Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic | Phone: +46 84 66 92 22 | Email: jelena@improvitas.com | Location: Värmdövägen 207, 13141 Nacka
Propagation of needling sensation, PSM
While needling an acupuncture point, practitioner’s goal is to achieve the phenomenon of propagation of needling sensationalong the meridians, PSM.
PSM is the subjective feeling of soreness, numbness, distension and/or heaviness that is transmitted along the course of the meridian.
PSM in all the points on the body (except the points on finger tips and toes in which the PSM is nonconcentric) generally travels biphasically (simultaneously upwards and downwards from the point being stimulated), at a speed of 10 cm/second.
In Chinese medicine, PSM is associated with the phenomenon called De Qi, the "arrival of Qi" to the acupuncture point that is being manipulated.
The character of the PSM vary with each individual and method of stimulation.
* There is often soreness, numbness and distension in the case of needling, a warm or hot flow in moxibustion, electrical numbness in the case of electro needling, and a sensation of flowing water in point-injection therapy.
* There may alsobe feltitching or a sensation that can be described as “creeping ants upon the skin”.
In some patients, the PSM can be insufficient or be completely blocked by:
* Surgical incisions, scars, tumours, lumps and abscesses on the pathway of the PSM, or by,
* Mechanical pressure, fluid retention in the tissue, implants, etc..