The direct, word-by-word translation of de qi is: de – get, qi – energy; de qi – get the energy, or the qi / energy has arrived. This term describes a feeling felt after needle insertion. Due to the complexity of this term's meaning, no better translation can be found, so de qi has stayed in its original language.
What is the feeling of de qi? Who should feel it: the acupuncturist, the patient or both? The National Cancer Institute describes de qi as: "Tingling, numbness, heaviness, and other feelings that occur after an acupuncture needle has been properly placed in the body."
An experienced acupuncturist may reference his / her own "feeling" to determine de qi: a feeling like when a fish bites the bait while fishing.
Qi has been a difficult concept, because it is not visible, hard to grasp. So far, there is no proof, no good proof at least, of qi's physical form.
De qi seems as if it's able to make the invisible qi visible through feeling. However, should "feeling" be the only way to find qi or define de qi? Is there any way to make de qi visible or even measurable?
The answer is yes. Helene Langevin, MD, director of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), found that de qi is not just a feeling; it is visible. In both human and animal models, she found that "needle grasp" is the biomechanical component of de qi. Needle grasp is caused by connective tissue winding around the needle. This grasp may further induce tension in the collagen network surrounding the needling site.
The needle grasp is enhanced by manipulating the acupuncture needle. It is a measurable tissue phenomenon. She also found that needle grasp is not unique to acupuncture points; however, the needle grasp – de qi – is rather enhanced at those acupuncture points.
Dr. Langevin's work suggests that acupuncture through de qi sends mechanical signal to the local collagen network, then into local cells, causing changes downstream, including gene expression.
This validates that de qi is the beginning and essential step of any changes in the body after acupuncture. Acupuncture points are important, applying the needle at the acupuncture points and grasping the qi is important. As the classic Ling Shu states: "Acupuncture is effective only if the Qi has arrived."
References
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