The historical source of “Trigger Points”: classical Ashi points

Abstract

Our research began with a consideration of the etymological origins of the terms Ashi and the Ashi point. We used both original source texts and textual criticism to trace the original meaning of the phrases, “take the tender spot as the point” and “use the Ashi method.” Linguistic theory informed our discussion of three similar terms and our analysis of them. We show that Ashi points are in theory similar to regular acupuncture points in terms of their definition and function. Furthermore, we can use the concept of “qi-pathway (Qi Jie)” to expand our understanding of the clinical use of Ashi points. Ultimately, the main purpose of our research was to clarify that the classical Ashi point and modern, western concept of the trigger point are in fact quite similar. The two concepts have been described in different languages primarily due to cultural differences.