover whether the people have chills or fever, their perspiration, if they have pain, what their sleep is like, what their appetite, thirst and taste is like, how they defecate and urinate, and also menses and leucorrhea.

Once the problem has been determined, then the acupuncturist refers to an acupuncture point chart to show where the individual should have the needles inserted in order to cure whatever issues he or she might have.

Acupuncture charts show where the fourteen channels are for the body, where the Qi and 'Blood' move through the body. These channels are related to the different functions in the body, so the twelve primary channels are all related to the major systems in the body such as the lung, stomach, spleen, heart, bladder and kidney.

There are also 'ashi' points that are used to help with pain in different parts of the body that are not covered in the main channels. According to acupuncture charts, these points are where the person has gathered stagnation which has resulted in pain.

By inserting needles into the body according to the different points on the acupuncture chart, the areas affecting the person can be cured of their ailments.