TCM- Functions of the Heart

Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on the (dis)harmonies of different organs. In TCm, these organs, not only represent the physical organ, but other functions as well.

Heart

Functions:
Governs Blood
Controls Blood Vessels
Manifests in the complexion
Houses the Mind (shen)
Is Related to Joy
Opens to the Tongue
Controls Sweat

Here are some of these functions in a little more detail:

Heart Governs Blood:
1. The heart is the motive force
2. It Transforms gu-qi into blood
3. Heart blood influences menstruation very indirectly

Heart Houses the Mind (Shen):
1. Blood is the root of the mind.

Heart Opens to the Tongue:
1. The Heart influences tongue, talking, and speech
- When Heart Blood is deficient, there is a pale, thin tongue
- When there is Heart fire, the tip of the tongue is red

Governing Vessel- Du Mai

Governing Vessel (GV):
This vessel emerges at GV-1, which is located midway between the coccyx and the anus. The next point on this channel is on the Haitus of the Sacrum. After this point, the next 15 points are located below different spinous processes.
From bottom up, the order of the processes are Lumbar (L) 5 and counting backwards up to L2. This is followed by Thoracic (T) 12, up to T1. Next are the Cervical Processes (C), beginning with C7 up to C1.
Because this channel moves upwards externally, the number of the points will also be numerical from bottom to top. There will be a GV point located below every spinous process except:

L5
L3
T12
T8
T4
T2
C6-2

The space below the top spinous process is not palpable, so to locate this (GV-15), have the person tip their head back and you'll be able to feel a hole below the External Occipital Protuberance (EOP). This spot is also known as .5 cun above the posterior hairline.
GV16 is located in the depression below the EOP.
The distance between GV16-20 is 6 cun and each of the points are 1.5 cun from eachother. GV 20 is located at the vertex of the skull. (To review how to count cun, please refer back to The Conception Vessel)
The distance between the anterior hairline (AHL) and GV20 is 5 cun.
GV 21- 3.5 cun posterior to the AHL
GV 22- 2 cun posterior to the AHL
GV 23- 1 cun posterior to the AHL
GV 24- .5 cun posterior to the AHL

GV 25- is on the tip of the nose
GV 26- between the nose and the upper lip
GV 27- on the midline, where lip and skin meet (top lip)
GV 28- On the inside of the mouth where the inside of lip meets the gums

Conception Vessel - Ren Mai

Conception Vessel:

The Conception Vessel emerges in the perineum and travels up the anterior midline to the center of the chin. To find the points, you need to use a measurement called a cun (pronounced soon). This measurement is different on everyone. The way to measure it out, is to know body landmarks and to memorize the number of units located between certain ones.
For the conception vessel, you need to remember that from the pubic symphasis (pubic bone) to the umbilicus (belly button) there are 5 measurements (units of cun). All of the points are on the anterior midline. To name all the points, I will refer to the conception vessel as CV.

CV 1- located at the perineum, midway between scrotum and anus.
CV 2- located at the superior border of the pubic symphasis (ps)
CV 3- located 1 cun superior to the PS
CV 4- located 2 cun superior to the PS
CV 5- located 3 cun superior to the PS
CV 6- located 3.5 cun superior to the PS
CV 7- located 4 cun superior to the PS
CV 8- in the center of umbilicus

Now that we have reached the umbilicus, I'll need you to remember another number. The distance between the umbilicus and the sternocostal angle is 8 cun. Let's move on.

CV 9- located 1 cun above umbilicus
CV 10- located 2 cun above umbilicus
CV 11- located 3 cun above umbilicus
CV 12- located 4 cun above umbilicus
CV 13- located 5 cun above umbilicus
CV 14- located 6 cun above umbilicus
CV 15- located 7 cun above umbilicus
CV 16- located at the sternocostal angle

For the next set of points, you'll need to be able to feel the spaces between ribs and then move your finger over to the spot on the sternum which is level with that rib space.

CV 17- level with the 4th intercostal space at sternum
CV 18- level with the 3rd intercostal space at sternum
CV 19- level with the 2nd intercostal space at sternum
CV 20- level with the 1st intercostal space at sternum

For the rest of the points, we will use landmarks:

CV 21- midway between CV 20 and CV 22
CV 22- in the deepest part of the fossia above the sternum
CV 23- On the midline, in the depression above the hyoid bone.
CV 24- Above the chin, the in depression in the center of the mentolabial groove.

Some of these points have notable mention:
CV3- Front Mu of Bladder
CV4- Front Mu of Small Intestine
CV5- Front Mu of Sanjiao
CV6- Sea of Qi
CV12- Front Mu of Stomach
CV14- Front Mu of Heart
CV15- Luo Point
CV17- Front Mu of Pericardium

Some Contraindications
C1 No Needle
CV2-4 Caution with deep needle on full bladder
CV8- No Needle
CV9- No Moxa
CV 14,15- No deep needle

Learning so much!

I haven't been able to add a new post because I was just getting into the groove of school. It's such a large amount of information coming at once, but I am just now learning how to manage it. I will be now posting at the end of every school week, to update you on what I've learned.
Have to run off to class now, but will post this evening and bring you current.

What's to come:
5 channels of points
Anatomy of the shoulder and arm
Yin yang theory
Heart and Liver functions
Some history and cultural foundations of acupuncture
Needling techniques