Acupuncture Point Dynamics: A Point Selection Approach Informed by Historical Clinical Evidence

Acupuncture Point Dynamics: A Point Selection Approach Informed by Historical Clinical Evidence

Course Overview

This Course provides a short review of the historical acupuncture literature, which provides a rich source of clinical information to inform acupuncture point selection.

Although some modern acupuncture courses emphasise point functions as a basis for point selection, in fact, most of the historical literature refers to point indications for signs, symptoms and diseases. While some traces of what might be called point functions can be found in earlier literature, the process of systematically assigning functions to acupuncture points did not occur until the 1950s or even later.

Acupuncture Point Dynamics: A Point Selection Approach Informed by Historical Clinical Evidence. When used as a general guide to point selection, point functions can be a useful shorthand. However, when taken out of the context of the signs, symptoms and diseases from which they were derived, point functions can lead to errors in point selection.

This course also introduces briefly the use of rhymed verse, the Odes and Songs, as a means of memorising clinical information about acupuncture.