February is International Heart Health Month
In this day and age there are many variations and ideas of what acupuncture actually is. You have Classical acupuncture and you have Traditional Chinese Medicine. There is Japanese Acupuncture and there is Medical Acupuncture. In addition to that, there are various styles that have been passed down in the family lineage and there are countless variations of those just outlined.
Other Styles of Acupuncture
Some acupuncture styles focus on reading the diagnosis almost exclusively via taking the pulse and others through palpation of the body.
There are acupuncture methods that almost exclusively use only points on the scalp and other methods rely entirely on using electro stimulation based on nerve distribution.
Tung Style Acupuncture
Tung Style Acupuncture is one method of acupuncture treatment that has been passed down through centuries of family lineage and to be want of a better description, the knowledge had been kept secret for generations.
It was fortunate that Master Tung in the early 1960’s, because he had no children of his own, passed on his knowledge to about 70 students who then spread the word, so to say, to the rest of the world.
There are now courses in this unique style being taught around the world.
How is Tung Style Acupuncture different?
Differences between Tung Style Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are numerous and will be the topic of another blog at a future date. In a nut shell though, most of the Tung acupuncture points are not standard classical meridian acupuncture points. The Tung acupuncture points are often used in groups of 2 -3 points and acupuncture points on the back are rarely used. Tung also used a system of applying different body zones and areas to treat problems away from the actual site. For example, treat the wrist to treat the opposite foot.
Patients often have asked, how can acupuncture help the heart because you can’t stick a needle into the heart.
Where some Tung Acupuncture Points for the Heart ?
Instead we have points on the fingers with one example being the point which when translated is “Heart Normal”. And literally this point addresses such issues as palpitations, rapid heart beat and chest pain.
Another set of important heart points used in heart disease are on the thigh called the The Heart Passing Points. Again these points are used to address palpitations, chest pain and weakness after exertion. It is said because the thigh muscles, being so large, have a large supply of qi (lifeforce) and blood, which can be accessed by the needles to help the heart. Interestingly, modern research has shown that having strong quadriceps correlated with less likelihood of heart failure.
What else can I do to help my heart health?
Modern medicine suggests using weights and squats to build up quadriceps strength and Chinese medicine has said for centuries to do the horse stance to live a long life. If you are fortunate enough to live on Waiheke Island off Auckland, Michael can teach you the horse stance.
Michael Goodhue, Qi Gong Master demonstrating the horse stance
