The Research On The Theory Of How To Integrate "Movements And Qi's Theory" With "Midnight-Noon Ebb-Flow" And "Eight Techniques Ebb-Flow" Acupuncture

Introduction :Early more than 2000 years ago, the Chinese classic medical treatise "Neijing (内经)" depicted incisively the embryo of the chronotherapy, putting forward valuable ideas such as body functions changed according to the lunar's waxed and waned, the weakening and strengthening of yin and yang associated to the season change, and the clinical syndrome differentiation and treatment emphasized compliance with the principle of 'adopt measures according to time'. On the other hand, having inspiration source from "Yijing (易经)", "Neijing" drew knowledge from the philosophical principles of "Yijing" and put into creative application. In particular, the theories of "Five Elements' Movements and Six Climatic Qi's (五运六气)" ("Five Movements and Six Qi's") or the principles of "Movements and Qi's Theory (运气学说)" in "Neijing" were greatly influenced by the principles of "Yijing". Those theories have provided important theoretical basis for the Chinese medicine and also became research subjects for climate change in nature and their impact on phenology and symptom. They could be deemed as the development of "The Theory of Yin-Yang and Five Elements (阴阳五行理论)" in "Yijing".The traditional classical treatments such as "Midnight-Noon Ebb-Flow Acupuncture(子午流注)"("Midnight-Noon") and "Eight Techniques Ebb-Flow Acupuncture (八法流注)" ("Eight Techniques") including "Eight Magic Turtle Techniques for Acupuncture (灵龟八法)" ("Magic Turtle") and " Eight Flying and Rising Techniques for Acupuncture (飞腾八法)" ("Flying-Rising"), all were therapies about acupuncture and moxibustion in accordance with conditions based on time. "Midnight-Noon" and "Eight Techniques" were brought forth by the influence of the theory of "Nature and Man Correspond to Each Other (天人相应)" advocated in "Yijing". "Midnight-Noon" refers to an acupuncture technique on opening points on the twelve Meridians (十二经) and five Shu Points (五输穴) according to time by applying the principle of the chronological method of "Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches(天干地支)". "Magic Turtle" and "Flying-Rising" were built on the basis of classic works such as "Eight Diagrams of Yijing (周易八卦)","Hetu (河图)" and "Luoshu (洛书) " , drawing from the knowledge of "Lingshu's Nine Palaces and Eight Winds (灵枢·九宫八风)"and incorporating the converge rules of the twelve meridians of human body and the "qi and blood (气血)" of "Eight Extraordinary Meridians (奇经八脉)".Both of these two "Eight Techniques" methods made use of the "Eight Confluence Points of Eight Extraordinary Meridians (八脉交会穴)" with the "Eight Diagrams (八卦)", and the points were selected by applying calculation of the chronological method of "Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches". The theory of "Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches" was one of the theories from the "Five Movements and Six Qi's" and thus the theories of "Midnight-Noon" and the "Eight Techniques " were considered to be originated from the principles of "Movements and Qi's Theory".Objective : The qi mechanism of "Movements and Qi's Theory" not only verified the general laws of variations of "Five Movements and Six Qi's" for the whole year, but also gave proof to its extraordinary rules. "Midnight-Noon" emphasized on scheduled and fixed point selection rules, lacking non-scheduled and non-fixed point selection rules influenced by external qi. As a result, it could not be able to take the best advantage of synchronization of excess and deficiency law between qi and blood of the body and external qi to open and close points.On the other hand, "Magic Turtle" and "Flying-Rising" introduced point selection techniques connecting the "Eight Diagrams" bearing, "Movements and Qi's Theory" and the chronological method of "Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches" of "Yijing". However, this kind of fixed bearing and scheduled point selection rule did not offer ways to respond to the impact of excess and deficiency of external qi, including time and space factors, on human body so as to achieve directed and flexible point selection rule. "Movements and Qi's Theory" not only acknowledge the mechanism of time and qi but also contains the rules on bearing and qi.Method :In the opinion of the writer, by introducing the qi mechanism of "Movements and Qi's Theory" to "Midnight-Noon", it will achieve better curative effect and improve its advantage on chronotherapy. Moreover, by integrating the "Movements and Qi's Theory" with "Eight Techniques", it will also increase the curative effect and enhance its advantage on chrono-spatial medicine.The methods of integrating "Movements and Qi's Theory" with "Midnight-Noon" include:1) the physique factor - the development of human embryo is affected and restricted by "Five Movements and Six Qi's";2) the "Movements and Qi's" factors in the natural environment:-·open the "Bi (Close) Point (闭穴)" based on the "Movements and Qi's Theory";·open the "Five Shu Acupuncture Points (五腧穴)" based on the "Excess, Revenge, Stagnation and Release (胜,复,郁,发)" mechanism of the "Movements and Qi's Theory";·open the "Jing (Well) Point (井穴) of Ying and Yang Meridians (阴阳经井穴)"according to the excess or deficiency state of the "Movements and Qi's";·open the "Yin and Yang Meridian Points (阴阳经穴)"jointly according to the excess and deficiency of "Heaven Qi (司天之气)"and "Spring Qi·in case of the depression of external qi and the suppression of ""Internal-organs' Qi(脏气)"by "Stagnant Qi (郁气)", the "Yuan (Source) Point (原穴)" can be used to modulate;·inter-operation and inter-access of "Confluence Points (交会穴)" between Yin and Yang Meridians according to change of Six Qi's and the wane and wax of "Three Yins and Three Yangs (三阴三阳)";·based on the principle of "Suppressing the Overpower in case of Excess Movement and Supplementing the Source in case of Deficient Movement (运太过则抑其胜,运不及则资其源)" in the "Movements and Qi's Theory"to support the effect of "In a Deficiency, Tonify the Maternal Viscus and in an Excess, Purge the Offspring (虚则补其母,实则泻其子)" in one of "Midnight-Noon" methods of "Nazi Method(纳子法)";The methods of integrating "Movements and Qi's Theory" with "Eight Techniques" include:1) the physique factor - the development of human embryo is affected and restricted by "Five Movements and Six Qi's"; 2) spatial and bearing factor - according to the description of "Movements and Qi's Theory" in "Neijing" , "Movements and Qi's" exhibits the two qi phenomenons, namely "Normal Days (正化日)" and "Abnormal Days (邪化日)". "Normal Days" have little impact on bearing while "Abnormal Days" have relatively greater impact on bearing. The disorder of Qi in "Abnormal Days" may cause harm to six kinds of qi (wind, chills, dampness, heat, dryness and fire). As the "Six Qi's (六气)" were in line with the bearings of "Lingshu's Nine Palaces and Eight Winds" which were mainly based on "Eight Diagrams" of "Luoshu ", it caused damage to the "Palaces". "Eight Techniques" could work with this "Movements and Qi's" abnormal qi bearing theory, based on the related mechanism of "Magic Turtle" and "Flying-Rising" to select acupoints so as to remedy the impact of "Abnormal Days" on bearing, i.e. the impact on human body.The diagram below shows the derivative relationship of the theoretical study of integrating "Movements and Qi's Theory"with "Midnight-Noon" and "Eight Techniques" as mentioned above: Clinical Study:Since the above theoretical study is a brandnew subject, clinical test is needed so as to verify its feasibility.In order to test the feasibility of the subject theory on clinical practice, this research undertook the "Pilot Clinical Study" by applying Jin's 3-Needle Technique on Mentally Handicapped Children.The research studied the source cases from the Guangzhong Outpatient Department of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Research Center under the supervision of Professor Jinrui. The target group under study was identified based on the uniform diagnostic criteria, inclusive criteria and exclusive criteria. Since cases of this kind of mentally handicapped children were rare, only 20 cases were collected for the clinical research. The research targets were divided into three groups at random. The first and second groups each had 7 persons and the third group had 6 persons. Although the number of cases did not meet the number of sample required by Statistics, the preliminary pilot study as a mean for creative treatment method was regarded as acceptable.The preliminary pilot study of the clinical test used "Jin's 3-Needle Technique (靳三针)" as the basic treatment method and set Group 1 as the basic group. For Group 2, treatment integrating Jin's 3-Needle Technique with "Nazi Method" of "Midnight-Noon" was applied while for Group 3, treatment integrating Jin's 3-Needle Technique with "Nazi Method" of"Midnight-Noon" plus "Movements and Qi's Theory" was used for comparison.Group 1 (7 cases): Jin's 3-Needle Technique Treatment - It uses the main prescription "Four Items of Mental Retardation (弱智四项)" (namely "The Four Spirit Points (四神针)", "The 3-Points in the Temporal Area (颞三针)", "The 3-Occipital Points (脑三针)" and "The 3-Points for Intelligence(智三针)") as the principal prescription for treatment, and apply appropriate supplementary prescriptions, such as "The 3-Tongue Points (舌三针)", "The 3-Intellect Points on the Hand/Arm(手智针) " and "The 3-Intellect Points on the Foot(足智针)", according to the specific symptoms of the sick children.Group 2 (7 cases): Jin's 3-Needle Technique With Nazi Method - In addition to the use of Jin's 3-Needle Technique, the Nazi Method in "Midnight-Noon" was also applied for the sick children of Group 2. Under the Nazi Method, points were selected by meridians based upon the time and periods when treating the sick children. Since the treatment time in the clinic is mostly from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., the point selections according to different time are as follows: use the "Yuan Point Chongyang (St.42) of Stomach Meridian (胃经原穴冲阳)" during Chen Period (辰时) from 7 to 9 a.m., use the "Shu Point Taibai (Sp.3) of Spleen Meridian(脾经输穴太白)" during Ji Period (巳时) from 9 to 11 a.m., use the "Jing Point Shaochong (H.9) of Heart Meridian (心经井穴少冲)" during Wu Period (午时) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m..Group 3 (6 cases): Jin's 3-Needle Technique With Nazi Method plus "Movements and Qi's Theory" -Apart from the acupuncture methods of Group 2 above, the treatment of this group also applied "Movements and Qi's Theory". Based on the "Excess (太过)" or "Deficiency (不及)" of "Central Movement (中运)" in a particular year, the treatment grasped the opportunity of "Excess (胜)","Revenge (复)","Stagnation (郁)","Release (法)" to select points with the help of "Movements and Qi's Theory". Since the chronological order of the year of treatment in 2008 was Wuzi (戊子) Year, the Central Movement was the "Excess Fire Movement (火运太过)" and during the first half of the year, "Heaven Qi(司天)" was "Emperor's Fire of Shao Yin (少阴君火)" while "Spring Qi (在泉)" was "Dry Metal of Yang Ming (阳明燥金)" during the second half of the year. "Central Movement" and "Heaven Qi" were both "Fire (火)" and the "Spring Qi" was "Dry Metal of Yang Ming", which impaired the fluid due to dryness-heat, the selection of the "Five Shu Acpuncture Points" should be able to lower the heat, produce the body fluids and relieve dryness. Thus, the "Shui (Water) Point Quze (P.3) of Pericardium Meridian of Hand (手厥阴心包经水穴曲泽) " was used.Result:Three Groups were received assessment for the symptoms before and after the first month treatment, on the date immediate after two months treatment and three months treatment respectively. The results of each study were as follows: (1) Since limited cases were picked for each group (six or seven patients only), they offered no statistical meaning. However, from the tables of the curative effects and the tendency of the analysis graphs, they showed ranking and healing relationships and represented a practical meaning. On the other hand, the sick children had up to 12 different kinds of symptoms, but not every sick child had all the symptoms. In fact, apart from all the 20 sick children of the three groups had language handicapped, only three other symptoms, including attentiveness, hyperkinetic (ADD) and stereotype, were found in each group. However, each of these three symptoms in all of the three groups has only 8 cases, 8 cases and 4 cases respectively in total. The number of cases was too small to make any meaningful comparison.(2) For the common cases of language handicapped in the 20 sick children of all three groups, it showed that after three months therapy of the three groups (though the difference had no statistical meaning due to the small number of cases), by comparison of the curative effect on the language expression and the total "Effectual Rate", both of Pilot Group 1 and Pilot Group 2 were 71.4%, whereas Pilot Group 3 was 83.3%, nearly more than 12% in comparison with Pilot Group 1 and Pilot Group 2.(3) By taking the total "Effectual Rate for Marked Improvement" for comparison, it can show the remarkable curative effect of Pilot Group 3. After three months therapy of treating the language handicapped, 4 out of 7 mentally handicapped patients in Pilot Group 1 took effect and 1 patient got marked improvement. For Pilot Group 2, 3 out of 7 mentally handicapped patients took effect and 2 patients got marked improvement. For Pilot Group 3, 2 out of 6 mentally handicapped patients took effect and 3 patients got marked improvement. The total "Effectual Rate for Marked Improvement" of Pilot Group 3 was 50% much higher than that of Pilot Group 1(14.3%) and Pilot Group 2(26.6%). From the analysis graphs, it shows that when treating the language handicapped, the three groups appeared a descending trend in average score for each month. The descending trend in both of Pilot Groups 1 and 2 were more significant than that of Pilot Group 3.(4) The curative effect of Pilot Groups 1, 2 and 3 was not affected by the factors of age, sex and the degree of illness.(5) Pilot Groups 1, 2 and 3's acupuncture treatment in the above Pilot Clinical Study was proved to be safe and did not have any adverse side effect.Conclusion :In conclusion, although the number of cases in this Pilot Clinical Study did not reach a meaningful conclusion in statistics, from the comparison of the practical effect on the language handicapped, integration of "Movements and Qi's Theory" with "Midnight-Noon", i.e. "the Jin's 3-Needle Group + Nazi Method + Movements and Qi's Group", had a better curative effect than the other two groups. For the total "Effectual Rate for Marked Improvement", the treatment of integrating "Movements and Qi's Theory" with "Midnight-Noon" was obviously higher than that of the other two groups. Thus, integration of "Movements and Qi's Theory" with "Midnight-Noon" would be a potential way to improve the practical curative effect and further clinical research could be undertaken.