Characterization of the three functional phases of acupuncture points

Clinically, it is commonly seen that certain acupuncture points appear invariably tender. This tenderness is perceived either spontaneously by the patients suffering from pain or passively as revealed through simple mechanical stimulation of the diseased body. However, certain points do not have tenderness even though adequate amount of mechanical force is applied on the points. Such phenomenon suggests that acupuncture points have different functional phases depending on the state of the body health. When the body is healthy, acupuncture points are inactive or remain latent. Under a diseased state, they become either active with perceived tenderness or passive with tenderness only when adequate mechanical pressure is applied. Thus, we can characterize acupuncture points in three functional phases: latent, passive and active.