by Judy Thompson

Created on: May 22, 2009

Acupuncture points are the same thing as acupoints. Acupoints is just a shorter term in use. The acupoints are points on the body that massage therapy, reflexology, or acupuncture treatments are applied. There are numerous acupoints distributed over the human body. Most reflect the chi of the organs and/or meridians within the body. The meridians are pathways in which the Chi and blood within the body are circulated.

There are fourteen meridians for acupoints. These are known as regular points. You have the twelve regular meridians. Then you have two extra meridians out of eight, which are the Du and the Ren. These are the most common used points and are the main acupoints in acupuncture today. The twelve regular meridians are used in pairs from the left to the right sides of the body, while Du and Ren meridians are single ones that align the posterior and the anterior of the body in harmony. The twelve regular meridians consist of the Yin arm channels (heart, pericardium, lung), the Yang arm channels (small intestine, triple heater, large intestine), the Yin leg channels (spleen, liver, kidney), and the Yang leg Channels (stomach, gall bladder, urinary bladder).

There are, also, five categories of acupoints among the body that have different functions. However, two of the five have subcategories. These categories are as follows:

1. The five transporting points system, which is used to describe the qi (chi) flow within the channels. The subcategories of the five transporting points system are the Jing-well which represents where the qi bubbles, the Ying-spring points which are where the qi guides, the Shu-stream points that are where the qi pours, the Jing-river points where the qi flows, and He-sea points where the qi collects and begins to submerge deeper into the body and it's tissue.

2. The five phase points, which are commonly known as the five elements in traditional Chinese medicine, that consist of wood, earth, metal, fire, and water.

3. Xi-cleft points, which are points where the qi and blood gather and expand deeper.

4. Back-shu points lie within the paraspinal muscles either side of the spine.

5. Front-mu points are located in close proximity to the respective organ.

6. Lou-connecting points are located near the twelve meridians, Du, and Ren meridians.

7. Yuan-source points are of yuan qi.

8. Hui-meeting points are points of that have special effects on certain organs or tissues, such as the marrow, bone, vessels, sinews, and blood.

A person, also, has extra acupoints, which are not on a meridian. These are used like on the external part of the ear and the hand. The most popular extra point is Yintang, which is the location between the eyebrows.

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