1. The role of meridians

(1) Connecting the internal organs and communicating the inside and outside: "The Spiritual Body: The Treatise on the Sea" points out: "Those who have the twelve meridians belong to the internal organs and the external channels belong to the limbs. "The reason why the five internal organs, limbs, five senses, nine orifices, skin, flesh, muscles and bones and other tissues and organs of the human body can maintain relative coordination and unity, and complete normal physiological activities, is achieved by relying on the communication of the meridian system. The meridians, meridians and eight and fifteen meridians in the meridians are criss-crossed, entering and exiting the surface, reaching up and down, and contacting the various viscera and tissues of the human body; Connecting the muscles and skin of the limbs through the tendons and skin; Fuluo and Sun Luo are connected to each subtle part of the human body. In this way, the meridians connect the human body into an organic whole. The liaison and communication role of the meridians is also reflected in the conduction function of the meridians. The body surface feels the disease and various stimuli, which can be transmitted to the viscera; Physiological dysfunction of the viscera can also be reflected on the body surface. These are the concrete embodiment of the role of meridian communication.

(2) Running Qi and Blood and Nourishing the Whole Body: "Lingshu Benzang" points out: "Those who practice blood and qi and camp yin and yang, moisten the muscles and bones, and benefit the joints." "Qi and blood are the material basis of human life activities, and all tissues and organs of the body can only complete their normal physiological functions when they are warmed and moistened by qi and blood. The meridians are the channels for the flow of qi and blood in the human body, which can transport nutrients to all tissues and organs of the body, so that the viscera tissues can be nourished, the muscles and bones can be moistened, and the joints can be smoothed.

(3) Resist disease and protect the body: the camp qi travels in the pulse, and the guard qi travels outside the pulse. The meridians "carry out blood qi" and make the qi of the camp and guard densely spread all over the body, and it is adjusted to the five internal organs internally, sprinkled on the six internal organs, and resists diseases and evils externally to prevent internal invasion. External evils invade the human body from the surface to the inside, starting from the skin. When external evil invades the body, Wei Qi bears the brunt of its role as a barrier to resist disease and protect the body. As said in "Su Wen Miao Thorn Treatise": "The husband and the evil guest must first give up the fur, stay but not go, give up in the Sun vein, stay but not go, give in the veins, stay but not go, enter the meridians, connect the five organs, and scatter in the stomach." ”

2. Clinical application of meridian theory

(1) Explain pathological changes: meridians are a communication system between the internal and external parts of the human body, and when the physiological function is out of balance, it is also the way for the transmission of disease and evil, and has the characteristics of reflecting the symptoms of the disease. For example, in the pathological process of some diseases, obvious tenderness can often occur in the meridian pathway, or reactants such as nodules and cords, as well as changes in skin color, shape, and temperature of the corresponding parts. The pathological condition of the disease can be inferred by looking at the color, touching the reactants through the meridians, and pressing.

(2) Guidance on syndrome differentiation and meridian differentiation: Syndrome differentiation and meridian differentiation refers to the identification of the patient's symptoms, signs, and pathological changes in related parts to determine the meridians where the disease is located. Dialectical meridian differentiation is carried out under the guidance of the meridian theory. If there is a headache, the pain in the forehead is mostly related to the Yang Ming Sutra; The pain on both sides is mostly related to the less yang meridian; The pain in the latter item is mostly related to the solar meridian; The pain at the top is mostly related to the pulse and the yin meridian of the foot. This is based on the distribution characteristics of the meridians of the head. Clinically, according to the symptoms and the viscera they are connected with, the syndrome differentiation can be carried out. For example, cough, runny nose, chest tightness, or pain in the upper chest and the medial anterior edge of the upper limbs, etc., are related to the hand Taiyin and lung meridians; Abdominal distention, flank pain, lack of appetite, belching and acid swallowing, etc., are related to the foot yang and stomach meridians and the foot syncope yin and liver meridians.

(3) Guidance on acupuncture treatment: Acupuncture treatment is to stimulate the meridians and acupoints on the body surface through acupuncture and moxibustion, so as to dredge the meridian qi and regulate the function of qi and blood in the human organs, so as to achieve the purpose of treating diseases. The selection of acupuncture points and acupuncture methods are the two keys to acupuncture treatment, both of which rely on the guidance of meridian theory. Clinically, acupuncture and moxibustion are usually based on the meridians and the main characteristics of the acupoints, such as the "three miles of abdomen and abdomen, the waist and back are entrusted, the head is missing, and the face and mouth are closed and the valley is harvested" is the specific manifestation of the acupoints taken by the meridians. Because the meridians, viscera and skin are closely related, meridian and visceral diseases can be treated with skin needles to puncture the skin or intradermal needles, such as stomach pain, you can use skin needles to puncture the middle belly and stomach Yu acupoints, and you can also bury needles in the skin of the acupoints; Meridian obstruction, qi and blood stagnation, can be pricked for bleeding in the veins for treatment, such as eye redness, swelling, pain, temple bleeding, soft tissue contusion, puncture cupping, etc.