Practiced for more than 2,000 years, acupuncture was once restricted to the realm of alternative medicine. It was thought to be based on mythical elements and not easily understood by those in the scientific community. Acupuncture: An Anatomical Approach, Second Edition dispels these notions and brings this once backroom therapy into the forefront—explaining it in terms that can be easily comprehended by all medical professionals.
Presenting a scientific, anatomical approach to acupuncture, this volume discusses:
- The basics of the nervous system
- Acupuncture points located in the head and face, formed by the cranial nerves
- The cervical plexus, which forms acupuncture points in the neck region
- Acupuncture points formed by the brachial plexus in the upper limbs, spinal nerves in the body trunk, and the lumbar–sacral plexuses in the lower limbs
- The anesthesia effect of biochemical substances in the nervous system
- The measurement and quantification of pain
- Applications of acupuncture in clinical practice, from cases easy to treat to those more challenging
- Theories on the future of acupuncture
The treatment of pain, in general, is controversial, as many therapies have unintended consequences and side effects. Acupuncture provides a therapy that is quick, easy to perform, and requires no medications. This volume enables physicians, osteopaths, pain specialists, chiropractors, and other health professionals to perform this effective treatment for their patients who experience both chronic and acute pain.
Introduction
Anatomy in Acupuncture
General Consideration
Identity of Acupoints
All in the Sensory Nerves
Efferent Fibers
Afferent Fibers
Muscular Nerve Branches
Cutaneous Nerve Branches
Anatomical Features Contributing to the Formation of Acupoints
Acupoints of the Cranial Nerves
Cranial Nerves Without Acupoints
Cranial Nerves with Acupoints
Trigeminal Nerve
Facial Nerve
Glossopharyngeal Nerve
Vagus Nerve
Spinal Accessory Nerve
Acupoints in the Neck Region
Boundaries of the Neck
Formation of the Cervical Plexus
Acupoints of the Cutaneous Branches
Acupoints of Muscular Branches
Acupoints in the Upper Limb
Topography of the Upper Limb
Organization of the Brachial Plexus
Acupoints on the Pectoral Region
Acupoints Over the Scapular Region
Arm and Forearm
Wrist and Hand
Acupoints in the Body Trunk
Defining a Typical Spinal Nerve
Composition of Fibers in the Typical Spinal Nerves
Distributions of Acupoints
Acupoints On Back Of The Neck
Acupoints on the Dorsal Surface of the Chest
Acupoints on the Lumbar and Sacrum
Acupoints in the Front
Lateral Side of the Chest Cage
Acupoints in the Lower Limb
Regional Anatomy
Lumbar Plexus
Sacral Plexus
Acupoints of the Lumbar Plexus
Acupoints of the Sacral Plexus
Distributions to the Thigh
Distributions in the Popliteal Fossa
Acupoints on the Posterior Compartment of the Leg and Ankle
Acupoints on the Lateral Compartment of the Leg
Acupoints on the Anterior Compartment of the Leg
Acupoints on the Foot
Physiology in Acupuncture
Electrical Phenomena of the Body
Electrical Activity in Acupoints
Dynamic Nature of Acupoints
Three Phases of Acupoints
Physical Properties of Acupoints
Biochemistry in Acupuncture
Biochemistry in Relation to Acupuncture
Terminologies in Neurotransmitters
Relevance of Neurotransmitters
Importance of Endorphin
Other Neurotransmitters
Immediate Acupuncture Reactions
Reactions After Acupuncture
Pathology in Acupuncture
Conventional Wisdom in Pathology
Pathological Origins
Endogenous Origins
Exogenous Origins
Modes for Trigger Points to Appear
Combination of Systemic and Regional Appearances
A Special Case
Psychology in Acupuncture
Psychology of Pain
True or False
Historical Prospect of Pain Perception
Mental Attitude Toward Pain
The Vicious Cycle of Pain
Rebutting Acupuncture as Placebo
Pain and Measurement
A Challenge and A Puzzle
Measurements of Pain
Subjective Pain Versus Objective Pain
Ranking the Trigger Points
Trigger Points in Four Groups
Trigger Points on the Spinous Processes
Results of Pain Measurement
Acute Versus Chronic Pain
Good to Excellent Applications
General Guidelines
Samples of Pain for Demonstration
Defining Good to Excellent Results
Pain in the Face and Head
Pain in the Neck and Shoulders
Pain in the Upper Limbs
Pain in the Body Trunk
Pain in the Lower Limbs
Applications with Mixed and Limited Results
Defining Mixed and Limited
Irrelevant to Pain
Subjective Pain Perceived
Pain in the Face and Head
Pain in the Neck and Shoulder
Pain in the Upper Limb
Pain in the Body Trunk
Pain in the Lower Limb
Diffuse Pain
Difficult Patients with Poor Results
Connecting Difficult and Poor
Profiles of Difficult Patients
Pain in the Face and Head
Difficult Pain from the Neck to the Fingers
Pain After Surgery
Phantom Limb Pain
Spondylitic Abnormalities
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
Tailbone Fracture
Difficult Patients with Different Results
Index
Biography
Houchi Dung earned a Ph.D. in anatomy from the University of Louisville in 1970. Soon after, he accepted a faculty position in the Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, which he held until his retirement in 2002. His main responsibilities were teaching gross human anatomy to medical and dental students and conducting research on a number of neurological mutations in mice.
During his 31-year academic career, he published 24 papers on the field of acupuncture from his clinical experience. He has published several books on acupuncture and pain—three in English and three in Chinese.
" … a key reference for any medicine collection or practitioner concerned with the therapy and applications of acupuncture. It presents a scientific, anatomically-based approach to acupuncture and discusses acupuncture points, pain measurement and management, and clinical applications from easy cases to challenging. Health professionals will find here all the basics needed to understand how acupuncture works and its possibilities, especially for relieving chronic and acute pain."
—The Bookwatch, Midwest Book Review"...a top recommendation for any health collection."
—James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, The Bookwatch
