Talk:Channel (Chinese medicine)

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[edit] Page name

(TCM) is a pretty bad disambiguator, as it in itself is ambigous. I suggest Meridian (physiology), Meridian (medicine) or Meridian (chinese medicine). -- Chuq 10:18, 25 Nov 2004 (UTC)

Hi Chuq, this seems a good suggestion to me. I'd use Meridian (chinese medicine). How do you change Titles? Geraldstiehler 10:26, 25 Nov 2004 (UTC)
Use the "move" button up the top. just enter the new name, and the page will be moved, with a redirect from the old name automatically created in its place. -- Chuq 11:18, 25 Nov 2004 (UTC)
I really don't like the "TCM" in the title. It is vauge and confusing. Unless anyone objects I will be moving this page to Meridian (Chinese medicine) in a short while. -- FP ?? 08:12, Apr 28, 2005 (UTC)
I doubt anyone will object. Meridian (TCM) moved to Meridian (Chinese medicine). -- FP ?? 08:23, Apr 28, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] GFDL history statement for Aligned water theory

This section preserves history for GFDL licensing compliance; please do not remove.

The following text, inserted 07:28, 14 Apr 2005 Dpbsmith, is a copy of text that was solely authored in a rapid series of edits, the last on 23:33, 12 Apr 2005, by 67.127.72.243, in an article entitled "Aligned water theory." This notice is being provided so that history is preserved in the event that Aligned water theory is voted for deletion. Dpbsmith (talk) 12:30, 14 Apr 2005 (UTC)

The aligned water theory of the meridian (TCM) conjectures that meridians are made up of aligned water clusters. Aligned water clusters are where large numbers of water molecules align electrically to form a stable cluster. These have been photographed with an electron microscope by Shui-Yin Lo outside the body. He calls them IE crystals.
These aligned water molecules are thought to flow between the cells. They form a chain that completes a circuit around the body.
When the water molecules fall out of alignment the body may become less healthy.

[edit] Scientific predictions and section cleanup

However, later research has confirmed that meridians exist, and many of the claims of meridian diagnosis and treatment are reliable.[1] Despite such research, skeptics of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) often characterize the system as pseudoscientific. Proponents reply that TCM is a prescientific system that continues to have practical relevance.

The above statement is contrary to the citation which identifies NO existence of meridians. I edited the statement to conform to the conclusion of the citation.

The modern search for evidence of the meridian system has become acupuncture's search for the Holy Grail. A number of researchers have claimed to have found evidence for energy meridians, but to date these claims have been unconvincing (v., e.g., Stux & Pomeranz, 1995; Lewith & Lewith, 1983; Chaitow, 1990). For example, Vernejoul claimed to have actually photographed the meridian system (Vernejoul, 1985). Efforts at replication have led most researchers to conclude that Vernejoul photographed the lymphatic system rather than a meridian system (v. Stux & Pomeranz, 1995). While many practitioners of acupuncture assume the existence of meridians, after a significant amount of research, no convincing evidence has been found for their existence. Convincing evidence does exist for local and total body effects of acupuncture interventions, but none has been found for meridian effects (Stux & Pomeranz, 1995).

The above excerpted from Hooke, A Review of Thought Field Therapy, Vol. 3:2; Article 3, The International Electronic Journal of Innovations in the Study of the Traumatization Process and Methods for Reducing or Eliminating Related Human Suffering. --Michael.spangler 13:12, 19 June 2007 (UTC)


However, the predictions of the modern scientific theory of meridian system have been confirmed or supported by multiple research results in both acupuncture and conventional biomedical sciences.

This is a very bold yet vauge and unreferenced claim (which I removed). It sounds like something unsubstantiated that someone who believes in the system would repeat. If this claim is true, it needs to be much better supported. First of all what are the predictions of the "modern scientific theory of [the] meridian system"? Is there such a thing? What specific research results have upheld these predictions? Some references would definitely needed for such a potentially controversial claim.

I marked the section which lists the meridians of the arms and legs for cleanup for two reasons:

  • These terms should clearly be linked to more detailed articles, but I was unsure whether they should go to Chinese medicine-specific articles, or the scientific articles on particular organs.
  • Could someone explain why, for example, my stomach meridian is in my leg, even though my stomach is clearly located in my middle torso? Are these just named by the organs they are connected to? What are their Chinese names? Is there a physical manifestation of the purported connection which is observed in cadavers?

-- Beland 02:20, 3 June 2006 (UTC)

    • As stated in the corpus, the names refer to functional positions within the body's organ networks. Using the Western anatomical names for the TCM organ functions is regarded by authors like Jeremy Ross as a mistake, but happens by necessity when teaching English students. For instance, the pí (脾) system, while normally translated as "Spleen", probably refers to not only the spleen, but much of the hepatic portal system, and possibly cells and physiological functions of the liver and pancreas, etc. It is not the form of it, but the function that is important. So, to answer your question about why the Stomach channel is in the leg. Well, it's just that it was observed by people that stimulating certain points on your leg affect the performance of the wèi network. Anyway at some point people discovered the channels, and the points became grouped by the channel which they lie on. It's quite probable that if you were to needle points on the stomach channel and the Large Intestine channel (together, these two halves form the Yangming channel), and pass electricity through it - of the level of micro-amps to milli-amps - most of that current may be passing through the organs responsible for the wèi and dà cháng organ networks (ie, the stomach and large intestine).

Mugwumpjism (talk) 07:30, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

So I am not sure this is the place to discuss exactly, but the reason as to why the stomach meridian is in the leg, is it actually runs from the head (two branches that come together near the chin), then proceeds down the torso all the way to the 2nd toe. It is eastern science or eastern medicine. I attempted to find / link to a source on the internet, but unfortunately I can't find a single source that one would consider reputable .. I expect it will have to be book references in Acupuncture. However, I would comment that Western scientific proof is not the way to go here.

-- User:Clear2Go 20:28 EDT (Sep 15, 2006)

[edit] Section Headings

What's the difference between References and Bibliography? If it's nonexistent maybe the section authors ought to merge them. Yasha82.44.114.57 17:23, 14 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] acupuncture meridians (channels)

I think recent re-discovery, in Korea, of the "Bonghan ducts" should also be discussed in this/related sections.

It would likewise be a good idea, I feel, to have at least a brief biographical entry for Kim, Bong Han (Bonghan). He was the researcher who originally discovered the existance of tubular "ducts" that seem to correspond to classical TCM meridians in their anatomical paths. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Valdi Yegorov (talk • contribs) 18:51, 20 October 2007 (UTC)