{"id":20202,"date":"2018-03-16T11:24:00","date_gmt":"2018-03-16T17:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.miridiatech.com\/news\/?p=20202"},"modified":"2019-08-06T05:27:00","modified_gmt":"2019-08-06T11:27:00","slug":"extraordinary-channels-more-on-the-eight-extraordinary-channel-balance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.miridiatech.com\/news\/2018\/03\/extraordinary-channels-more-on-the-eight-extraordinary-channel-balance\/","title":{"rendered":"The 3-Level Acupuncture Balance: Part 3- More on the Eight Extraordinary Channel Balance"},"content":{"rendered":"

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This is the 3rd post in my 3-Level Acupuncture Balance blog series. If you have not read the first two posts, you may want to read them before you continue.<\/p>\n

You can get caught up, or refresh your memory, here:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Click here to read part 1,\u00a0Part 1-\u00a0<\/i>The Treatment<\/i>\u00a0>><\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Click here to read part 2,\u00a0Part 2- Historical Development<\/em> >><\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em>—————————————————————————<\/p>\n

The 3-Level Acupuncture Protocol <\/strong>balances the Primary Channels (to regulate circulation of qi<\/em> and blood), the Eight Extraordinary Channels (to regulate the musculoskeletal body), and the Divergent Channels (to regulate the internal zang-fu<\/em> organs).<\/p>\n

In this article, I will go into more detail regarding the Eight Extraordinary Channels, pointing out the differences between the Chinese and Japanese approach, both theoretically and clinically.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I will often shorten Eight Extraordinary Channels to \u201c8 Extras\u201d.<\/p>\n

Chinese Understanding of the 8 Extraordinary Channels<\/h2>\n

In the traditional Chinese approach, the 8 Extra channels are considered to be storage vessels or reservoirs of energy. They store and distribute yuan-jing<\/em>, our original constitutional energy. They are considered \u201cpre-heaven channels\u201d, and are important in fetal development.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The 8 Extras are not regular channels like the primary channels; they follow their own course circulation without connections to cutaneous, sinew, or channel divergences. They do not have normal yang-yin\u00ad <\/em>pairs, are not associated directly with the zang-fu<\/em>, and do not have dedicated acupuncture points. However, they cross primary channel points and are controlled, influenced, and treated by primary channel points.<\/p>\n

In the Chinese approach, The 8 Extras are seen as constitutional vessels, representing the link between pre-heaven (inherited) energies, and post-heaven (acquired) energies.<\/p>\n

Energy circulation in the Eight Extra channels help to maintain the inner equilibrium of qi<\/em>, blood and distribution of jing. <\/em>Part of their importance is to handle overflow and excess of qi<\/em> and blood from primary channel system. In the Nanjing<\/em>, the 8 Extra were described as reservoirs in case of primary channel depletion, and as reservoirs in case of primary channel excess. In this regard, they can absorb and transfer excess during blockages in the primary channel network. This happens where 8 Extra channels cross the Primary channels.<\/p>\n

Some sources believe that the 8 Extra cross the Primary channel points at the yuan<\/em>-source points, allowing access to reservoirs of yuan qi<\/em> from the 8 Extra network.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Although the 8 Extras were discussed in the medical classics, they did not come into clinical use until the 14th<\/sup> century, when it was seen that 8 Extras could be influenced by treating points of the Primary channels.<\/p>\n

Specific Functions of the 8 Extra in Classical Chinese Medicine<\/strong><\/h3>\n