Pricking the Vessels: Bloodletting Therapy in Chinese Medicine

Description

By Henry McCann
Trade paperback book
ISBN 9781848191808
168 pages, 7.00 x 10.00″

Bloodletting therapy, which works to remove internal and external disruptions to the system through the withdrawal of small quantities of blood, has numerous benefits, especially concerning the treatment of complex or chronic diseases.

In this first text on bloodletting therapy for Western practitioners of Chinese medicine, Henry McCann explores the history, theory, and function of bloodletting, and provides detailed instruction on its clinical use. He clarifies the fundamental Chinese medical theory related to blood and the network vessels and includes a chapter on the classical acupuncture techniques of Tung Ching Chang. Through the exploration of classic texts and contemporary standards, McCann provides everything needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the techniques and to encourage its use as a safe and effective treatment option.

About the Author:

Henry McCann, DAOM, Lac, Dipl OM, is a licensed, professional practitioner of Chinese medicine. Dr. McCann studied at the New England School of Acupuncture, and then completed his doctorate in acupuncture and Oriental medicine with specialties in women’s health and geriatric medicine at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine. Prior to his training in medicine he finished a BA and BM at Oberlin College and was a Fulbright fellow to Japan. Dr. McCann is on faculty at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine doctoral program, and the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine. In addition to his regular teaching responsibilities, he has taught bloodletting therapy and other advanced topics in Chinese medicine in Ireland, Germany, Holland, Austria, and Indonesia. He is the co-author of a clinical manual on Tung’s acupuncture, as well as the author of numerous scholarly articles on all aspects of Chinese medicine.

Praise for Pricking the Vessels

“The field of Chinese medicine in the Western hemisphere is maturing. Henry McCann’s volume on the ancient Chinese methodology of bloodletting is among a rare group of contemporary monographs that demonstrate this development.”

-from the foreword by Heiner Fruehauf, PhD, Lac, Founding professor of the School of Classical Chinese Medicine, National College of Natural Medicine, Portland, Oregon.

“Our scope of practice has declined over time; acupuncture schools today rarely teach the intricacies of bloodletting. If we lack this powerful modality, we may not have the best tool for the next patient who walks in the door. Dr. McCann’s book is a brilliant discussion of the theory and practice of bleeding therapy, providing information that has been unavailable in English up until now. Your practice will not be the same!”

-Lorraine Wilcox, author of Moxibustion: A Modern Clinical Handbook and translator of Volumes 5 and 9 of The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion.