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Meridians – Neurosensory Organs Within the System of Homeostatic Regulation

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Advanced Acupuncture Research: From Bench to Bedside

Abstract

Chinese Medicine (CM) may nowadays be understood as a medical system based on a binary numbering system and a technical model of regulation, which can be applied to vegetative homeostasis. This includes neuronal and humoral factors, microcirculation, activation of defence and the assessment of structural stability. The theory of the phases (“elements”, wuxing) is a perfect example of this approach to logically access the scientific principles of CM which is called the Heidelberg Model of CM. As phases and their clinical manifestations, the so-called organ patterns or orbs, can thus fully be explained as patterns of vegetative dysregulation, CM diagnosis is thus defined as a vegetative functional state which may require healing reflexes elicited by acupuncture.

The classical Chinese medical terms can therefore be precisely translated into western terms of medical physiology, thus fostering a demystification of CM and its integration in Western health care and research. In this context, meridians may be regarded as neurosensory organs which may physiologically give reflectory signals to the body and may be used for the vegetative reflexology called acupuncture. A short review of their functions is given in this introductory chapter.

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Abbreviations

CM :

Chinese Medicine

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Acknowledgement

Many thanks to Petra Fröschen for typing and revising the manuscript with patience and competence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Heidelberg School of Chinese Medicine, Heidelberg, Germany

    Cui Yang, Erfan Ghanad, Nuno Correia, Sebastian Kirch, Anna Maimer & Henry Johannes Greten

  2. Department of Visceral Surgery, Heidelberg University, Faculty of Mannheim, Heidelberg, Germany

    Cui Yang

  3. TCM Research Centre, Piaget Institute, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal

    Nuno Correia, Anna Maimer, Maria João Santos & Henry Johannes Greten

  4. Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Jorge Machado, Anna Maimer & Henry Johannes Greten

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  1. Cui Yang
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  1. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

    Ying Xia

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Yang, C. et al. (2022). Meridians – Neurosensory Organs Within the System of Homeostatic Regulation. In: Xia, Y. (eds) Advanced Acupuncture Research: From Bench to Bedside. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96221-0_7

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