Acupuncture & TCM Articles
Acupuncture Articles
by John A. Amaro L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.(NCCAOM), DC
 Dr. Amaro is an internationally known author, lecturer and practitioner beginning his practice of Acupuncture and Chiropractic in 1971. He has led 13 diplomatic Acupuncture study tours of The People's Republic of China escorting more than 500 doctors and practitioners. He has personally studied Acupuncture in nine separate Asian nations.
He has received Certification in Acupuncture through the Columbia Institute of Chiropractic in 1973. This was one of the first Acupuncture postgraduate education programs for physicians in North America commencing in 1972.
He has been certified by the Waseda Acupuncture College in Tokyo, Japan in 1974 and graduated from the Chinese Medical Institute, Kowloon, China in 1976. He had previously taken postgraduate studies at the Tai Chung Medical School Taipei, China 1973.
So, You Think You Know Acupuncture?
John A. Amaro L.Ac., Dipl.Ac.(NCCAOM), DC
In my last article in DC ("I Can Pass This Test ... True or False?") a number of true/false questions were posed about cupuncture. I've received considerable feedback from at least 35 states around the country:
Some thought it was difficult: "I really blew that one," was one typical comment.
But others found it too simple: "If you're going to give a test, at least give it some merit; the true/false questions were way too easy."
I agree, I thought they were pretty easy too!
So if you think you know something about acupuncture, give the following test a try. This time the answers are not included. You'll can look them up, or go back to your old notes. However, if you send me a copy of your exam, we'll grade it and return it to you with your score and the answers.
The questions have been used by various state board examinations, and have all been used over the years by the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture.
Best wishes on this one. It's considerably more challenging than the last test. Should you find you do not know the answers to most of the questions, you need to rectify that ASAP. There are a lot of people who rely on you.
Exam & Test Books Preparing for the NCCAOM Acupuncture Exam, Quesions and Answers About Acupuncture and more.
Test Questions
1. What is the distance between the xiphoid process and the acupoint known as "Shrine of God"?
a. 5 tsun
b. 8 tsun
c. 13 tsun
d. 14 tsun
e. none of the above
2. If a patient faints during treatment, what is a classic acupoint to help revive a fainted patient?
a. LI 4
b. ST 36
c. YIN TANG
d. GV 26
e. GB 20
3. Jen Mo is the Chinese name for which meridian?
____________________________________________________
4. Which points would be best utilized for a respiratory disorder?
a. LI 4, TH 5, LI 11
b. BL 50, BL 51, BL54
c. ST 25, CV 12, CV 4
d. LU 7, BL 13, BL 17
e. P7, SP 4, SP 10
5. Moxa are the dried leaves of which plant?
a. Herba menthe
b. Artemisia vulgaris
c. Forsythia suspensa
d. Eastern peony
e. Hai Karate
6. Which points would be strongly recommended for release of endorphins and enkephalins?
a. KI 1
b. LI 20
c. BL 60
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
7. A tsun or pouce is equal to one anatomical unit. What is a FEN equal to?
a. 1/5 of a tsun
b. 1/2 of a tsun
c. 1/10 of a tsun
d. two tsun
e. 10 tsun
8. Which two acupoints have the most internal pathway connections to other meridians?
_______________________, ____________________________
9. In the foregoing question, to what meridian is it an important point for?
___________________________________________________
10. What acupoint is master point for the shoulder and occiput and when combined with BL 62 is exceptional for low back pain?
a. KI 1
b. LI 20
c. ST 40
d. SI 3
e. LI 4
11. Which acupoint has a better clinical response when treated with the mouth open?
a. TH 17
b. SI 19
c. LI 20
d. ST 7
e. GB 20
12. Which acupoint is noted as a master point for bone?
a. BL 11
b. BL 13
c. GB 12
d. CX 11
e. CV 24
13. Which of the following is a master point for the lower extremity?
a. GB 14
b. LIV 14
c. SP 9
d. GB 34
e. BL 2
14. When performing electrical diagnosis to evaluate the musculotendino meridians, which acupoints are used?
a. source points
b. hsi points
c. luo points
d. he-sea points
e. tsing points
15. In the above question, where are these points located?
_____________________________________________
16. Stimulation of the point known as LI 20 as a direct effect on what endocrine organ?
a. adrenal
b. pituitary
c. thyroid
d. thymus
17. What three meridians begin on the face?
a. LI, GB, BL
b. BL, GB, ST
c. TH, LI, SI
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
18. Name the meridians that end on the face: ____________________,
__________________, _______________
19. What elements are associated with the meridians that end on the fingers?
______________________ & _____________________
20. Name the three yang meridians on the lower extremity:
____________________, __________________, _______________
21. Name this meridian: It begins at the perineum, courses along the anterior midline of the body and ends below the lower lip.
a. DU MO
b. LIV
c. ST
d. REN MO
e. LI
22. Name this meridian: It begins on the great toe and courses along the medial portion of the foot. It moves upward onto the chest and ends at the mid axillary line across from the nipple.
a. KI
b. BL
c. LIV
d. SP
e. none of the above
23. Name this meridian: It begins near the eye, as it courses inferior it runs across the mandible, neck and chest before it ends on the lateral 2nd toe.
a. BL
b. ST
c. GB
d. LIV
e. SP
24. Name three meridians that end on the chest. ____________________,
___________________, ____________________
25. Name this meridian: It begins on the face and courses over the head down the dorsum of the body. It runs down the posterior thigh and ends on the lateral aspect of the small toe.
____________________________________________________
26. In the above question, to which element does this meridian belong?
______________________________________________________
27. In the above two questions, is this meridian yin or yang?
______________________________________________________
28. In the above three questions, which meridian is this one paired with?
_______________________________________________________
29. In the above four questions, how many acupoints are on this meridian?
_______________________________________________________
30. Name this meridian: It begins on the lateral aspect of the fifth finger. It courses along the lateral surface of the arm across the shoulder ending near the tragus.
a. GB
b. ST
c. SI
d. LI
e. none of the above
31. Name this meridian: It begins on the chest and courses down the arm to end on the medial aspect of the middle finger.
_______________________________________________________
32. To what element does the meridian in the above question belong?
_______________________________________________________
33. In the above question, what is the MU point for this meridian?
_________________________________________________________
34. What meridian ends on the thumb?
______________________________________________________
35. In the above answer, what time of day is it associated with in the mid-day/mid-night law of the general circulation of Chi?
36. In the above two questions, what is the horary point for this meridian?
______________________________________________________
37. Which point is not considered a Tsing point?
a. ST 45
b. GB 44
c. HT 9
d. LU 1
e. LI 1
38. What is the alarm point for the yin meridian of the "emperor"?
a. CV 3
b. CV 8
c. CV 12
d. CV 14
e. CV 17
39. Which of the following statements concerning associated points is not correct:
a. they are therapeutic and diagnostic
b. the majority of the acupoints are unilateral
c. they are located on the dorsum of the body
d. also known as "shu" points
e. all associated points are on the same meridian
40. The acupoints of each meridian which are located at the finger and toe tips are referred to as:
a. Hsi
b. Mu
c. Tsing
d. Yuan
e. Horary
41. What is the Japanese name for the cutaneo-viscero reflex examination involving measuring the electrical skin conductivity?
_______________________________________________________
42. In the above question, which acupoints are measured?
____________________________________________________
43. What is the yuan point of the yang meridian of the metal element?
a. LU 9
b. LU 11
c. LI 9
d. LI 11
e. LI 4
44. If one were to observe a depressed gallbladder meridian on ryodoraku, what acupoint will tonify the meridian?
a. wood point
b. water point
c. earth point
d. metal point
e. luo point
45. What point would be evaluated in ryodoraku testing to determine the status of the meridian which is most active on the general circulation of Chi between 11 am - 1 pm.?
a. Hegu
b. Tsu san li
c. Ba wei
d. Shen men
e. Dazhui
46. What type of acupoint is an "akabane" point?
a. yuan
b. tsing
c. hsi
d. horary
e. luo
47. The fire element is divided into the "emperor" and "prime minister." Which meridian is the yang meridian of the prime minister?
a. Pericardium
b. Triple warmer
c. Heart
d. Small intestine
e. All of the above
48. If one were to sedate the SP meridian, what point would be treated?
a. Fire point on SP
b. Water point on SP
c. Metal point on SP
d. Earth point on SP
e. Metal point on LI
49. What kind of point is the wood point on the LIV meridian?
a. luo
b. horary
c. hsi
d. tsing
e. yuan
50. All of the tonification and sedation points are located between the elbows and fingertips or the knees and the toe tips with the exception of the sedation point for which meridian?
a. yin meridian of earth element
b. yang meridian of wood element
c. yang meridian of fire element
d. yin meridian of metal element
e. yin meridian of wood element
51. The water points of the yin meridians are located where?
a. knees and elbows
b. toe tips and fingertips
c. point next to tsing point
d. wrist and ankles
e. paravertebral
52. What meridian is directly opposite the LU meridian (12 hours away in the general circulation of Chi?
a. GB
b. TH
c. BL
d. CX
e. SP
53. Who was the developer of jing well point electronic testing?
a. Tobiko
b. Gari
c. Hamachi
d. Wasabi
e. Akabane
54. How many of the alarm points are on the Jen Mo?
________________________________________________
55. How many tsun superior to the symphysis pubis is the MU point for the San Jiao meridian?
a. 3
b. 4
c. 5
d. 6
e. none of the above
56. What MU point is located 1.5 tsun bilateral to "shrine of God"?
a. GB 24
b. LIV 13
c. LIV 14
d. LU 1
e. ST 25
57. To which element do the two meridians belong which both have two alarm points on the course of their trajectory?
a. wood
b. earth
c. metal
d. fire
e. water
58. To what element does the meridian belong which has its MU point on the first point of a meridian?
a. earth
b. fire
c. metal
d. water
e. wood
59. What condition would most likely be being treated if one were to stimulate BL 13?
a. gastrointestinal
b. genitourinary
c. vascular
d. muscular
e. respiratory
60. Which meridian SHU point is located close to the sacrum?
a. LI
b. LU
c. P
d. HT
e. all of the above
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