As a Five Element acupuncturist who teaches facial acupuncture classes nationally, I was surprised to learn that one of the basic principles I was taught in school is unfamiliar to most acupuncturists.
Rooted in Five Element Theory, the practice of clearing energetic blocks before initiating treatment is at the core of my facial acupuncture classes. A block is defined as, "A break in, or impediment to, the smooth flow of Qi."1 Blocks can prevent treatments from being effective or holding. They must be cleared in order for healing to take place. Behind any facial acupuncture treatment, whether it is for cosmetic or functional (neuromuscular) purposes, is the principle of directing energy up to the face.
Interrupted Flow
If a person's energy cannot flow smoothly in the intended direction, either to specific acupuncture points, or to muscles, the treatment will not be as effective. The Miraculous Pivot (Ling Shu)2 teaches us, "Only when the stagnation is cleared away can the channels be vented and Yin and Yang be harmonized."
Blocks to treatment can take many forms. They can be energetic such as: Possession, Aggressive Energy, Husband/Wife or Entry/Exit. They can be lifestyle blocks such as: diet, relationships, and substance abuse. Some blocks are structural like a scar or bone structure. Others blocks to treatment relate to a patients' dependence on the illness for sympathy, or financial reasons.
Energetic Blocks
For the purpose of this article I will discuss only energetic blocks, and the diagnosis and treatment of two types in detail. Energetic blocks are diagnosed in various ways. Some can show up on the pulses as a disparity in the strength of one pulse in relation to another or in the strength of the left side pulses to the right. Other ways blocks can show up are in a patient's affect, physical or emotional well-being, or appearance, our ability to connect with them or even in their history.
Prioritizing Blocks
Blocks vary in severity and significance. Some are dire and require immediate attention; some are less severe and will resurface from time to time. The list of energetic blocks presented in order of treatment priority is:
One-sided symptoms include:
The first block to be cleared is always possession. Although the word "possession" may bring up superstitious or biblical notions, clearing possession is one of the oldest forms of healing. According to Five Element principles, possession is when a person is no longer in control of his whole self. The hallmark sign of possession is a lack of shen in the eyes of the patient. Some supporting signs may be:
External Dragons are specifically noted when a patient has the above symptoms and has experienced extreme weather or climates or an external trauma such as an accident.
The treatment for IDs are as follows:
For EDs:
If a patient is possessed, clearing subsequent blocks can be impossible. If it is suspected, it should be addressed before any other treatments are performed. To learn more about the conditions which can lead to possession, or diagnosis I recommend, "The Clinical Practice of Chinese Medicine" by Lonny S. Jarrett or "Five Element Constitutional Acupuncture" by Angela and John Hicks and Peter Mole.
Once possession is cleared, the next block to address is Aggressive Energy. Aggressive Energy (AE) is created by toxic or polluted energy that moves along the K'O cycle. According to Five Element theory, Aggressive Energy is: "Qi which is contaminated and polluted and whose quality is poisonous and destructive." AE will cause problems within the total energy of the body, mind and spirit (Worsley, 1990).
AE must be cleared to prevent its spread to other officials during treatment, hence its clinical significance in Facial Acupuncture. AE can occur after surgery, emotional or physical illness or a variety of other conditions. It is drained through the Yin organs via the Back Shu points. The test for AE is also the treatment; there is no other way to diagnose with certainty that a patient has AE. Therefore, AE should be cleared on every new patient.
Needles are placed very shallowly, in the Back Shu points (BL13, 14, 15, 18, 20, 23) test needles are placed in each of the three Jiao, either inside or outside the inner bladder line. If the needles are placed properly they should hang down slightly, but not touch the skin.
If the redness around the needles is different than the test needle, then AE is present and must be drained. The needles must be left in until the redness clears. AE can recur, you can retest any time you suspect it is present. If other more severe blocks (such as IDs) are present, AE will not clear until the other blocks have been cleared.
A husband/wife imbalance and an entry/exit block are two more examples of energetic blocks, which can impede the smooth flow of energy to the face during treatment. They are diagnosed on the pulses. Regardless of the nature and severity of the block, its presence will impede the effectiveness of any acupuncture treatment. Without this crucial piece, treatments can progress more slowly and not have as long lasting effect.
References
Chronic pain afflicts over 20% of the adult population. Sadly, most MDs have essentially no education in treating pain, beyond offering a few toxic medications. Then they tend to steer people with pain away from those health practitioners who are trained. This puts the acupuncture community on the front lines for addressing this epidemic.
When the body is going through a stressful event, the sympathetic system is activated. This activation will help the body with a life-threatening situation. If this state is activated for prolonged periods of time, it starts to consume energy. These traumatic events that generate stressors in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) will eventually become internalized.
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One of the things that makes acupuncture so difficult to measure is that the medicine actually does contain some esoteric aspects. There have been numerous studies that demonstrate the neurochemical reasoning behind why acupuncture points stimulate the autonomic nervous system to enact change However, not all the benefits of TCM can easily be measured by randomized, controlled trials. But does that make them fundamentally and definitively untrue?
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