The 74 Meridians used in Classical Acupuncture

• 12 Primary meridians for a very wide array of disorders. (These are the 12 meridians of TCM.)
• 8 Extraordinary meridians for constitutional restructuring, childhood illness and injuries, and illness which originated in childhood.
  Disease range: food intolerances and other allergies which originated in childhood, right through to moderation of birth defects and psychological disorders originating from birth, birth trauma or early childhood.
• 16 Luo meridians for emotional, psychological, blood and some musculoskeletal disorders.
  Disease range: moodiness all the way through to schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis.
• 12 Divergent meridians for chronic musculoskeletal conditions (eg: Rheumatoid arthritis, carpal tunnel), gynecological conditions, gastrointestinal and respiratory disease, sensory organ and skin disease, insomnia.
  Disease range: chronic back pain through to cancer.
• 12 Sinew meridians for acute and semi-acute musculoskeletal disorders.
  Disease range: pulled muscles from one day to one week's duration, and burns.
• 12 Cutaneous regions for acute musculoskeletal complaints.
• 2 Bisecting abdominal meridians for urogenital and reproductive health.

Treatment Course Lengths

• These vary according to the type of meridian implicated.
• Most often, considerable benefit is felt after one treatment. After three treatments, there is a very clear indication of the effect of treatment. Many acute conditions can even resolve in that initial period.
• Sinew meridian treatments require up to three visits, as close together as possible.
• Luo meridian treatments are ideally done every second day for 21 days (11 treatments).
• Primary meridian treatments are done once or twice a week for six weeks to eight weeks.
• Divergent meridian treatments are done ideally three days on, three days off for 21 days, but can be done once a week for up to twelve weeks if this is preferred.
• Extraordinary meridian treatments should be done once a week for three months (12 treatments).

Other Treatments:

The Common Cold

The Common Cold sinew meridian treatment can be a one-off treatment or up to three days in a row. These short but critically important treatments are performed on the first day of catching a cold and are done in my clinic at half the usual treatment fee.

According to Acupuncture medicine, a "cure" for the common cold cannot be found, and medicines which suppress the cold and prevent it coming out should not be used. In Chinese medical terms the common cold is known as a "wind-cold invasion"; an essential reaction by the body as it rids itself of cold. Germs are constantly around and within us, yet we only get "catch cold" when we are tired or stressed. We'll hear someone say she gets a cold "when she needs one", in other words, when exhausted by still not resting. We are not meant to be cold, and cold is especially dangerous when our defenses are down (due to stress, fatigue or other factors).

Entry of cold into the body is said in the classic texts to be "the root of a thousand diseases". A tired body, unable to summon the energy to rid itself of cold, is then subjected to a series of very complex processes in which the body either seeks to counter this cold with the heat it then produces, or sends the cold deep into the body where it lies latent (hidden). Rushing a cold out in its early stages is critically important to good health. Cold and flu drugs enable the body to keep the cold latent and are therefore not advised. So crucial is it to treat early onset cold that in my Chelsea practice, patients who feel they are "coming down with a cold" are urged to make an appointment for that day for a treatment at half the usual fee.

Post-operative Care and Scar Treatment

Acupuncture can greatly assist the body in healing after an operation. Classical scar treatments facilitate the movement of qi across the wound or incision, preventing blockages in the flow of qi and minimizing scarring. These can be commenced very soon after an operation.

Rest is absolutely crucial in a post operative setting. Blood loss and anesthesia put tremendous taxation on the energetics of the Spleen which is in charge of deriving qi (energy). Early resumption of a hectic lifestyle will cause serious fatigue initially and a compromised recovery overall.

Cold and raw foods are absolutely contraindicated in a post-operative setting.

Perhaps one of the most damaging practices pre- and post-operatively is the provision of cups of ice for sucking. Anesthesia and operations in general compromise the body's protective qi and cold is allowed to enter the body at a profound level. This will slow recovery time and can precipitate serious systemic problems later, ranging from arthritis to reduced fertility.

Fertility and Pregnancy

Acupuncture has an excellent success rate with fertility issues for both women and men for whom western medical fertility treatments weren’t successful, or for women looking for a less invasive approach.

In many cases where fertility treatment has not been successful it is commonly the diet that is at fault. In order to maximize the success of fertility treatments patients are advised that the following are absolute contraindications during pregnancy, or if having difficulty getting pregnant.

• Ice in drinks
• Cold foods including salads
• Raw foods including salads
• Studying too much
• Overwork
• Over thinking
• Going to bed late at night
• Spices, especially chili in any form
• Garlic
• Onion
• News or stressful movies

All the above tax the energetics of the Spleen which is responsible for maintaining the pregnancy, or the Stomach from which all fluids and vital nourishment are derived. Also, pregnancy cannot occur in a cold uterus. Ideally the first and last trimester should be spent away from work.

Adherence to the above has proved enormously successful in my practice when combined with individualized acupuncture treatments.