Pricking the Vessels
Bloodletting Therapy in Chinese Medicine
Henry McCann
Foreword by Heiner Fruehauf
The first text on bloodletting therapy for Western practitioners of Chinese medicine, this authoritative text explores the theory and function of bloodletting, and provides detailed instruction on its clinical use.
Bloodletting therapy, which works to remove internal and external disruptions to the system through the withdrawal of small quantities of blood, has numerous benefits, especially concerning the treatment of complex or chronic disease. Yet the technique is often met with alarm in the West and side-lined in favour of less controversial treatments such as fine-needle acupuncture, and moxibustion. This book provides a concise overview of its theory, historical and contemporary relevance, and clinical guidance. With detailed reference to the classic texts, the author clarifies the fundamental Chinese medical theory related to blood and the network vessels, and provides an in-depth discussion of the benefits of and practice guidelines for bloodletting. The book includes a chapter on the classical acupuncture techniques of Tung Ching Chang whose work is attracting increasing attention in the West. Through the exploration of classic texts and contemporary standards, the book provides everything needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the technique and to encourage its use as a viable treatment option in the West.
It will be an invaluable addition to the resources available for acupuncturists, as well as students and practitioners of Chinese medicine more generally, including those interested in all Chinese approaches to health.
Contents
Foreword by Heiner Freuhauf. 1. Introduction. 2. An Overview and History of Bloodletting Therapy. 3. Bloodletting in the Huang Di Nei Jing. 4. Essential Chinese Medical Theory Related to Bloodletting. 5. Functions of Bloodletting. 6. Bloodletting Materials and Methods. 7. Commonly Bled Acupuncture Points. 8. Special Point Categories and Combinations. 9. Bloodletting in the Treatment of Chronic Disease. 10. Tung Lineage Bloodletting. 11. Treatment of Compound Patterns with Bloodletting and Acupuncture. 12. Ending Thoughts. Appendix 1. Tung Lineage Points on the Posterior Trunk. Appendix 2. Tung Lineage Points Referenced in Text. Appendix 3. Points Listed for Bloodletting in the Xun Jing. References. Point Index. General Index. About the Author.
Reviews
“The field of Chinese medicine in the Western hemisphere is maturing. Henry McCann's volume on the ancient Chinese methodology of bloodletting is among a rare group of contemporary monographs that demonstrates this development.”
—from the foreword by Heiner Fruehauf, PhD, LAc, Founding Professor of the School of Classical Chinese Medicine, National College of Natural Medicine, Portland, Oregon
“Our scope of practice has declined over time; acupuncture schools today rarely teach the intricacies of bloodletting. If we lack this powerful modality, we may not have the best tool for the next patient who walks in the door. Dr. McCann's book is a brilliant discussion of the theory and practice of bleeding therapy, providing information that has been unavailable in English up until now. Your practice will not be the same!”
—Lorraine Wilcox, author of Moxibustion: A Modern Clinical Handbook and translator of Volumes 5 and 9 of The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion
Author information
Henry McCann, DAOM, LAc, Dipl OM, is a licensed, professional practitioner of Chinese Medicine. Dr. McCann studied at the New England School of Acupuncture, and then completed his doctorate in acupuncture and Oriental medicine with specialities in women's health and geriatric medicine at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. Prior to his training in medicine he finished a BA and BM at Oberlin College and was a Fulbright fellow to Japan. Dr. McCann is on faculty at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine doctoral program, and the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. In addition to his regular teaching responsibilities, he has taught bloodletting therapy and other advanced topics in Chinese Medicine in Ireland, Germany, Holland, Austria, and Indonesia. He is the co-author of a clinical manual of Tung's acupuncture as well as the author of numerous scholarly articles on all aspects of Chinese Medicine.
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