Below knee amputee and energy imbalance

[claireblack]

Hi all,

I have a student who is a below knee amputee. In class we were exploring qi and energy channels. They asked me how this might affect “their energetic balance if they are missing part of a limb”? A really interesting question, can anyone advise?

Many Thanks,

Claire .

[Bernie]

Hi Claire

This is an interesting topic. Often students who have had a gall bladder removed have a similar question. First, let's remember that the acupuncture meridians are bilaterally symmetric, which means you have two—one on each side (you have a "back-up" ). Second, the Organs in the Daoist philosophy can be considered organ functions, not just the physical tissues that make up the organ. Every cell in the body needs to manage water (kidneys/bladder), metabolize nutrients (liver), obtain oxygen (lungs), etc. Thus the meridians bring chi to all cells. The lack of a gall bladder does not destroy the Gall Bladder meridian. Similarly, the loss of the lower part of the 6 meridians that end or begin in the leg will not prevent chi from flowing through the remainder of those meridians.

I know that acupuncture has been used successfully to treat phantom limb pain: the technique is to stimulate the points on the remaining limb. Thus, TCM practices can still be effective even if some parts of the body are missing. However, there obviously will be some changes! The 12 main meridians are given 12 different names depending upon where it is, but in reality they are all part of one grand, long loop. Like a street that is given different names despite being one continuous stretch of road, there is just one meridian (with many branches and sub-channels like a river delta) that interconnects everything in the body. If the lower part of the leg is removed, does this disconnect some of the branches? I don't know the answer to that question, but I suspect it will have some effect. Perhaps when this occurs, it is even more important to do our practice to make up for the loss or reduction of chi flow. Students without a gall bladder are advised to do more work that stimulate the GB meridian. The same may be advisable for amputees.

At the end of the day, what is most important and relevant to your student is not what I or any other teacher thinks or says, but — how do they feel? If the practice feels helpful, then keep going! If it feels detrimental, try some alternatives, experiment and if still no benefits arise, do something else.

I hope this helps a bit.
Cheers
Bernie

[claireblack]

Hi Bernie,

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question, it was very helpful and much appreciated.

Thank You.
Claire

[Durward]

A follow-up question, if I may?

What happens with the meridian flow after amputation or damage, perhaps even birth defects? Where does the meridian go? Does it hover in empty space beyond the body where it should be? Do meridians move around birth defects or cease to exist?
If both legs are amputated below the knee, how is a person grounded properly?

[Bernie]

Hello Durward

I am not a TCM therapist so would love to hear from those who are what they think about your questions, but from my understanding, the meridians are embodied and physical. They are not “virtual”. If someone has lost a limb, that part of the meridians that used to flow within that limb is not there anymore. This can cause an imbalance or alter the flow of energy through the body. The missing parts of the meridians can lead to chi stagnation or chi deficiency. In these cases TCM theory suggests that other meridians will have to compensate by enhancing function in other meridians and organs. You would really need to work with a TCM practitioner to determine the extent of the imbalance and what therapy is needed to enhance the other meridians and organs. Such treatment could include acupuncture but also dietary changes, herbs, and lifestyle changes.

From a Western point of view, we are coming to the understanding that the meridians are actually water-filled conduits flowing through the fascia, especially the superficial and deep fascia. If you change any idea of a meridian being a solitary line or channel, like a road, and instead consider it to be more like a watershed, with a lot of tributaries and a delta-like network, then you can see that a meridian is spread throughout the tissues. These watery conduits allow transmission of electrical signals through the body.

In the theory that explains how earthing works, the body absorbs electrons from the earth’s surface and these electrons can assist with reducing chronic inflammation by neutralizing the excess of free radicals that contribute to the inflammation. While the traditional entry point for these electrons are through the feet (and especially the first Kidney point K1), any bare skin in contact with the earth will work just as well. You can be grounded just by lying down on the ground or through your hands.

I hope this helps
Cheers
Bernie