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Chris,
I’ve really enjoyed this series of articles, though I had some questions that I feel weren’t directly answered.
Firstly, how can you define Qi? If it is not “energy”, then what is it? You’ve mentioned before about it being (or being related to) breath, and I understand how proper breathing is important with internal practice, but how does this coincide the feeling of qi one experiences when practicing internal arts (I know when I adopt a stance from Ba Gua Zhang, I feel it immediately in my palms) or occasionally during acupuncture treatment? I have waited with baited breath to see if this would be explained in detail in your series of articles.
Further, I am curious if there is any reason why sometimes this feeling is stronger and sometimes lighter? I know there was one spot I’ve experienced under the knee (the aim was to treat an inflamed hamstring tendon that was giving me discomfort proximal to the isheal tuberosity when I sat down) that was very intense, like a river of qi! Lastly, I’ve noticed that lots of times an area that needs needling (at least based on my experience as a patient) always seemed to be very sore. My acupuncturist would palpate and it was always the sorest of spots that would be needled; most of the time this was to treat various pain issues. Why is there this connection between these points, the aching pain, and needle location?
Another question for you. You’ve said that acupuncture can help loosen the muscles, so perhaps this answers my question. In the past I was treated by an acupuncturist for my scoliosis. My acupuncturist found that in addition to spinal deviation, my left scapula was raised slightly as well.
She would palpate along my spine and back and would insert a needle next to one of the vertibrae that were out of alignment and would also insert a needle into sore spots on my back (most commonly in the area south of the scapula and proximal to the spine). Sometimes she would also use a (what she said was) Japanese method of acupuncture on my head (the scalp). My spine did seem to straighten and my scapula lowered (the feeling was very strange and I couldn’t place it at first what the cause was. It felt like there was a trigger point under my scapula almost. Later I rememebered that she said she was lowering my scapula and then it made sense why I had a trigger point feeling in an area that doesn’t form trigger points). Did this process occur only due to the muscles loosening and thus allowing the bones to shit into their proper location? -
ischial* tuberosity
I need to proof read better -
How does one tell if an acupuncturist is “good”, qualified?
Also, how does one find such a person? (I live in San Francisco; we have lots of acupuncturists in the Bay Area, but I do not know the difference between a “quack” and the real thing.)
Thanking you in advance for your reply. -
Hiya. Thank you for this detailed explaination! I have always been curious about Chinese medicine and acupunture. I had a friend who did acupressure and taught me some – I always wondered what the difference was. I have shied away from acupressure, and most Chinese medicines because in this country (England) at least, they seem to be very linked with Chinese religion and I’m a pastor’s wife! Not something we want to mix. I appreciate your explainations that this is medical, not spiritual. Alot the think about and go read more about…………..
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If I understand correctly, you’re saying acupuncture is comparable to the entirety of western medicine? That acupuncture is better for most conditions, though western medicine is better for some?
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So western medicine has been better at treating acute life-threatening situations, while Chinese medicine is better for curing chronic conditions and making life more enjoyable?
I don’t know that the article was unclear; perhaps I didn’t read carefully enough. -
I understand.
You also said, “Western medicine, on the other hand, confuses symptoms with disease. Treatment is almost always directed at the symptom, not the disease.”
Would you say that, for the most part, only symptoms are treated because it is so difficult to discover the root causes, so most of them haven’t been figured out yet, or is it something more fundamental about western medicine? -
Hi Chris,
Any thoughts regarding electro-acupuncture?
Thanks.
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