Abdominal Diagnosis (Fukushin) in Japanese Meridian Therapy

The very basics

In Japanese Meridian Therapy (JMT) abdominal diagnosis (fukushin) is based on Nan Jing (Classic of Difficulties) Chapter 16.

It has been adapted from the original, to better fit the theories of primary deficiency on which the JMT system is based. There is some variation among schools of JMT, and it is worth noting that other styles of Japanese acupuncture and Shiatsu use abdominal maps quite different from the Nan Jing model.

Palpation basics

Palpation of abdomen, channels, points, etc, is basically the same process. The first step is to lightly palpate the surface of the skin. You are looking for differences in temperature, texture and tone. Does one area feel warmer or cooler than other areas? Rougher, smoother, drier, stickier? Are there areas which feel looser, where the skin bunches up slightly under your fingers? Are there areas where the surface feels more taut than others? When you have passed over the surface of the body part you are palpating, go back over it, pressing in slightly to feel the subcutaneous tissues and surface of the underlying muscle. Are there areas which feel more weak, or tight, or are there any areas where you feel a gritty sensation, or ropiness? Do any of the areas feel painful to the patient - do they wince, or tense the muscles to guard the area?

We classify these areas into deficiency and excess:

• Deficiency (kyo) will manifest depression, coolness, roughness, weakness, etc.

• Excess (jitsu) will manifest tautness, hardness, discomfort or pressure pain.

For abdominal diagnosis in JMT, the standard position of the patient is lying face up, with legs straight. This differs from the process of abdominal palpation in contemporary biomedicine, where the objective is to palpate the organs themselves. In JMT, the idea is to palpate superficially, examining the reflex zones for the Zang-Fu.

The reflex zones according to Nan Jing 16 are

● Spleen - Navel area (Periumbilical)

● Heart - Above the navel (Epigastrium)

● Kidney - Below the navel (Subumbilical)

● Lung - Area to the patient’s right side of navel

● Liver - Area to the patient’s left side of navel

This is the basic map, but over time there have been numerous variations. Several of these are discussed in Shudo (1990) and Matsumoto & Birch (1988).

References

Shudo, D. (1990). Japanese Classical Acupuncture: Introduction to Meridian Therapy (S. Brown, Trans.). Eastland Press. (Original work published 1983).

Matsumoto, K., & Birch, S. (1988). Hara diagnosis: Reflections on the sea. Paradigm Publications.