Acupuncture begins with the diagnosis of the individual’s energy imbalance. Health is considered to be a function of the smooth flow of energy (or “Chi”), through a series of pathways or channels, which link and unite all parts of the body into a single integrated whole. Each internal organ has its corresponding channel. If for some reason the circulation of this energy is disrupted or blocked then organs associated with the channels will work less effectively and ill health will result. Whether an organ or channel is malfunctioning is revealed in many ways, for example by the various symptoms produced, the facial color, emotional state, changes in the texture and feel of the skin and muscles along the channel pathway, and in the appearance of the tongue and feel of the radial pulse (located over the artery on the wrist). The purpose of diagnosis with acupuncture is to establish which channels or organs require adjustment to restore the smooth circulation of energy, and thus balance the whole system.