The Korean "Four Point" System

John A. Amaro L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.(NCCAOM), DC

In my last article "Acupuncture Diagnosis in a Chiropractic/Medical Practice" (Dynamic Chiropractic - October 18, 1999), I discussed the high technology acupuncture examination known as "Ryodoraku" or "Electro Meridian imaging" to determine the status of the meridian system.

Since pulse diagnosis as classically taught, only allows the practitioner to see a maximum of 6 to 8 patients a day, many practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have begun to use modern diagnostic procedures along with classical acupuncture stimulation techniques.

Of course one of the most important issues in clinical acupuncture is without question the establishing of a proper diagnosis. This includes determining which of the 12 meridians are involved by either being too high in electro magnetic energy, too low or split between left and right sides of the body.

Once the status of the meridians are determined by Electro Meridian Imaging (Ryodoraku) or by Traditional Chinese pulse diagnosis, it is imperative to balance the meridians to normalcy by toniflying the low meridians and sedating the high ones. In Five Element acupuncture, balancing between involved meridians is classical and focuses on borrowing excessive energy to supply those meridians that are too low.

Acupuncture has numerous approaches around the world to include virtually every Asian nation. However, the Koreans approximately 600 years ago, developed one of the most significant techniques of balancing the meridians which is virtually unknown to most acupuncturists except those in Korea and extreme northern China. The procedure is also very well known in the northern islands of Japan.

The technique requires the use of four specific acupuncture points for each meridian that is shown to be either too high or too low. Whereas in Chinese acupuncture, the utilization of the single "tonification" or "sedation" point is all that is classically used.

Even though simple tonification and sedation will suffice in most cases, for those stubborn conditions that are having great difficulty in establishing a balance, this Korean system is ideal. This technique will balance meridians when other procedures will not.

The four steps for a "deficient" meridian are:
1. Tonify the Horary point of the Mother organ
2. Tonify the Mother organs element point on the affected organ
3. Sedate the Horary point of the controlling meridian (KO cycle)
4. Sedate the controlling organs element point on the affected organ

The four steps for an "excessive" meridian are:
1. Tonify the Horary point of the controlling organ (KO cycle)
2. Tonify the controlling organs element point on the affected organ
3. Sedate the Horary point on the "son" organ
4. Sedate the son organs element point on the affected organ

The fact of the matter is, once a meridian is determined to be too high or too low, rather than going through the procedure of figuring out which points to use, the points are always the same for each meridian either being too high or too low. Follow the provided chart to achieve some of the most spectacular clinical results you will ever experience.

When the following meridians are "DEFICIENT" treat:

Meridian	TONIFY	SEDATE
LUNG	SP3 LU9	HT8 LU10
LARGE INTESTINE	ST36 LI11	SI5 LI5
STOMACH	SI5 ST41	GB41 ST43
SPLEEN	HT8 SP2	LIV1 SP1
HEART	LIV1 HT9	KI10 HT3
SMALL INTESTINE	GB41 SI3	BL66 SI2
BLADDER	LI1 BL67	ST36 BL54
KIDNEY	LU8 KI7	SP3 KI3
PERICARDIUM	LIV1 P9	KI10 P3
TRI-HEATER	GB41 TH3	BL66 TH2
GALLBLADDER	BL66 GB43	LI1 GB44
LIVER	KI10 LIV8	LU8 LIV4

When the following meridians are "EXCESSIVE" treat:

Meridian	TONIFY	SEDATE
LUNG	HT8 LU10	KI10 LU5
LARGE INTESTINE	SI5 LI5	BL66 LI2
STOMACH	GB41 ST43	LI1 ST45
SPLEEN	LIV1 SP1	LU8 SP5
HEART	KI10 HT3	SP3 HT7
SMALL INTESTINE	BL66 GB40	ST36 SI8
BLADDER	ST36 BL54	GB41 BL65
KIDNEY	SP3 KI3	LIV1 KI1
PERICARDIUM	KI10 P3	SP3 P7
TRI-HEATER	BL66 TH2	ST36 TH10
GALLBLADDER	LI1 GB44	SI5 GB38
LIVER	LU8 LIV4	HT8 LIV2

Try balancing the involved meridians you have discovered with EMI evaluation with this ancient Korean approach. It has few equals. I personally use it in the most difficult cases.