Chinese Acupuncture Theory

There are two main philosophies on which Traditional Chinese Medicine is founded:

Yin & Yang Theory

watercolor painting of one orange and one blue spotted koi fish swimming around each other in a yin yang pattern

The Universe is composed of two forces in nature: Ying & Yang.

Yin is associated with qualities like coolness, darkness, stillness, rest, receptivity, and inward movement.

Yang is linked to warmth, brightness, activity, movement, expansion, and outward expression.

Everything in nature relates to Yin, Yang, or a combination of both.

Examples: Day belongs to Yang, Night belongs to Yin.

The same idea goes for our bodies.

All of your body's organs are linked to either Yin or Yang.

Examples: Your kidneys are a Yin organ for their fluidity. Your bladder is a Yang organ for its vital links with fire and life.

5 Elements Theory

Early in history, the Chinese community understood the important role the 5 elements played in their lives.

Over thousands of years, they tested and recorded the nature of the five unique element: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water.

Each of these elements contain in their very nature different tendencies and purposes.

diagram of five elements wheel of traditional Chinese medicine with wood fire earth metal water

Wood nature is to grow and flourish, while Fire is to be hot and ignite.

Earth gives birth to everything, as Metal character is to be clear and descend.

Finally, Water nature is to flow downwards and be cold.

These elements inherently interact with each other and either promote or act upon each other.

The Interplay of Elements

Each element in TMC promotes and supports the next in a dynamic cycle of growth and transformation:

  • Wood fuels Fire

  • Fire nurtures Earth

  • Earth creates Metal

  • Metal enriches Water

  • Water nourishes Wood.

The Balance of Elements

Just as each element promotes another, they also restrain and regulate each other to maintain balance:

  • Wood controls Earth

  • Earth absorbs Water

  • Water quenches Fire

  • Fire melts Metal

  • Metal cuts Wood

Your Elemental Body

photo of stones balanced into a stacked cairn pile by river with waterfall in background and green hills on the sides

Just as all aspects of nature can be connected to these elements, the inner workings of the body can also be explained by their interaction.

Each organ in the body is associated with a certain element, and therefore organs interact with each other and cause deficiencies or excesses of function based on the nature of the elements that are interacting with each other.

Wood (Liver–Gallbladder system)

  • Organs: Liver (Yin), Gallbladder (Yang)

  • Tissues: Tendons, ligaments, nails

  • Sense Organ: Eyes, vision

  • Emotion: Anger, frustration

  • Function in Body: Promotes smooth flow of Qi (energy) and emotions, stores blood, supports flexibility

Fire (Heart–Small Intestine system)

  • Organs: Heart (Yin), Small Intestine (Yang)

  • Tissues: Blood vessels

  • Sense organ: Tongue, speech

  • Emotion: Joy, overexcitement (or lack of joy)

  • Function in Body: Governs blood circulation, consciousness, and spirit (Shen)

Earth (Spleen–Stomach system)

  • Organs: Spleen (Yin), Stomach (Yang)

  • Tissues: Muscles, flesh

  • Sense organ: Mouth, taste

  • Emotion: Worry, overthinking

  • Function in Body: Digestion, nutrient absorption, transforming food into Qi and Blood

Metal (Lung–Large Intestine system)

  • Organs: Lung (Yin), Large Intestine (Yang)

  • Tissues: Skin, body hair

  • Sense Organ: Nose, smell

  • Emotion: Grief, sadness

  • Function in Body: Respiration, regulating Qi, boundary/defense (Wei Qi), letting go (physically + emotionally)

Water (Kidney–Bladder system)

  • Organs: Kidney (Yin), Bladder (Yang)

  • Tissues: Bones, teeth, marrow, hair on the head

  • Sense organ: Ears, hearing

  • Emotion: Fear

  • Function in Body: Stores essence (Jing), governs growth, reproduction, and fluid balance

These same type of promoting and controlling relationships exist throughout the body depending on the different elements involved.

Acupuncturists take advantage of this knowledge and use it to balance the five elements within patients during treatment, thus restoring them to good “balanced” health.

“I am amazed at what one year seeing Dr. Arkadiy has done for helping me manage an autoimmune disease.

“I am staying on a low-level medication and feel better after every visit. My abdomen can be touched without pain for the first time in seven years. I leave each session incredibly relaxed and am amazed at how he can pinpoint my issues and resolve them.

“I am very thankful for acupressure and acupuncture with Dr. Arkadiy. I never would have imagined how impactful these sessions could be.”

— Patient