Homecoming

So after a several month hiatus from blogging that saw the passing of another season of final exams and a brief, but intense, detour into the world of business development (which has been truly fascinating from the perspective of amateur sociological exploration into the nature of office work), I am pleased to be returning here to focus on things a little closer to heart.

This post is actually more than just a little closer to heart, in fact, as I recount my most recent personal experience with the medicine and the astounding results it can produce when done with careful precision. About a week and a half ago, I noticed that the skin around the cuticles of my right hand had begun to look very dry and soon afterward, actually begun to peel. This was accompanied by the skin on my right palm, beginning around 劳宫 (PC8) and radiating outward until my entire palm had become red and slightly irritated as the young layers of skin beneath were exposed. Yes, another of those strange, slightly annoying, yet in no way life-threatening health problems that plague long-term residents of Beijing.

In addition, I had been sleeping somewhat restlessly, whether due to my own internal imbalance or the effects of the warmer Spring-like weather on my young male cat, it is difficult to say. Regardless, I found myself waking almost every morning from a vivid dream cycle just shy of 7 o'clock. This coupled with somewhat unpredictable bowel movements got me to thinking, though it wasn't until yesterday during my conversation with Sylvie Hu, our AWB representative here in Beijing and a wonderful resource on all things acupuncture related, that I finally began to connect the dots.

She suggested a simple, yet elegant (as AWB protocols tend to be) treatment: Tonify 合谷 (LI4), 曲池(LI11)，天枢(ST25); Disperse 大陵(PC7)，太溪(KI3).

A bit of crafty ambidextrous work on myself (as I still rely on the clumsiness of physical needling), an extended evening meditation and a great night's sleep have yielded some truly remarkable results. The peeling has stopped, and even seems to have begun to replenish itself across my entire palm and fingertips. A small victory, I know, but astonishing, nonetheless.

So what are the forces at work here? Sylvie explained that skin conditions such as this, including some rashes, excezema, and even psoriasis, are intimately related to the functioning of the Large Intestine and its ability to remove toxins from the body as well as the adequate strength of surface Yang enenrgy to retain internal energy from oozing to the surface. The digestive issues and the early rising, coincidentally during the Mao period of the horary cycle, further confirm this line of thought. The location along the Pericardium channel and the restless sleeping are generally indicative of excess energy in the Heart and Pericardium, thus the need to disperse 大陵，the Yuan and Earth Shu point of this channel. 天枢, or "Heavenly Pivot" is known to coordinate the respective digestive and assimilative/excretive functions of the upper and lower digestive tract, and has also been proven effective in treating various psychological conditions. All said, an incredibly useful point to investigate.

This basic treatment, tonifying 后溪(SI3) and 外关（SJ5) when necessary, can be used as a basic formulation of points for treating skin problems resulting from an accumulation of toxins in the body. For bowel irregularity marked by uncontrollable, painful spasms, combine with dispersal of 三间(LI3), or tonify 大肠俞(BL25) for constipation resulting from Large Intestine deficiency. These treatments may also require the patient to adjust their diet where needed. The more severe the skin condition, the stricter the diet should be, beginning with the elimination of fatty foods and alcohol and ending with all dairy and meat products.

The presentation, however, is secondary to the underlying pathology. Patients with Large Intestine deficiency and a build-up of toxins within the blood may also present with various allergies, for example. Constipation may be the result of disharmony between the Spleen and Stomach, or engorging of the Liver - it's all so wonderfully, frustratingly possible.

To conclude with a simple observation I hope you have already hit upon by this point, "Yes, acupuncture is very cool..."