An Acupuncture Research Protocol Developed from Historical Writings by Mathematical Reflections: A Rational Individualized Acupoint Selection Method for Immediate Pain Relief

Figure 5

(a) First step of the development of 4-meridian patterns. Reduction of 12 × 7 (= 84) of 2-meridian combinations to 42 by deletion of repetitions

(b) Second step of the development of 4-meridian patterns. Potential third balancing meridians of the 2-meridian combinations. Possible 3-meridian combinations and reduction of the 3-meridian combinations by deletion of repetitions

(c) The third step of the development of 4-meridian patterns. Potential 4th balancing meridian of all three-meridian and possible 4-meridian combinations

(d) Fourth step of the development of 4-meridian patterns. Arrangement by meridian patterns and reduction to 15 by deletion of repetitions