Sunday, March 20, 2005
Tran on
Pain
Dr. Tran Viet-Dzung
Tendino-Muscular Meridians May, 2001
Lake Chelan WA, May 2004
The tendino-muscular meridians (TMM) originate at jing
well points of principle meridians & travel at a level below the dermis,
where muscles, ligaments, tendons & nerves reside. Their function is to
protect principle meridians from EPI invasion. The main symptom of EPI invasion
of TMM is Bi syndrome, manifested as pain & paresthesia. The Ling Shu
connects each TMM with a season & lunar month within each season.
Practitioners may notice they’ll have several patients coming in with similar
TM complaints at certain times of year. For example, 4 patients in late Spring
with plantar fascitis. Reunion points are accumulation points common to the 3
TMM of each season. Disperse reunion points to clear EPI from TMM.
Spring - GB, BL & ST.
3 Yang Foot TMM. Reunion points SI-18, ST-8.
Summer - LI, SI & SJ.
3 Yang Arm TMM. Reunion points ST-8, SI-18.
Autumn - SP, K & LV.
3 Yin Foot TMM. Reunion points CV-2 or 3.
Winter - PC, LU & HT.
3 Yin Arm TMM. Reunion point GB-22.
GB TMM: 1st month of Spring (approx. March 21 – April
20) Symptoms: 4th toe pain, contracture, spasm, tightness or
paresthesia. Lateral ankle pain or paresthesia. Lateral leg pain or
paresthesia. Popliteal crease or lateral knee pain. Lateral thigh pain or
paresthesia. Coccygeal pain. Lateral rib pain or spasm. Breast pain. Contra
lateral neck pain or spasm, lateral blephera spasm.
GENERAL TX: Analgesic technique: disperse ah shi points by inserting
2 needles facing each other, one on either side of the ah shi point. Needle
obliquely into the TM level, which is deeper than dermis level. Locally
stimulate needles manually or with electro, until local distention occurs.
Electro machine set on continuous mode, high frequency & high intensity
(just below patient tolerance) for 5 minutes. Re-adjust as needed every 5
minutes, for a total of 15 minutes. Moxa can also be used to move pain out of
affected area. Tonify principle meridian with GB-43 (ying spring point), GB-40
(yuan source point), contra lateral GB-44 (jing well point). SI-18 or ST-8
(reunion points of yang leg MTT.) Always add Yang Ming tonification points LI-4
& ST-36.
EX 1: Hypochondriac pain due to biliary cholic. Use
analgesic technique at ah shi points. SJ-6, GB-43, GB-40, SI-18, GB-44. Use
GB-34 (xi-cleft point) & LV-6 to regulate LV-GB system. Do not to allow
GB-34 to bleed, as loss of Liver blood disrupts connection between LV & GB.
LV-14. Moxa BL-18 & 19. LV-13 (influential point for Liver). Treat GB by
needling CV-12 (influential for yang organs). CV-5, since this is a lower jiao
problem & SJ Mu point brings water to balance K/LV in lower burner. LI-4
& ST-36.
EX 2: Breast pain – especially superficial or with very light palpation.
CV-17 & K-25. Both needled towards affected breast. SP-21 (located in 6th
intercostal space, mid-axillary line). GB-22 (located in 5th
intercostal space). Needle ST-15 with electro to K-22. Electro between K-25
& either SP-21 or GB-22. Use analgesic technique (continuous mode, high
frequency & high intensity.) SP-21 for general body pain (it is at level of
an upper horizontal zone (analogous to Dai Mai at GB-26 level). Pain at top of
nipple is associated with LV-GB. Disperse ah-shi point around GB-21. Disperse
LV-3, SI-18 and/or ST-8. Tonify GB-43, GB-40, GB-44, LI-4 & ST-36.
EX 3: Lateral blephera spasm. Due to lack of water in
muscles of eyelids. Need K water traveling along ShaoYang (SJ & GB) to
moisten eye muscles. GB-4, 5 & 6 are near eye & can bring water to it.
Tai yang extra point corresponds to water, too. It’s directly on superficial
artery near eye. SJ-20 connects to GV-20, where all yang organs meet. GV-20
concentrates water & balances jing. SJ-20 connects to BL-7. GV-20
connects to SI-18 & ST-8. Needle both ST-8 points, pointed toward each
other. Add GB-43, GB-40, GB-44, SJ-3 (to tonify SJ as Shao Yang). Tonify LI-4
& ST-36.
******
BL TMM: 2nd month of Spring (approx. April 21 – May
20) Symptoms: Pain in 5th toe that may radiate into heel.
Plantar fascitis. Pain at approx. Bl-61. Lateral ankle pain. Popliteal knee
pain, contracture, inflammation or hardness. Gluteal pain. Spinal pain,
especially at GV-4. Feels like they are “broken in half.” Leans backwards to
walk. Reduced range of motion rotating L or R. Shoulder or axilla pain.
Posterior neck tightness. Skull or periorbital eye pain. Upper blephera
inflammation or spasm.
GENERAL TX: Analgesic technique at ah shi points. Tonify principle
meridian with BL-66 (ying spring point), BL-64 (yuan source point), and BL-67
(jing well point). LI-4 & ST-36. Disperse SI-18 and/or ST-8.
EX 1: Plantar fascitis. Find ah shi point near center
of heel. Needle directly into it, all the way to bone. DO NOT HESITATE OR
VACILLATE. Just do it with clear intention. Find another ah-shi point around
BL-61. Use analgesic technique with electro between these two points. Tonify
BL-67, BL-66, BL-64, LI-4 & ST-36. Disperse SI-18. Can use moxa to tonify.
EX 2: Spinal pain. Patient may feel as if they are breaking in half.
Tendency is to lean backwards when they walk. Ah shi points using electro &
analgesic technique. SI-3, BL-62. Oblique insertion of jiaji points at GV-4.
GV-4, BL-23, BL-52. Tonify principle meridian with BL-66, BL-64 & BL-67.
Tonify ST-36 & LI-4. Disperse SI-18.
EX 3: Posterior neck pain, skull pain, occipital headache or
periorbital pain. Needle GV-1 & GV-16 (end points of longitudinal luo meridian). Curious
point in center of posterior neck at level of cervical vertebrae 4, 1 cun
lateral to the spine is empirical for neck pain. Angle towards BL-10. BL-10,
GB-20 & SJ-16 are Window of the Sky points, which close when too much
energy rises into head. They must be opened in order to maintain communication
between upper & lower body. BL-10 treats K, GB-20 brings K water to LV.
BL-7, connects Tai Yang (a water point) to brain via connection to GV-20. BL-2
accelerates water transport to brain. Tonify BL-66, BL-64 & BL-67, LI-4
& ST-36. Disperse SI-18.
******
ST TMM: 3rd month of Spring (approx. May 21 – June 20)
Symptoms: Pain, tightness or cramps in 2nd toe.
Antero-lateral ankle pain. Tight anterior tibialis muscle. Pain or
tightness around GB-34 or ST-32. Hip pain at GB-30. Inflammation of femoral
triangle that ascends to external genitalia or to CV-2 - CV-3 area. Tightening
or clenching of abdomen. Pain at CV-12. Pain or spasm of lower jaw. Facial
paralysis. Spasm of lower blephera.
GENERALTX: Analgesic technique at ah shi points. Tonify principle
meridian with ST-44, ST-41 & ST-45. Disperse ST-8. Point it towards
opposite ST-8. Tonify LI-4 & ST-36.
EX 1: Facial paralysis. This usually occurs when patient
is tired & their wei qi is weak. Riding in a car or sleeping near an open
window can result in facial paralysis. Due to WC or heat EPI. Determine which
eye is affected & whether or not it is held open or closed. Have patient
close both eyes. If upper eyelid is affected, patient won’t be able to close
affected eye. If lower eyelid is affected, patient won’t be able to open
affected eye. If GB TMM, strabismus occurs toward affected side. If contracture
caused by WC EPI, mouth deviates toward affected side, & eye will remain
open. For example, if L side affected by cold, L eye will remain open &
mouth will deviate toward L. Thread L ST-6 towards ST-4. Contra laterally,
thread ST-4 towards ST-6. Tonify ST-41, the Qing of the ST meridian, to bring
heat to area to fight cold invasion. If blephera spasm is caused by heat,
affected eye can’t open because heat expansion is pushing it closed. Heat will
also push mouth to opposite side. So, if, L side affected by heat, L eye
remains closed & mouth deviates to R. Thread L ST-4 towards ST-6, & R
ST-6 towards ST-4. Tonify ST-44, ying spring point, to cool heat. LI-4, LI-11,
ST-36 & GV-14. All yang meridians cross GV-14 & those meridians bring
water to create wei qi, which must circulate to be effective. To circulate wei
qi in face, bilaterally needle CV-22, CV-23, ST-5 & ST-9.
Differential diagnosis for the 3 yang leg TMM is
blephera spasm. Lateral spasm or strabismus = GB. Upper eyelid = BL. Lower
eyelid = ST.
LI TMM: 1st month of Summer (approx. June 21 – July
20) Symptoms: pain, contracture or paresthesia at LI-1, possibly
radiating towards LI-5. Pain along dorsi-lateral aspect of forearm. Lateral
epicondylitis. Frozen shoulder - patient cannot touch their opposite shoulder
across front of their body. Contra lateral dislocation of jaw or TMJ. Contra
lateral maxillary arthritis. Contra lateral migraine with pain at ST-8, across
forehead, or wraps front & sides of head like a scarf. Migraine pain may
extend to contra lateral neck.
GENERAL TX: Analgesic technique at ah shi points. Tonify LI-1, LI-4,
LI-11 & ST-36. Disperse ST-8 (most likely) or SI-18. Point ST-8 towards
opposite ST-8. Add SJ-5 & GB-41.
EX 1: Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). Needle an
elbow ah shi point toward hand. Find another ah shi point around LI-10.This ah
shi point is almost always directly on tendon, ligament or bone. Needle this ah
shi point toward elbow ah shi point. Electro with analgesic technique
(continuous mode, high frequency & high intensity). Tonify LI-11, LI-4,
ST-36 & LI-1. Disperse ST-8 needled towards contra lateral ST-8. SJ-5 (to
release the exterior). Wei guan is outer gate, or external barrier. Add GB-41
(Master of Yang Wei Mai.)
EX 2: Frozen shoulder. This condition can be due to either LI
principle meridian blockage or LI TMM. Generally, if it’s acute, it’s LI TMM.
Chronic cases are usually a blockage in principle LI meridian. A quick test is
to vigorously needle contra lateral LI-1. Then have them reach across their
body to touch their opposite shoulder. If needling LI-1 helped that movement,
it’s TMM. Disperse ah shi points using analgesic technique with electro. Tonify
LI-11, LI-4, LI-1, ST-36, GB-41 & SJ-5. Disperse ST-8 toward opposite ST-8.
If needling LI-1 did not improve movement, it’s principle LI meridian. Needle
ST-37 ipsilaterally with deep, strong stimulation.
EX 3: Maxillary arthritis. Can affect upper or lower maxilla.
If upper maxilla, contra lateral LI-4 & ST-7. Add ST-41, ST-44, ST-36 &
LI-1. Disperse ST-8 toward opposite ST-8. Add SJ-5 & GB-41. If lower
maxilla, use contra lateral ST-6 instead of ST-7.
******
SI TMM: 2nd month of Summer (approx. July 21 –
Aug. 20) Symptoms: Pain in 5th finger that radiates to
lateral wrist or medial epicondyle. Pain at SI-8. Pain in axilla or shoulder.
Female patients cannot reach behind their back to remove their bra. Posterior
neck pain or inflammation. Otalgia, tinnitus, or buzzing in ear. Migraine with
neck & shoulder pain & ringing in ears. Maxillary pain.
GENERAL TX: Analgesic technique at ah shi points. Tonify SI-3, SI-4,
SI-1, ST-36 & LI-4. Disperse ST-8 toward opposite ST-8. SJ-5 & GB-41.
EX 1: Ear pain. Can be otalgia, tinnitus or buzzing in ear. Find a zone
about a finger’s width above ear. Insert 2 needles. SJ-17, slightly inferior to
where we learned it… Tran’s location is right behind ear lobe. Should be tender
to touch. Deep insertion, pointed toward inner ear. SI-19 (in front of tragus).
SJ-21 & GB-2. Tonify SI-3, SI-4, SI-1, LI-4 & ST-36. Disperse ST-8
toward contra lateral ST-8. SJ-5 & GB-41.
******
SJ TMM: 3rd month of Summer (approx. Aug. 21 – Sept.
20) Symptoms: Pain in 4th finger that may radiate to wrist at
SJ-4. Synovial cyst around SJ-3. Shoulder pain – patient cannot touch top of
their head or behind their neck when their elbow is out to affected side.
Lateral neck pain. Pain in front of the ear. Tongue retraction or migraine with
tongue retraction.
GENERAL TX: Analgesic technique at ah shi points. Tonify SJ-3, SJ-4,
SJ-1, SJ-5, GB-41, LI-4 & ST-36. Disperse ST-8 toward contra lateral ST-8.
EX 1: Synovial cyst. Find ah shi points around SJ-3 &
SJ-5. Needle as close to the cyst as possible, unless patient is pre-surgery
for cyst. Analgesic technique using electro (continuous mode, high frequency
& high intensity). Add LI-4, ST-36, SJ-1. Disperse ST-8 toward contra
lateral ST-8.
EX 2: Tongue retraction. SJ-17, CV-23 angled toward tongue.
Contra lateral SJ-3, SJ-4, SJ-1 & ST-8. LI-4 & ST-36 – especially if
there is atrophy of the tongue due to prolonged retraction.
Differential diagnosis for 3 yang arm TMM is
frozen shoulder or migraine pattern. Inability to reach across body to touch
opposite shoulder, migraine that travels across forehead or wraps around like a
scarf = LI. Inability to reach behind the back (females can’t remove their bra
by reaching behind their back), migraine with ear-ringing, neck & shoulder
involvement = SI. Inability to touch top of head or back of neck with elbow
extended laterally, migraine in front of ear only or with tongue retraction =
SJ.
SP TMM: 1st month of Autumn (approx. Sept. 21 – Oct.
20) Symptoms: Pain in medial aspect of large toe. Hallux valgus
syndrome. Medial malleolus pain. Medial knee pain. Women with medial knee pain
frequently have hardening around SP-9. Medial thigh pain. Pain in femoral
triangle. Pelvic pain that may radiate into external genitalia or to back.
Umbilical pain. Patients may also exhibit hypochondriac, thoracic, or spinal
pain. Chest fullness due to asthma phlegm.
GENERAL TX: Analgesic technique at ah shi points. Tonify SP-2, SP-3,
SP-1, LI-4 & ST-36. Disperse CV-2 or CV-3 zone (reunion points).
EX 1: Hallux valgus syndrome. Needle SP-2 ah shi point toward
joint. Needle SP-3 ah shi point towards joint. Analgesic technique with
electro. LV-3 angled toward large toe. ST-42 needled where you feel dorsalis
pedis artery pulsing. Dr. Tran uses ST-42 for any type of foot problem.
EX 2: Medial knee pain. The Ling Shu says to use
BL-62 (Master of Yang Qiao Mai) for men with medial knee pain, & K-6 for
women with medial knee pain. As always, find ah shi points around SP-9, use
analgesic technique with electro. Then tonify principle meridian & Yang
Ming (SP-2, SP-3, SP-1, and LI-4 & ST-36). Disperse reunion point(s) CV-2 and/or
CV-3. If a patient has had knee surgery, don’t needle directly into the scar,
but surround it with needles angled toward scar.
EX 3: Umbilical pain. K-16 & ST-25 are transit points for wei qi.
Needle K-16 deeply, angled toward peritoneum, since it rules peritoneum. It
brings wei qi from deep inside body, to surface. Moxa ST-25 to circulate wei qi
brought forward by K-16. The ancient texts also use SJ-6 & GB-34 (don’t let
it bleed!). Tonify SP-2, SP-3, SP-1, LI-4 & ST-36. Disperse CV-2 and/or
CV-3.
EX 4: Thoracic or spinal pain. Yang energy stuck in the chest =
fullness. CV-17 re-establishes balance in chest by bringing water from SJ &
fire from PC. PC-6 opens chest. CV-22, K-27, SP-2, SP-3, SP-1, LI-4 &
ST-36. Disperse CV2 and/or CV-3. If pain radiates to spine, SI-3 & BL-62
open Du Mai. Can also use GV-26. Can bleed it or use a quick, in & out
insertion, angled toward base of nose. TCM theory explains loss of
consciousness as disconnection between 7 orifices (2 eyes, 2 ears, 2 nostrils
& mouth). GV-26 re-establishes connection, because it is located at center
of 7 orifices. Tonify SP-2, SP-3, SP-1, LI-4, ST-36 & disperse CV-2 and/or
CV-3.
******
K TMM: 2nd month of Autumn (approx. Oct. 21 – Nov.
20) Symptoms: Pain at K-1 or plantar aspect of 5th toe. Ling
Shu describes K-1 at that location. Anterior plantar pain or contracture.
Medial ankle pain around K-3. Popliteal pain around K-10. Differentiate between
K & BL knee pain by testing reunion points for tenderness. If K, CV-2 area
will be tender. If BL, SI-18 area will be tender. Medial thigh pain. Pelvic
pain or pain radiating into external genitalia. Lower abdominal “heaviness”
& lumbar pain causing patient to hunch forward when they walk. Para spinals
ascending to occiput feel tight or painful. K TMM connects to BL TMM as both
TMMs ascend the posterior aspect of the body. BL TMM travels along the spine
& K TMM travels along para spinals. Differentiate via reunion point
reactivity & treat accordingly.
GENERAL TX: Analgesic technique at ah shi points. Tonify K-3, K-7
K-1, LI-4 & ST-36. Don’t allow K-3 to bleed – can result in tachycardia.
Disperse CV-2 and/or CV-3.
By now, we should have an idea of how to treat
painful areas. Several TMMs have common symptoms (knee pain, back pain, lower
abdominal pain, genital pain, etc.) Differential diagnoses & reunion point
reactivity provide clarity. Use appropriate tonification of principle meridians
involved & disperse proper TMM reunion points. Always remember to tonify
Yang Ming.
A few interesting asides Dr.Tran discussed
regarding Kidney Yin Xu….
EX 1: Tonification of Kidney Yin. CV-4 or CV-5 angled towards CV-4,
K-7, CV-3, SP-6. Secondary tonification of K yang by using GV-4. Generally, to
reduce xu heat, use earth points.
EX 2: Kidney stones and wei qi. Kidney yin xu can result in LV fire
flare up. Internal LV heat can create internal wind – like leaves burning,
which swirl around as they burn. Internal fire evaporates water, leaving only
mineral crystals behind. CV-5 (SJ MU point) balances water level to reduce
internal LV heat. CV-5 also dilates ureters to allow kidney stones to pass.
CV-5 is where wei qi is formed. K water is heated by ministerial fire of LV.
The resulting steam circulates throughout body as Yang energy, protecting
against EPIs. It is Yang energy originating from Yin source (K & LV).
EX 3: Bone marrow dryness/xu. Again, LV heat & wind can flare
up when K yin is xu. CV-5 (as discussed above) threaded toward CV-4. GB-16
brings water to head (located in line with center of eye, 1 cun posterior to
anterior hairline). Tonify with perpendicular insertion. GB-39 (palpate from
lateral malleolus superiorly along fibula. Where fibula “disappears”, you’ll
feel tibial crest. Trace a line anteriorly from there, until you are between
tibia & fibula). Needle deeply. K-7, LI-16, GV-20 & GV-15 needled
obliquely toward each other. ST-36 & an extra point 3 cun distal & 1
cun lateral to ST-36. Dr. Tran calls this point ST-40. LI-4 & SP-3. Do NOT
use moxa on these points, since marrow is already dry.
EX 4: Headache and vertigo. Differential diagnosis: K xu &
LV shi = emptiness in lower jiao & fullness in upper jiao. Heavy head =
vertigo or vertex headache. HT & SP xu =emptiness below & above. Empty
head = vertigo. SP & ST xu = phlegm rises to head & gets stuck there.
Shi Phlegm = vertigo. BL-10 (K), GB-20 (LV) & SJ-16 (window of the sky
points). GV-16, GV-20, BL-7, GB-16 & BL-2 (angled toward Tai Yang extra
point) bring water. LU-7 angled toward LI-4, SI-3 & LI-11 circulate ying
energy, GB-34 (don’t let it bleed!) & LV-3 stifle wood (LV) fire with earth
points. BL-17 & SP-10 circulate blood to push out wind.
CV-12 & Tran’s ST- 40 remove phlegm. Add appropriate
primary channel tonification points & reunion points for the channel
involved in your diagnosis (K, LV, HT, SP or ST). Tonify Yang Ming with LI-4
& ST-36.
******
LV TMM: 3rd month of Autumn (approx. Nov. 21 – Dec.
20) Symptoms: Pain or contracture at LV-1. Ankle pain around LV-4. Pain
or contracture at adductor tubercle or around LV-8. Internal or external genital
pain. Vaginal itching in females. Contracture (cold) or lengthening (heat) of
penis in males, preventing erection that is TM in nature. Differentiate from
impotence, which is K yang xu. Pain between CV-2 & pubic symphysis.
GENERAL TX: Ah shi points using analgesic technique. Tonify LV-8,
LV-3 & LV-1. Dr. Tran needles LV-1 where 3 hairs sprout on large toe. The
hairs, like little plants, need water to grow. He considers this location jing
well point of Liver. For hairless patients, use traditional location at base of
nail. Disperse CV-2 and/or CV-3. Don’t forget ST-36 & LI-4.
EX 1: Vaginal itching or dryness. There is a longitudinal luo meridian
between LV-5 & CV-2 or CV-3. If this meridian is empty because of Liver
blood xu or stagnant Liver qi in another area, vaginal itching results.
Disperse ah shi points & CV-2 /CV-3. Tonify LV-5, LV-8, LV-3, LV-1, ST-36
& LI-4. Add GB-37 (Luo point connecting GB to LV.) For dryness, CV-7 has a
branch to bring water to uterus. This branch is why Dr. Tran prefers CV-7 to
CV-5 as SJ MU point.
EX 2: TM penile flaccidity. Always good to tonify K-3 (don’t let
it bleed!), K-7 & K-1 when LV is involved. If heat prevents erection,
disperse LV-5, CV-2. Tonify CV-3 (BL Mu point) to cool heat in genitals. Adds
water to wood.) GB-34 (don’t let it bleed!), LV-8, LV-3, LV-1, ST-36 &
LI-4.
Differential diagnosis for 3 leg yin TMM is
radiation of lower abdominal pain. Radiation to umbilicus, thorax or ribs = SP.
Radiation into buttocks, lower lumbar or para spinals = K. No radiation from
pelvic region = LV.
PC TMM: 1st month of Winter (approx. Dec. 21 – Jan.
20) Symptoms: External or internal origin. If external origin, patient
exhibits precordial and/or hypochondriac pain. Precordial pain mimics angina,
& is worse after eating. Cardiac tests are normal. If
internal origin, patient exhibits contracture of internal thoracic area.
Stagnation in chest causes supraclavicular compression syndrome, cardiac pain,
dyspnea, gastric reflux or hiatal hernia.
GENERAL TX: Analgesic technique at ah shi points. Tonify PC-7, PC-9,
LI-4 & ST-36. Disperse GB-22.
EX 1: Precordial pain. The He Li pathway, called
Great Luo of the stomach, is an empty channel that runs from stomach to
diaphragm, through lungs & heart & descends to ST-18. Spleen hypo
function resulting in damp or food accumulation backs up primary channel &
eventually into the He Li pathway. This rising energy is yang. It
ascends toward yang fire of heart. Yang plus yang = cardiac pain, angina,
palpitations or tachycardia. Sure does sound like a MI. BE SURE it is
not!!! If you have correctly diagnosed TMM of PC, needle ah shi points
around K-25 & K-22. Angle needles toward each other. ST-15 & GB-22
angled towards painful area. Electro between K-25 ah shi point & GB-22.
Second electro between ST-15 & K-22 ah shi point. Continuous mode, high
frequency & intensity for 20 minutes, adjusting as needed every 5 minutes.
CV-12 descends energy from digestive back-up. CV-17 brings water from SJ &
fire from PC to balance yin/yang in chest. PC-6 opens chest via longitudinal
luo. ST-18 (end of He Li pathway). Disperse ST-45. Tonify PC-7, PC-9,
LI-4 & ST-36, SP-3 & SP-9 (To balance the treatment of ST with SP
points).
EX 2: Thoracic pain due to internal origin. Thoracic contracture,
gastric reflux, hiatal hernia, etc. CV-17, PC-6. CV-13 for gastric reflux. K-20
& K-21 are Chong Mai points bringing (deep) K fire to (surface) CV-13 area.
Needle superficially. Disperse GB-22. Tonify PC-7, PC-9, LI-4 & ST-36.
******
LU TMM: 2nd month of Winter (approx. Jan. 21 – Feb.
20) Symptoms: Pain or contracture at LU-11, LU-9 or LU-5.
Supraclavicular compression syndrome. Hypochondriac pain, dyspnea, depression.
GENERAL TX: Analgesic technique at ah shi points. Tonify LU-9, LU-11,
CV-17, PC-6 & ST-12. Disperse GB-22.
EX 1: Dyspnea and asthma. Lungs are summit, kidneys are root.
An intimate relationship exists between lung & kidney. During inhalation,
qi enters lungs & descends to kidneys. Breathing pattern should be inhale,
pause, exhale. Pause allows qi distribution to spleen, liver & heart.
Dyspnea results when pathway between lungs & kidney is blocked, shortened
or disrupted. Asthmatics cannot descend qi (air) to kidneys. Cortisone origin
is adrenals - helps qi descend. Moxa BL-13 & BL-23. LU-1, LU-9, LU-11, K-3 &
K-7 (K point combo acts like cortisone.) CV-17, PC-6, LI-4 & ST-36.
Disperse GB-22.
******
HT TMM: 3rd month of Winter (approx. Feb. 21 – Mar.
20) Symptoms: External origin shows pain & contracture around HT-9,
HT-7 or HT-3. Cardiac pain. Internal origin shows Fu Liang syndrome, an
epigastric tumor superior to umbilicus. Sadness or mental disorders.
GENERAL TX: Analgesic technique at ah shi points. Tonify HT-9, HT-7,
ST-36 & LI-4. Disperse GB-22.
EX 1: Fu Liang/umbilical tumor. Yin type = fixed, cold,
patient wants to be alone. Yang type = accumulation, heat, moves around, hot
palms, mental disturbances, patient wants to talk & have company. Too much
fire destroys Po, leading to sadness. LU-9 preserves metal. HT-6 (xi-cleft),
CV-17, HT-7, Yin Tang, SP-1 for anxiety, GB-20 for insomnia. ST-34 needled
toward stomach. Mobilize ministerial fire with BL-13, BL-14, BL-15, BL-42,
BL-43 & BL-44. Tonify LI-4 & ST-36, LV-13, CV-12, BL-20, BL-21, SP-3,
SP-6 & Tran’s ST-40.
Differential diagnosis for 3 arm yin TMM is
axillary & thoracic pain radiation. Axillary, thoracic & hypochondriac
pain = PC. Axillary, thoracic & supraclavicular compression syndrome = LU.
Axillary, thoracic & pain or tumor superior to umbilicus = HT.
******
A few more gems from Dr. Tran…………
EX 1: All-over body pain. Use SP-21 if articulations are
generally painful. Ah shi points with analgesic technique. Disperse all reunion
points - ST-8, SI-18, GB-22, CV-2 or CV-3 area. Tonify 12 tonification points,
12 source points, 6 yuan yang & 6 yuan yin points, jing well points of most
affected TMM (along which channels do you find the majority of ah shi points?)
General anti-spasm point is GV-8.
EX 2: Over-thinking & SP xu. Thinking without deciding upon an
action prevents LV movement. So either think & act, or don’t think.
Bloating = blockage of follow-through. ST yang qi normally descends, but rebels
if SP function is blocked (belching, nausea, etc). Humidity (damp) accumulates
& alters tongue. Scallops result due to SP lack of holding (maintaining)
form. LV heat plus damp accumulation = fog obscuring clarity. Put out fire with
GB-16 (shao yang), HT-7 & CV-14 (HT Mu). If fire not controlled, it affects
HT & ying qi (qi of the blood). ST-36 to build qi. Tran’s ST-40 for
phlegm - longitudinal luo goes to GV-20 (longitudinal luo of ST). Transverse
luo goes to SP-3 (source point). At SP-3 level is SJ connection to ST-44. Wei
qi metabolizes humidity. Increase wei qi circulation to decrease bloating,
prevent phlegm buildup, etc. CV-5 builds wei qi.
ST-30, LV-13, LV-14 & CV-12 circulate wei qi.
EX 3: Dysmennorhea/Menopause. Chong Mai (PC-6 & SP-4) brings
heat (generally, yin meridians bring heat) & Tai Yang brings water (yang
meridians bring water). 3 leg yin meridians cross at CV-2 & ascend to CV-3
(BL Mu point). CV-3 brings water to the uterus, so is natural cleansing area in
females, to prevent pelvic infections. Ba liao points are Tai Yang, so are
secondary cleansing areas. BL-31 goes to uterus & then to contra lateral
BL-31. Deeply needle contra lateral BL-31 for dysmenorrhea. Menopausal women
may have decreased size of sacral foramen. Needle won’t penetrate the decreased
opening. If you can’t deeply insert needle, don’t bother needling this point in
menopausal women.
posted by Dr. Roger Lore, DAOM, LAc. @ 3:40 PM 3
comments 
Tong's Acupuncture
The
family lineage of Tong's acupuncture was written about by both Miriam Lee and
[a version of it] by Richard Tan. In both cases, the power of this
single-needle style acupuncture seems both strange and different.
There is no doubt this form of acupuncture can work wonders. In local public
health sites, it proved its claims. It may be particularly good as an
alternative system for pain treatments. Of course there is relevance for
internal medicine.
The writings of Dr Yang, Wei-Chieh of Los Angeles, being translated, may be the
best yet on this subject. His 3-day presentation in OCOM's DAOM program gave a
taste of the coming book. We were encouraged by him to share this information.
Readers who like this approach are referred to his book. Yang married Tong's
daughter, and could be his top student prior to Tong's passing.
His work is unique in that it bridges the gap between Tong's Acupuncture and
contemporary TCM through the NeiJing/Inner Classic.
The notes follow in rough format for the topic of treating pain with
acupuncture:
Tong
Acupuncture
Dr Yang, Wei-Chieh
3/5/05 --30th anniv.of Tong's death.
Over 40 yrs lic. exp.
He uses Tong pts 60-80% of time.
His book is ZhenJiu JingWei in
Chinese, Korean, and soon English.
For now, have a look at Miriam Lee’s Master
Tong’s Acupuncture.
Principles of Tong Ac--
·
Local areas never
needled.
·
Contralateral.
·
Distal treatment-
the further the better.
Use few needles first: try unilateral
first; if no effect, go bilateral.
For excess, sometimes same side is used.
Bleeding is always same side.
Said to have advantage in less frequently timed tx, when daily tx not possible.
Based on Neijing and I Ching.
Reading these will help.
HEADACHE-
~SJ 2, LI 3- best pts. Latter pt:
needle close to the bone as possible --best for ANY type of pain.
Former pt is just prox of SJ 2 and
called SanCha. This is the #3 of the ~BaXie pts. Tx thigh pain immediately:
also for sleepiness. Can needle deeply, which will get shaoyang and taiyang
since SI 3 will be accessed there. This pt was revealed a few yrs before Tong
died. Needling close to bone, into tendon/ligament level tx liver.
For pn from trauma: 1 cun below ST 34
-- Jie Xue: Untie. Could use ST 34. XiCleft principle applies here.
Also the use of yangming to regulate
qi and blood.
shu stream pts tx heaviness of body,
pain of joints: many of them are used.
for yangming headache, ST 43 is used:
the shu-stream. Note that yangming channel traverses TaiYang!!
ShaoYang- GB 43
UB 65 for taiyang
--shu stream.
Vertex: liver 3 oft used --a
shu-stream. Others use KI 1.
Du 20 tx sore throat since it tx
head, tailbone since it is opposite end of spine. Du 1 bled for h/a. And K-1
So this one pt has 3 possible
correspondences.
He uses UB 65 for vertex h/a --shu
stream. Water promotes wood in this case.
frontal h/a- LI 3 very effective:
shu. SP 4 very good also since Luo pt to activate sp st relationship.
prolonged h/a affects KI, so needle
close to bone in chronic conditions. So needle LR 3, ST 43 more proximal to get
closer to bone. These pts have their own names in Tong Ac.
LR 3's is HuoZhu / Ht Master- very
impt for HT dz. the TaiChong pulse is here. So using this tx blood vessels and
Ht.
Coma: usually Du 26, PC 6. If no
effect, use HuoZhu above LR 3.
HuoZhu above LR 3 is also special pt
for knee pain. Ancient texts had LR 3 for this joint; HuoZhu is better.
This pt tx chronic sore throat, since
liver channel goes thru deep level of throat. Also as earth pt on wood channel,
can tx earth-wood issues: fibromyalgia, stomachache, etc.
Tong always needled close to bone.
Chronic dz always affects KI, which is affected by both yin and Qi deficiencies
over time.
LU 5 releases spasm of palmar aspect
of fingers, frozen shoulder.
Achilles for neck spasm.
5 pts for knee pn:
PC 6 contralat. w/ LR 3/HuoZhu
ipsilat. to tx jueyin.
always move joint during tx.
Core of Tong Ac:
·
PC-ST
·
KI-
SJ
·
LU-UB
·
SP-
SI
·
HT-GB
·
LR-LI
Examples: pc 5 for
hiccup: metal pt. in NeiJing metal used for voice issues.
P 7 for mouth sores.
80-90% of knee pain
comes from the Heart. NeiJing: tx blood to calm the wind; wind and blood very
related.
Bi tx by 4 gates. LI 4
master of Qi, LR 3 masters blood.
will help tendon-level
pain. Essential for Parkinson's Dz. Mild insomnia.
Between LingGu and LI
3 is JianGu: middle jiao. LI 3 is upper jiao. So the whole bone is a hologram.
Use LR 2 for fire
instead of 3.
Best result for
insomnia: bleed ear apex. better than any other acup or herbal tx.
This pt is a super
pt., along with SJ 2 area.
A goal is to find
these super pts., with many indications.
Thumb has most impt
pts., along with great toe: it has two very important Jing pts.
Yuan source pts
closely related to KI and SJ.
Back to knee pn: 44.06
tx
Uh-Oh: some pts in
this system have the same name, but different locations as TCM!!!
This uses muscle to tx
muscle: thickness of deltoid. But this just works with weakness, difficult to
raise leg.
33.12 XinMen tx bone
spur issues on knee (harder to go downstairs than up). Also tailbone pn. Ex:
knee pn: this pt with LR 3 close to bone.
Chronic stubborn pain
requires more needles. Start unilateral, and then go bilateral.
Ce San Li 77.22, ce
xia san li, ShenGuan 77.18 for chronic stubborn headaches.
ShenGuan is #1 for
shoulder pain, frozen shoulder; frequent urination esp in elderly with qi xu,
enlarged prostate; tonifies both KI and SP; diabetes, proteinuria; uremia
(along with KI 3- earth pt of water ch; mirrors SP 9).
66.05 MenJin prox to ST
43: this is in the Top Ten Super pts. Wood pt on earth. Stomachache, diarrhea
with pain better after defecation tx by TongXieYaoTong herbal formula. So this
is good for most cases of diarrhea, dysmenorrhea, and droopy eyelids with SJ 2.
Because of name with
'metal' in it, it tx lung also: sinusitis: ST channel goes there.
In Tong Ac., a
neighboring pt is often used to strengthen effect. Here ST 44 can be added.
Then NeiJing calls this DaoMa. This is better for chronic conditions. 'You
could miss the point, but not the channel.' So needling PC 7 and 5 will affect
PC 6.
Tong applied 3 points
sometimes.
Moving joints during
tx draws qi to them: essential.
Forearm is upper,
middle low jiao: PC 6 or SJ 6 upper, GanMen middle, XinMen lower: knee, coccyx.
Same for upper arm: LI
11 tx upper jiao: dizziness. Menieres syndrome use this pt with PC 6. JianZhong
mentioned above tx Sp Damp in lower jiao: leucorrhea.
Face- upper middle and
lower Ji. Du 26 is lower-mid, so low back. Pts on this line at SI 18 tx renal stones.
Thigh- upper towards
knee --all the limbs are upside down, like the ear. The 3 SiMa pts 88.17-19 are
jiaos.
The Huang pts.
Lower leg-SP 9
headache, ShenGuan just below it for shoulder; KI 7 for lower jiao.
Inner foot- SP 4 for
mid jiao, SP 1 for lower jiao: hernia, uterine bleeding -- reverse of
reflexology -- use both pts for uterine bleeding, since liver stores and spleen
controls. Jing wells manage orifices.
Temporal relationship:
Jing well for acute, and then moves up. Ying and shu streams dominate channels
and exterior. Use wood pts for wind, liver, tendon... etc.
Shu stream Earth pts
are also used for intermittent symptoms: Shaoyang syndrome, since it’s in the
middle, as is the Shaoyang. XiaoChaiHuTang is used in difficult diseases. Shu
stream pts are pivotal. therefore for pain, the She streams are often used.
He Sea are for Fu
organs, since on yang channels they pertain to Earth.
Tong used the pts on
the thigh a lot for chronic conditions, the three lines on the anterior aspect.
Chronic conditions
also proceed to blood stasis, in tong's view. That's why he bled he-sea pts.
Acute: Jing well,
common cold ying-spring, half interior: shu-stream, and chronic: he-sea.
3x/wk perfect, since
by 3rd day the tx effect is subsiding. 2x OK.
1x not enough so must
use herbs.
Tong used blood
letting 30% of time. Blood stasis involved in difficult, chronic cases since
Ming theorists. Also collaterals/luo are involved in chronic dz. Bleeding gives
longer effect.
Bleeding TaiYang for
headache and UB 40 for 'roids are examples.
Trigeminal Neuralgia-
CeSanLi x2, which are
BETWEEN yangming and shaoyang. LI 3, SI 3 also possible additions. Electric
sharp pains, going up and down like shaoyang, so use shu stream pt. Epilepsy
and malaria are also shaoyangy this way, so shu-stream good. SI 3, LI 3 are
wood and shu-stream pts.
or use 66.06, 7/
MuLiu, MuDou between yangming and shaoyang on middle toe.
or bleed ear apex.
or bleed TaiYang:
ancients bled a lot to clear head.
bleeding:
LI 11 tx chest,
LU 5 does st, lu, ht
UB 40
BLEED SAME SIDE, not
opposite. Nerves cross over, not blood vessels.
sore throat: bleed SJ
2 with LU 10 on opp sides of either. He prefers to needle SJ 2. Have patient
swallow.
or bleed ear apex.
if chronic, LR 3 could
be very good.
San Jiao 2 = ~San Cha
#3.
Retain 20-30 mins.
generally.
Neck pain, stiffness:
Ren 24 is ancient pt: ant/post relationship; better extension /flexion
limitation; use w/ SI 3.
or SI 3, UB 65:
LingShu 26 left right rotation= taiyang. Foot is better to use here.
All directions- use
all 3.
or into achilles
tendon to tx tendon issue, incl spasm. These are good for whiplash: 77.01, 2.
UB57 tx uterine spasm.
ShenGuan tx neck and
shoulder. LU 10 area tx that, and back also.
Severe nausea: bleed
between Du 16, 15.
Acute low back at left
outer KI shu pt: use front corresponding pt, but opp side.
A tender pt is not
always evident with contralateral needling, but results are better if you can
find it.
Contralaterality:
1.
same name: taiyang, taiyang. ex: GB 41
and SJ 3 are paired, so can use latter pt for DaiMai low back pain instead.
Likewise, SI 1 can be subbed for UB 67 to turn fetus.
Finger pain- 5 Tigers
Wu Hu #1, the most distal of these. Not over bone, but in soft tissue next to
it. Bilat., but add SJ 5 opp worse side if one side is worse off.
#5 tx heel pain and
ankle sprain, though for the latter LingGu used more -- or needle XiaoJie /
Small Joint, an unlisted pt below #5, thru thenar eminence towards PC 7; make a
fist to find it.
ShenGuan very good,
often with GB 31.
Latter pt tx lateral
pain, strong sedative; in his top 10 super point category.
NeiJing says that GB
tx all dz in all other channels. this is from the GB-Ht relationship, along
with its ubiquitous scalp points.
LingShu- Shaoyang dominates
bones, Taiyang the tendons. So UB 65, SI 3 tx tendons. GB 34 indicated for
bones as well as tendons. Of course there's GB 39. GB 31 best for bone spurs.
Others: DU 26, SI 3, UB 65 since that channels parallels spine.
With ShenGuan for
shoulder pain, one can add Yin or Yang LingQuan / SP 9, GB 34. Use the yin side
when internal, and yang side with invasions. In the elderly, both are often at
play.
KI
deficiencies lead to increased chance of shoulder dislocation. Use Liu Wei Di
Huang Wan as preventive.
There's 40 points for
shoulder pain. ST 38 is conventional, or 37 --all good.
Zhong Ping- ex pt 1 c
below ST 36 for shoulder pain. Much research on this.
LU also tx shoulder
pain- reduce this water pt to sedate channel, activate Ke cycle; also close to
tendon. If they are shaking, its wind of course: use PC 3. Also use affected
side in this case.
Fifty year shoulder-
3-4 month duration requires longer tx, about 10. Often cervical involvement.
If
harder to move forward= yangming; back = shaoyang, so use GB 34 or Zu Qian Jin,
Zu Wu Jin p.98 #77.24, 25.
His favorite for
general shoulder pain is SP 9, ~9, GB 34, LI 3 as guiding pt on affected side.
These guiding pts are literally 'traction' pts, and are often shu-stream.
Example:
UB 65 for sciatica on affected side to guide LingGu DaBai. The latter are
therapeutic points -- always contralateral -- and the former are guiding
(traction) points. This guiding method is Yang's addition: Tong didn't use
them.
Sciatica- LingGu
DaBai, no matter what channel.
L5/S1 usually taiyang
radiation. No other points are better than these 2 for this!!! If mild, they
are enough. Add more for more severity.
Case- severe sciatica
with bone spur L5/S1: DU 26, SI 3, LingGu-DaBai alternating, GB 41, UB 65,
blood letting UB 40 --but no more than 6 needles. Tx in afternoon for this
patient were found to be better.
Number of needles-
A Ming dynasty doctor
said not to make patients into a hedgehog.
If once a week, could
be up to 8 needles. More frequent tx allows fewer needles.
Social changes in past
30 years have made patients unable to come in but once a week --and they have
more health issues. Life spans increasing makes for more severe diseases.
Therefore more needles are required now. However the goal of using fewer
needles to attain better results applies.
Depth of insertion-
Point selection
depends upon both space and time, as mentioned above. Three depths: heaven,
human, earth. More superficial insertions affect higher regions in the body.
For ST 36, depth is
crucial. It is like dosage in herbology. Heaven layer or first cun, mid human
layer = 1.5 cun, for upper jiao, must get to earth layer at 2 cun. So the
deeper here, the further away the point you get an effect.
SI
3: shoulder pain, so heaven layer = 1 cun. Low back: 1.5; leg pain = earth.
Again, deeper is further away.
Severe
diseases require depth.
Shallow,
Heaven tx yang pathogens, such as EPI.
Yin
pathogens, like Damp, are at human level.
Antipathogenic
qi is at the deepest, earth layer. So deep needling strengthens upright qi.
Likewise he-sea pts like LI 11 strengthen antipathogenic qi.
Retain
needles longer with deeper insertions. Could go up to one hour.
Tong
retained needles for ~45 minutes, since most of his patients had chronic
conditions. Research in Shanghai found 40-50 minutes to be optimal for TCM tx,
confirming this. But market economies speed up time. Yang leaves them in
between 30-60 minutes. Blood circulates with qi, etc. every 28 minutes, 48
secs, described in NeiJing. So he does tx in 30 minute blocks.
Timing of Tx- Taiyang
channel time is afternoon, which is why the sciatica case above worked better
in afternoon. Bleeding UB 40 afternoon is best, but bleeding TaiYang best at
noon.
The
circulation in the Ren and Du mai- Ren 1=midnight, 1-3 am=Du 2; 3-5=Mingmen;
5-7=Du 8, 7-9=Du 12; 9-11=Du 16, noon=Du 20, 1-3 pm = Du 26 --so bleeding this
pt afternoon is better. 3-5 PM =Ren 22, 5-7 pm = Ren 17, 7-9 pm = Ren 12; 9-11
= Rn 4.
Therefore
midnight to 3 pm is yang time.
LU 5 same side; can
use opp but not as good.
many types of elbow
pain.
Linggu on affected
side is good for tennis elbow, which is bone. Needle to touch bone. Or tx LI 11
on opp side, but close to bone: not textbook location.
inner elbow / golfer
or student elbow: SI 3 same side, Xinmen opp. 33.12
CeSan Li x 2 for
Taiyang ch. or shaoyang pain. Or opp SI 4, same side SI 3.
Dorsal pain use SJ 5
opp.
Carpal tunnel: same.
Yanglingquan GB 34
also.
SJ 2 close to bone,
aka San Cha 3, esp for anterior.
more medial or jueyin
channel: XinMen.
unlisted point for leg
distention and pain: Ci Bai- between LuoZhen and SJ 3.
This point also tx
neck, but not as well as LuoZhen.
JingZhi DT.08 also
which is bled on the back.
LingGu DaBai best to
start with. Facial paralysis. If <6>70 or repeated stroke harder, though
not impossible.
Case- coma post-stroke
with kidney failure; mask over Du 26. Needled PC 6, KI 1. Bled jing-well
points.
An Gong Niu Huang Wan
pills for stroke. Urination resumed and he awoke on 5th day. Completely
recovered after 3 mos. Once a week tx.
He does a lot of
these. Key points are bleeding jing-wells (even if on blood thinner) and using
this medication.
Sometimes adds Du 20.
Resolve phlegm, move
blood. Long dan cao helps to lower cranial pressure. TingLiZi eliminates
cranial edema, also from ht/lu. Shichuangpu, gouqizi.
Tong tx stroke with Mu
Huo / Wood Fire 7-8 mins. only, then tx LingGu DaBai. Stop after 7 tx with Mu
Huo. This pt is between wood of jing-well and fire of ying-spring, hence
wood-fire.
ShenGuan good to add
at that point. If mental disorders, add Du 20, 24.
Liver and Heart are
only 2 channels to go to head: wood and fire ascend.
He locates Du 20 at
OCOM location it looks like: Du 20 here is posterior, at posterior fontanel.
PC 6 TX both brady-
and tachycardia. ST 36 regulates ST acid.
LingGu is close to LI
5, DaBai is Wood, so these are like wood- fire. Close to bone, so Kidney. DaBai
is big white, so has Lung relationship. What's left?
Sciatica = qi
deficiency, sometimes stagnation to Tong.
Chest pain-
PC 6 necessary.
If lateral, Si Ma
could be good, since they tx Lung.
Angina- bleed PC 3, LU
5; needle ST 36, PC 6.
Ex pt HuoBao on
underside of 2nd toe 55.01--Dr So used this point a lot for all kinds of
things, according to Eric. This is ST toe linked with PC.
Case- female with
stroke. PC 6, ST 36, and SiHua Wai: most important pt for blood letting. Look
for blue veins. 3 fen lat to ST 40. FOR CHRONIC, STUBBORN, DIFFICULT CONDITIONS
THERE MUST BE BLOOD STASIS. For STRANGE, COMPLICATED ONES, ITS PHLEGM. This
point is close to ST 40, so there you go: when bled, its a double whammy, super
combination. Lowers cholesterol!! Also bleed back shu pts for ht, pc for
additional effect.
Nipple = St Ch- ST 34.
Breast is related to
Liver, so tx LR 3. ST 43, which also tx lower abdominal pain.
half cun prox to SI 3:
Wan Shun. Its twin is another half cun proximal. Use both.
Males left, females
right is classical idea that works here.
Ribs-
SJ 6, GB 34.
GB 31 also helps, esp
for cholecystitis/ gallstones.
Add GB 32 for added
effect.
Herpes at ribs- bleed
Si Hua Wai, mentioned above. Also tx head, face herpes. Simpler to bleed Ear
Apex, but keep SJ 6, GB 34. BLEED AFFECTED SIDE, remember.
There are dozens...
Du mai- Du 26.
UB ch- SI 3 or B 65.
Dai Mai, more lateral:
SJ 3.
Radiating to butt-
LingGu.
Kidney stone- SI 18
'Ma Jin' go a half cun below even better: Ma Kuai Shui which tx renal stones in
bladder.
Add SJ 3.5 for renal
colic and gallstone pain.
SJ 3, 3.5 good for low
back, nephritis.
SI 18 again, or just
below.
Also 2 pts on index
finger: Wai Jian, Fu Fian.
Add LR 2,
LongDanXieGan Tang, etc. He uses Si Nie San plus JieGeng, Fuling. Niuxi
possible, or if acute could add pugongying. He doesn't: it's very gentle and
effective as it is.
Classical-based
herbalists use fewer herbs. Same in acupuncture.
3/4/05
Ear apex bled for
menopausal sx- noc sweats, insom.
SuWen mentions a
Heart- ear connection.
Sweat is the fluid of
the Ht.
That's why it works
here.
XinMen helps sweating
as well.
SangYe taken as a tea
is gentle daily intervention.
**Bleeding Apex tx low
back pain**
A channel branch goes
from Du-20 to the Ear.
Fleshy ear helix
indicates weak HT, along with soft personality. A hot helix denotes hot
personality.
Early menses- heat,
late- cold,
s.t. both- Liver
irreg. - Sp
Eating and drinking
draw qi to the core. Rice does this especially. Most pain is in limbs, as are
ancient points. Pregnancy is a good time to eat rice- type foods.
Shen Guan tx finger
pain also.
Stroke tx- manipulate
Lu-5 close to tendon in on inhale. out on exhale.
Case- MuHuo, then
Lu-5, then LI 3, 4 with Du 20 + just posterior.
Pulse increases with
hunger.
Pregnancy- don't tx
deep.
Pulse palpable on
sides of mid finger that moves toward tip with progression of pregnancy. Male
fetus has stronger left pulse, redder face.
Demo- SJ ~3, Apex
Bleeding
needs to be at a sufficient amount, otherwise the results are limited.
The hand, like the
face, ear, etc., is a TaiJi with BaGua. This is the answer to why seemingly
random pts on the hand are grouped together.
Bleeding is better for
heart disease the regular needling.
He hasn't used moxa in
over 3 yrs due to local cultural constraints. He does use it at home. Moxa,
cupping, blood letting, needling are the 4 main methods.
Foods to avoid to
speed tx for pain:
ice, ice drinks
banana
greasy sticky fruit
(glutinous) 'sticky
rice'
duck- cold (chicken is
warm)
shrimp- hot
bamboo shoot
If 5 tx have no
effect, check blood for RA/ rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
Tong bled about 30% of
his patients, the most severe cases. He never used herbs.
Yang uses ear pts for
addictions.
Bent over back,
forward or backward- Du 26, LI 11, and UB 60. The latter pt treats whole spine.
Dr Yang's father
practiced martial arts. Yang practices qigong. For acupuncturists it is very
advisable to practice some kind of breathing qigong. Herbalists don't need this
as much. It's easy to get tired after treating 30 patients with acupuncture, or
100 with herbs. Needling consumes some qi. If you're strong, it's no problem.
If you have weak patients, then you really need to take care.
The top ten super
points-
most already
mentioned.
1.
Fu Ke- Gyn, all kinds, incl malposition,
bleeding, myoma, infertility (add Huan Chao 11.06 opp side, alternating sides
ea tx. May add ex pt betw SP 6 & malleolus where pricking a blue vein helps
greatly). Best herb formula for miscarriage: Tai Shan Pan Shi San- also tx
infertility. KI xu and bld stag are 2 major causes of infertility. Gui Zhi Fu
Ling Wan + Danggui Shaoyao San for this also. Wen Jing Tang a personal
favorite.
2.
Ling Gu- Super pt of Super pts.
Regulates qi, warms yang. Hemiplegia w/ Da Bai, with GB 31, Jian Zhong --same
name, diff loc than TCM. Adding scalp for hemiplegia even better. Sciatica of
any type, better than any conventional channel pt., w/ LI 3. By itself, Ling Gu
tx elbow pn (ipsilateral), dizziness, groin (bilat) and inguinal pain
(contralat), frozen shoulder, back pain, tinnitus, low appetite.
3.
San Cha #3 near SJ 2 but closer to bone
--for common cold, 5 sense organs, esp for sore throat, tinnitus, deafness,
back pain, toothache; with DaBai for all headaches, thigh, myasthenia gravis
esp of eyes, tachycardia, urticaria.
4.
Men Jin 66.05- ST 43 closer to bone,
"Gate of Metal", wood pt of earth channel and therefore versatile.
For various gastroenteritis and diarrhea, migraine of taiyang, nasal
obstruction, abdominal distention and bloating, dysmenorrhea, rectal prolapse.
5.
Huo Zhu- closer to bone from LR 3. 'Fire
Master". Palpable pulse. Special for HT failure, weakness, headache from
HT; uterus- myoma, This is a more ancient location of LR 3. This gets wood-
tendon and earth- flesh, and close to bone so helps KI: Most impt pt for
rheumatism- difficult walking. Gastric problems from wood/earth probs.
Dizziness, vertex h/a. Sore throat. Facial paralysis: deviated mouth and eyes.
Combine with LingGu as the 'Posterior 4 Gates' / Hou Si Guan. Systemic pain,
such as FM/ Fibromyalgia. By itself for genital and urinary problems, such as
Lin Syndrome. TMJ/TMD.
6.
Ear Apex- bleed it for extensive
effects, incl common cold, migraine, hypertension, acute conjunctivitis, best
one for insomnia, palpitations, profuse or nocturnal sweating --very good-,
various skin dz, Shaoyang is wind, Taiyang is exterior: skin disease is wind;
the ears are Shaoyang. Kidney opens to ear; another classic text says the Heart
also opens to the ear.
7.
That's all for now... You figure out the
rest.
Herbs for genital
itching:
Kushen 9g, Shechuangzi
15g for external wash.
posted by Dr. Roger Lore, DAOM, LAc. @ 3:18 PM 1
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