Acupuncture is a practice which was supposedly developed by Chinese where fine filiform needles are inserted to different points of the body, usually for medical purposes. The early Chinese developed the concept of meridians where the acupuncture points of the body are located; the qi or the vital energy of the body flows through these meridians. Therefore, acupuncture charts are used by practitioners as well as students of acupuncture to correctly locate these acupuncture points.
In addition to acupuncture practice, acupuncture charts are also used by the practitioners of Tuina or Chinese massage. Generally, these charts include information about certain points of the body such as extraordinary points, scalp points, auricular points and special points. In addition, they represent the 12 main meridians of the human body. Many of the acupuncture charts have very detailed diagrams and illustration about the specific acupuncture points with accurately scaled measurements. In addition, these will also display the muscle and the bone structure of the human body. Certain acupuncture charts will represent the whole body while specific charts exist for certain parts of the body such as, feet, face and ear. Compact acupuncture charts are also popular among students as it provides much ease when studying. In addition, certain charts that have special features including, color coded diagrams are particularly available for acupuncture students.
Generally, some of the acupuncture charts are mere extracts from books that were written on the subject. Therefore, for an individual who already own comprehensive books about acupuncture, charts may not be necessary. Furthermore, although various acupuncture charts can be obtained through the Internet free of charge, one must be careful as they might not always be accurate. It is vital to use an accurate acupuncture chart when practicing or studying it, as otherwise the treatment would not be successful. Thus, it is always better to obtain a chart through a licensed practitioner or an acupuncture clinic. Moreover, an individual studying acupuncture can always learn more about the subject by consulting an experienced practitioner.
Apart from acupuncture charts, models are also available for educational purposes. These models represent an actual human being with the specific acupuncture points and are much more effective in training students. When combined with an acupuncture chart, an acupuncture model would be an ideal study tool. Students can learn the methods of identifying the acupuncture points, inserting and manipulating needles to achieve the desired result by practicing on the model.
Acupuncture charts would undoubtedly be helpful to anyone who is interested in studying acupuncture. However, one must be sure about the reliability and the accuracy of the chart prior to use.