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Point Indication Review Point Selection

ACR class 11

POINT SELECTION METHODS


Basic strategy: 1) Select a Local Point 2) Select a Distal point

SELECTING LOCAL POINTS


Local points - on, over or very near the
diseased area.

Most obvious method, yet very important Should not be dismissed as simplistic or
symptomatic

Much used in treating disorders of the


organs.

Examples include: ST-25 or REN-8 for diarrhea. REN-12 for nausea. REN-17 for tightness of the chest. L.I.-20 for diseases of the nose. SI-19 for diseases of the ears.

Adjacent points are located near the


affected area.

SELECTING ADJACENT POINTS

Examples include: SP-10, ST-34 or SP-9 for diseases of the


knee joint.

L.I.-14 for diseases of the shoulder. GB-21 or SI-11 for diseases of the
breast.

SELECTING DISTAL POINTS


Most frequently used method in
acupuncture treatment.

The Ode to Elucidate Mysteries refers to


the four origins and three ends.

Four origins - extremities of the limbs Three ends - head, chest and abdomen

Primary principle - choose a point from


the involved channel.

Example: distal points from shaoyang


channel (Sanjiao and Gall Bladder) will be selected for temporal headache,

distal points from yangming channel


(Large Intestine and Stomach) will be chosen for pain of the face and forehead,

distal points from taiyang channel


(Bladder and Small Intestine) will be selected for occipital headache and pain,

points from the jueyin Liver channel will


be selected for vertex headache.

It is common practice to combine local,


adjacent and distal points. Examples include:

GB-8, GB-20 and GB-43 for temporal


headache.

ST-18, LIV-14 and GB-41 for breast


diseases.

REN-12, REN-17 and ST-36 for


Stomach diseases.

Most commonly observed in relation to


the luo-connecting points, include:

SELECTING POINTS FROM ONE CHANNEL TO TREAT ITS INTERIORLYEXTERIORLY RELATED CHANNEL

L.I.-4 to assist the Lung function of


distributing defensive qi.

L.I.-6 to promote the Lung function of


regulating the water passages when this is impaired by exterior wind.

ST-40 to resolve phlegm due to


disharmony of the Spleen.

SELECTING POINTS FROM ONE PAIR OF THE SIX CHANNELS TO TREAT DISEASE OF THE OTHER Examples include:
treat hypochondriac pain due to disharmony of the foot shaoyang Gall Bladder channel.

SJ-6 (hand shaoyang Sanjiao channel) to


P-6 (hand jueyin Pericardium channel) to
resolve stagnation of qi in the foot jueyin Liver channel in the chest and hypochondrium.

Examples include SP-6, the intersection of the Spleen,

SELECTING POINTS ACCORDING TO CHANNEL CONNECTIONS

Liver and Kidney channels, to treat most diseases of the lower abdomen since all these channels pass through this area.

DU-14, the meeting point of the


Governing vessel with all the yang primary channels to release pathogenic factors from the (yang) exterior.

CROSS NEEDLING
Contralateral (cross) needling is
commonly used either when the affected side is too painful to treat, or when, after needling, one wants the patient to mobilize the painful area.

Also used in acute painful disorders: select


points from the ankle to treat the opposite wrist (and vice-versa), from the knee to treat the opposite elbow (and vice-versa) and from the hip to treat the opposite shoulder (and vice-versa).

SELECTION OF EMPIRICAL POINTS

Frequently, the selection of distal points


is determined by their historically established empirical effect. Examples include:

ST-38 for shoulder pain. DU-10 for boils. LU-7 for headache. SI-4 for jaundice. GB-36 for rabies.

CHAIN AND LOCK POINT ASSOCIATION METHOD

Select points from the shoulder, elbow


and hand or wrist to treat disorders of the upper limb and from the hip, knee and ankle to treat disorders of the lower limb.

Pathogen Patterns

Wind
(Exterior) LI4, LU7, GB20, BL12 (Interior) GB16, GB20, DU20, GB31 Cold (Exterior) LI4, LU7, BL12 (Interior) REN4*, REN12*, ST36*

Heat
(Exterior) LI4, LI11, DU14 (Interior) LI11, DU14 (XS); K2, K6 (Def)

Damp SP9, BL20, REN9; add LI11 if Damp Heat Summerheat LI11, DU14; add SP9 if Damp

Phlegm
SP9, ST40; add LI11 if Heat (Lung) LU5 (Heart) P5

Zang Fu Patterns

Heart Patterns

Heart Deficiency Patterns


HEART-QI DEFICIENCY Points: HE-5, P-6, BL15, Ren17, Ren-6.

HEART-YANG DEFICIENCY Points: HE-5, P-6, BL15,


Ren-17, Ren-6, Du14.

HEART-YANG COLLAPSE Points: Ren-6, Ren-4, Ren8, Du-4, ST-36, P-6, BL-23, Du-20, Du-14, BL-15.

HEART-BLOOD DEFICIENCY Points: HE-7, P-6, Ren14, Ren-15, Ren-4, BL-17, BL-20.

HEART-YIN DEFICIENCY Points: HE-7, P-6, Ren-14,


Ren-15, Ren-4, HE-6, SP-6, KI-7, KI-6.

Heart Excess Patterns

HEART-FIRE BLAZING Points: HE-9, HE-8, HE-7, Ren-15, SP-6, KI-6.

PHLEGM-FIRE HARASSING THE HEART Points: P-5, HE7, HE 8, HE-9, P-7, Ren-15, BL-15, Ren-12, ST 40, SP-6, LIV-3, LIV-2, BL-20, Du-20, GB13, GB-15, Du-24. PHLEGM MISTING THE MIND Points: HE-9, P-5, BL-15, ST-40, Du-26, Ren-12, BL-20.
HEART-BLOOD STAGNANT Points: P-6, P-4, HE7, Ren17, BL-14, BL-17, SP-10, KI-25. PERICARDIUM PATTERNS Points are mostly the same as Heart patterns but add REN-17, BL-14, P-8, etc

Liver Patterns

Liver Excess patterns

STAGNATION OF LIVER-QI Points: GB-34, LIV-3, LIV-13, LIV-14, T.B.6, P-6. LIVER-FIRE BLAZING UPWARDS Points: LIV-2, LIV-3, GB20, Taiyang, GB-13, L.I.-11

DAMP-HEAT IN LIVER Points: LIV-14, GB-34, BL-18, Ren12, SP-9, SP-6, L.I.-11, LIV-2.
STASIS OF LIVER-BLOOD Points: GB-34, LIV-3, BL-18, BL-17, SP-10, Ren-6. STAGNATION OF COLD IN THE LIVER CHANNEL Points: Ren-3, LIV-5, LIV-1, LIV-3.

Liver Deficiency Patterns

DEFICIENCY OF LIVER-BLOOD Points: BL-18, BL-20, BL-23, BL-17, LIV-8, SP-6, ST-36, Ren-4.
LIVER-YIN DEFICIENCY Points: LIV-8, SP-6, ST-36, Ren-4, KI-3, KI-6, LIV-2.

Liver Deficiency/Excess Patterns



LIVER-YANG RISING Points: LIV-3, T.B.-5, P-6, G.B.-43, G.B.-38, BL-2, Taiyang extra point, GB-20, G.B.-9, G.B.-8, G.B.-6. If Liver Yin or Liver Blood deficiency: KI-3, KI-6, SP-6, LIV-8, ST-36 EXTREME HEAT GENERATING LIVER WIND Points: LIV-3, Shixuan extra points, Du-20, Du-16, GB-20. LIVER-BLOOD DEFICIENCY GENERATING WIND Points: LIV-3, GB-20, L.I.-4, TB-5, Du-19, SP-6, LIV-8, KI3, BL-17, Ren-4

LIVER-YANG RISING CAUSING WIND


a) LiverYang Rising deriving from LiverYin Deficiency
Points: LIV-3, GB-20, L.I.-4, TB-5, Du-19, SP-6, LIV-8, KI3

b) LiverYang Rising deriving from Liver and Kidney-Yin


Deficiency Points: same as above, add KI-6, Ren-4 to nourish Kidney Yin

c) LiverYang Rising deriving from LiverBlood


Deficiency Points: same as (a), add BL-17, Ren-4 to nourish Blood

LIVER COMBINED PATTERNS

LIVER INVADING THE SPLEEN Points: LIV-14, LIV13, G.B.-34, LIV-3, Ren-6, Ren-12, ST-25, SP-15 ST36, SP-6, P-6 and SP-4

LIVER INVADING THE STOMACH Points: LIV-14, LIV-13, G.B.-34, Ren-13, Ren-10, ST-36, BL-21.
LIVER-FIRE INSULTING THE LUNGS Points: LIV-2, LIV-14, Ren-17, Ren-22, P-6, LU-7, L.I.-11.

Lung Patterns

Lung Deficiency Patterns

LUNG-QI DEFICIENCY Points: LU-9, LU-7, Ren-6, BL-13, Du-12, ST-36, Ren-12.

LUNG-YIN DEFICIENCY Points: LU-9, Ren-17, BL-43, BL-13, Du12, Ren-4, KI-6, Ren-12, SP-6, LU-10, LI11. LUNG DRYNESS Points: LU-9, Ren-4, KI-6, SP-6, Ren-12, ST-36.

Lung Excess Patterns

INVASION OF LUNGS BY WIND-COLD Points: LU-7, BL12, Du-16. INVASION OF LUNGS BY WIND-HEAT Points: LU-7, L.I.-4, L.L-11, LU-11, Du-14, BL-12, Du-16, GB-20, TB-5.

INVASION OF LUNGS BY WIND-WATER Points: LU-7, L.I.6, L.I.-7, L.I.-4, BL-12, Ren-9, BL-13, Du-26.
LUNG HEAT Points: LU-5, LU10 LU-7, LU1, LI11, BL-13.

Lung Phlegm Patterns

PHLEGM-HEAT IN THE LUNGS Points: LU-5, LU-7, LU-10, L.I.-11, LU-1, BL-13, Ren-12, ST-40.

DRY-PHLEGM IN THE LUNGS Points: LU-9, LU-7, KI-6, Ren-12, ST-36, SP-6, BL-13, REN-17, ST-40
DAMP-PHLEGM IN THE LUNGS Points: LU-5, LU-7, LU 1, Ren-17, ST-40, P-6, Ren-22, Ren-12, Ren-9, BL20, BL-13. COLD-PHLEGM IN THE LUNGS Points: Same as Damp-Phlegm pattern, add BL-23.

PHLEGM-FLUIDS OBSTRUCTING THE LUNGS Points: LU-5, LU-9, Ren-17, BL-13, ST-40, BL-43, Ren-12, ST36, Ren-9, BL-20, BL-23.

Spleen Patterns

Spleen Deficiency Patterns


SPLEEN-QI DEFICIENCY Points: Ren-12, ST-36, SP-3, SP-6, BL-20, BL-21.
SPLEEN-YANG DEFICIENCY Points: same as for Spleen-Qi deficiency, add SP-9, Ren-9, ST-28, BL-22. SPLEEN-QI SINKING Points: same as Spleen-Qi deficiency, plus Du-20, Ren-6, ST21, Du-1. SPLEEN NOT CONTROLLING BLOOD Points: same as Spleen-Qi deficiency, plus: SP-10, BL-17, SP-1.

Spleen Excess patterns

COLD-DAMPNESS INVADING THE SPLEEN Points: SP-9, SP-6, Ren-12, SP-3, ST-8.
DAMP-HEAT INVADING THE SPLEEN Points: SP-9, SP-6, Ren-12, SP-3, ST-8, BL-22, BL-20, REN-9, REN-11, ST-22, ST-28.

Kidney Patterns

Kidney Qi/Yang Deficiency Patterns

KIDNEY-YANG DEFICIENCY Points: BL-23, Du-4, Ren-4, Ren-6, KI-3, KI-7, BL-52, extra point Jinggong (0.5 cun lateral to BL-52). KIDNEY-QI NOT FIRM Points: BL-23, Du-4, KI-3, BL52, Ren-4, extra point Jinggong. KIDNEY-YANG DEFICIENT, WATER OVERFLOWING Points: Du-4, BL-23, BL-22, BL-20, Ren-9, ST-28, SP9, SP6, KI-7. For Heart add Du-14 (moxa), BL-15. For Lungs add LU-7, BL-13, Du-12.

KIDNEYS FAILING TO RECEIVE QI Points: KI-3, LU-7, KI-6, ST-36, BL 23, Du-4, Ren-6, Ren-17, KI-25, Du-12, KI-7.

Kidney Yin/Jing Deficiency Patterns



KIDNEY-YIN DEFICIENCY Points: Ren-4, KI-3, KI-6, KI-10, KI-9, SP-6, Ren-1. KIDNEY-YIN DEFICIENT, EMPTY-FIRE BLAZING Points: KI-3, KI-6, KI-2, KI-9, Ren-4, KI-10, SP-6, HE-5, LU-7, LU-10. KIDNEY-ESSENCE DEFICIENCY Points: KI-3, KI-6, Ren-4, BL-23, Du-4, GB-39, Du-20, Du-14, BL-15, BL11.

COMBINED PATTERNS

Kidney Combination Patterns

KIDNEY- AND LIVER-YIN DEFICIENCY Points: KI-3, KI6, LIV8, Ren-4, BL-23, BL20, BL-17, BL-18, BL-10, Du20. KIDNEY AND HEART NOT HARMONIZED Points: HE-7, HE-6, HE5, Yintang, BL-15, Ren-15, GB-13, Du-24, KI-3, KI-10, KI-9, Ren-4, P-6, SP-6. KIDNEY- AND SPLEEN-YANG DEFICIENCY Points: KI3, KI-7, BL-23, Du-4, BL-20, BL-21, ST-36, Ren-6, ST-37, ST-25, BL-25.

Stomach Patterns

STOMACH DEFICIENT & COLD Points: ST-36, Ren-12, BL-20, BL-21, Ren-6. COLD INVADING THE STOMACH: ST-21, SP-4, Ren-13, ST-34. STOMACH-YIN DEFICIENCY: Ren-12, ST-36, SP-6, SP-3, ST-44. STOMACH-FIRE: ST-21, Ren-13, ST-44, ST-45, SP-6, Ren-12, P-6. DAMP-HEAT IN THE STOMACH: SP-9, L.I.-11, LI-4, ST34, REN-9, REN-11, REN-12, REN-13, ST-21, ST-25, ST40, ST-44 RETENTION OF FOOD IN THE STOMACH: Ren-13, Ren10, ST-21, ST-44, ST-45, SP-4, P-6. STASIS OF BLOOD IN THE STOMACH: Ren-10, ST-21, ST-34, SP-10, BL-17, BL-18.

Small Intestine Patterns



FULL-HEAT IN THE SMALL INTESTINE Points: S.I.-2, S.I.5, HE-5, HE-8, ST-39. SMALL INTESTINE DEFICIENT AND COLD Points: Ren-6, ST-25, ST-39, ST-36, BL-20, BL-27.

Large Intestine Patterns

DAMP-HEAT IN THE LARGE INTESTINE Points: SP9, SP-6, Ren-3, BL-22, ST-25, BL-25, BL-17, Ren-12, L.I.-11, ST-37, BL-20. HEAT IN THE LARGE INTESTINE Points: Ren-4, L.I.11, ST-37, ST-44, L.I.-2, SP-6, KI-6, Ren12. COLD INVADING THE LARGE INTESTINE Points: ST-37, ST-25, ST-36, SP-6, LIV-3, ST-27. LARGE INTESTINE DRY Points: ST-36, SP-6, KI-6, Ren-4. LARGE INTESTINE COLD Points: ST-25, Ren-6, ST36, ST-37, BL-25, BL-20.

Gall Bladder Patterns

GALL-BLADDER DAMP-HEAT Points: G.B.-24, LIV14, Ren-12, G.B.-34, Dannangxue, Du-9, BL-19, BL18, BL-20, L.I.-11, T.B.-6. GALL-BLADDER DEFICIENT Points: G.B.-40.

Bladder Patterns

DAMP-HEAT IN THE BLADDER Points: SP-9, SP-6, BL-22, BL-28, Ren-3, BL-63, BL-66. DAMP-COLD IN THE BLADDER Points: SP-9, SP-6, BL-22, Ren-3, ST-28, Ren-9, BL-28.

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