basis of acupuncture as a whole and the eight singular vessels

in particular. The Governor Vessel’s counterpart, Conception

Vessel (CV), represents the vena cava, whose relationship to
the overlying central CV on the surface of the anterior (ventral)
trunk now makes sense. Clinically, one may detect expansions of
the often forgotten collateral venous drainage pathways when
the vena cava obstructs, making the connection between deep,
interior processes and the body surface, visually striking. In this
way, channels’ interconnections from deep to superficial and
from one to another bring to life the meaning behind the metaphor
in ancient writings on acupuncture. Today, scientific pursuits
elaborate on these early insights and draw detailed descriptions
of how acupuncture and related techniques influence form and
function. Let us begin at the point-stimulus juncture.

The Needle-Tissue Interface

In acupuncture, the “rubber meets the road” at the needle-tissue
interface. Like tires on pavement, the acupuncture needle must
engage with its surroundings in order to gain traction and cause
change. When rotated, the acupuncture needle attracts and pulls
on collagen and possibly muscle fibers, causing them to grab
its shaft. This bond between metal and fibers forces the tissue
to respond and initiates a conversation with neighboring nerves,
fascia, and fibroblasts.
The message spreads to nearby cells, culminating in a wave of
tissue deformation and neural discourse that travels beyond the
immediate vicinity. If the needle has reached muscle, the impact of
treatment intensifies.284 Nerves ferry information about the event
in both an orthodromic (toward the spinal cord) and antidromic
(toward the nerve’s terminals) direction along a channel.

The Peripheral Nervous System’s

Subspecialists: Nerve Endings
In addition to proprioceptors such as muscle spindles that respond
to changes in length and Golgi tendon organs that assess tension,
a number of other receptors in tissue act as an interface between
the external environment and the nervous system. This allows the
acupuncturist to employ treatments that adjust or alter sensory
input with the aim of supporting the healing process. Knowing
the types of nerve endings typically found at acupuncture sites
gives the medical acupuncturist a better understanding of the
likely outcome of stimulating those points. For instance, if the
acupuncture point overlies a blood vessel, a needle tugging on
fascia nearby may stimulate its nervi vasorum (vascular ner