Chapter 2 – Nerves: Anatomical Correlates to Meridians

 The acupressure meridian map is based on theoretical energy lines that flow throughout the body in a systematic way.  Acupressure points are found at specific areas on these lines.  The question we sought to answer was “Are there anatomical correlates to the acupressure points, which could explain the existence of meridian anatomy?”  The understanding one meridian anatomy could widen our understanding of the possible role of acupressure in causing a physiological change in the body. 

Work done by Heine revealed that 80% of acupoints correlate with perforations in the superficial fascia of cadavers.  Through these holes, a cutaneous sensory nerve vessel bundle penetrates to the skin [2].  We replicated this study and confirmed Heine’s work, which suggested that sensory nerves are the morphological basis for acupressure points.   

 Methods & Results:

One cadaver was dissected in a human anatomy lab.  The dissection was focused mainly on the left and right upper appendages and of interest to us were the cutaneous sensory nerves that lied just under the skin and the superficial fascia.  The fat between the skin and the fascia had to be removed to clearly identify the nerves (Figure 1).

Figure 1 - Adipose Tissue of Right Forearm

Common acupressure points on meridians were picked.  One of them was the 3^rd lung point on the lung meridian on the left arm.  The skin under this point was exposed and we found the lateral antebrachial cutaneous travelling down its way towards the radial side of the forearm (Figure 2).  

Figure 2 – Lateral Antebrachial Cutaneous

Another set of points that we studied were the 4 hormones that lie latero-dorsal to the right forearm, proximal to the wrist.  Upon exposing this area, we found the supra-radial cutaneous that was traveling towards the wrist from a medial to lateral path (Figure 3).  Other dissections revealed similar nerve-acupressure point correlations.

Figure 3 – Supraradial Cutaneous

This study, in conjunction with previous works, strongly suggests that sensory nerves are probably analogs of meridians because most acupressure points are localized near nerve fibers.  Such a correlation, if found on a microscopic level, would further enhance our understanding of the immediate changes that treatment could cause on the physiology of neurons and unravel the mystery of the ancient meridian anatomy map.