Acupuncture Treatment of the Metal Channel for Shoulder and Hand Pain, Sinusitis and IBS

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Licensed Acupuncturists practice Chinese medicine and are well trained to recognize aspects of imbalance that can be the start of deeper trouble. Chinese medicine training emphasizes understanding of elements that exist inside each body as well as in the environment; practitioners educated in this ancient healing art understand the connection and interaction of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Just like each element has its characteristics and physicality in the world, so it does in each of us. Each item has associated body regions, organs, and senses, as well as times of day, a color, emotion and smell and taste. The interaction and connection of the various elements affect each of us daily; when we pay attention to the world around us, we can heal ourselves more fully. Acupuncturists can help make sense of symptoms that seem unrelated and bring us back into totality when problems seem insurmountable. Preventative care using Chinese medicine is also helpful to maintain good health overall.

It helps to have a basic understanding of element theory. The first element in the classical order is metal. Metal divides into yin (lung) and yang (large intestine) and pathway channels or meridians arise from the metal energy. Other elements have different channels and pathways in different areas. The metal channels course the body from the hand to the face; imbalance associated with the metal channel frequently demonstrate problems in the areas of the head and face and shoulder to hand regions. Examples of musculoskeletal manifestations due to metal channel disruption could be anterior shoulder impingement or thumb tendonitis.  Additionally, the lung and large intestine organ organs may be affected when disharmony exists in the metal channel- a person may experience frequent sinusitis or lung congestion, or may have IBS or other problems with the lower bowel. Acupuncture treatment may use massage or needle acupuncture of dietary suggestions to effect change where needed.

Autumn is the season of metal; grief is the associated emotion and dryness is the quality. The metal energies create the pungent flavor as is the color white. When the metal yin lung energy is deficient in a body, that person may experience sadness in life and have a weeping quality to the voice, and intense dislike or extreme love of the fall season. He/she may not have a keen sense of smell at all or may be hypersensitive to sights, smells, sounds or textures. A person demonstrating out of tune metal characteristics may have pale, dry skin and a strong like or dislike for pungent, metallic flavors, and may have issues at the time of day for the metal meridian which is 3-7 am. Many people who have trouble with these areas benefit from the holistic approach provided by licensed acupuncturists.

Channel (meridian) theory is a helpful aspect of Chinese medicine that helps to clarify health conditions. A person will not necessarily exhibit trouble or problems in all areas mentioned above when their metal element is out of tune, but a recognition of these relationships makes treatment more effective. When you need acupuncture care, call an acupuncturist Chapel Hill, NC trusts.

Thanks to Acupractic: Chiropractic and Acupuncture for their insight into acupuncture and metal channel for pain.