How to choose acupuncture points

 Experience of Dr. Peng Jingshan (China).

In this website you will find the following topics:

1 Special usefulness of acupuncture point shenzhu.

2. Stop the post-acupuncture pain 

3. Overall busting: big circle acupuncture technique.

4. Acupuncture for lower back pain.

5. Cure therapy for various illness.

6. Stop pain by acupuncture on mirror point.

7. Fast reducing of blood pressure.

8. Acupuncture points for poor sleep.

9. Triple points for illness involving central nerve system.

10. Stop toothache by acupuncture on yifeng.

11. End-end acupuncture technique for the treatment of infection on tip of finger or toes.

12. Experience with the use of sifeng.

13. Usefulness of intra-skin needles.

14. Hooking technique.

15. Usefulness of Liver-kidney four appoints for the treatment of hernia.

16. Treatment of constipation with acupuncture point of Fujie.

17. Treatment of ganglion cyst with multiple needles technique.

18. Treatment of chronic throat pain with Lama point.

1 Special usefulness of acupuncture point shenzhu.

Acupuncture point Shenzhu is located on the back middle spine line, between the number 3 and 4 of the thoracic spinous. When perform the acupuncture, let patient sits down and bends his head little bit down.

Choose acupuncture, which can be 4.5 cm long, and 0.32 mm in diameter. Insert the needle vertical to the appoint until you feel little bit resistance. If you feel empty suddenly, it means that the needle has penetrated into the space of spine. Move it back (not need to be out of the skin), and keep it for 20 to 30 min. When remove the needle, shake it little bit and move it gently (do not take it out too fast). Then press the hole of the acupuncture point for a while.

Function when use this acupuncture point:

(1). As the Chinese name of this acupuncture point indicates (Shenzhu means it is the main stem of the body), the function of this point is to support the life energy to the body. It is used for those who has poor appetite, thin, with chronic fatigue and easy to feel tired with little physical or mental works. It is also used for those who have had many times of acupuncture without clear improvement.

(2). To prevent common cold.

There are some people who are so easy to catch common cold or flue. Acupuncture of this point helps to prevent the common cold. So, acupuncture this point when one needs to go out in wind weather or cold weather; when there are someone living in the same room who have already had sign of common cold; and of course, if the one is easy to catch cold normally.

(3). Reduce fever.

If the fever is over 39 C, acupuncture on this point could reduce it to normal after a sweat for half hour.

For people with long term of low fever, acupuncture this point too.

(4). For children with chronic poor digestion, irritability, constipation, parasites problems. Use moxa on this point, 10 min each time, once a day for several days.

2. Stop the post-acupuncture pain  

Sometimes after acupuncture treatment, patient feels pain on the acupuncture spot. In this case, simply repeat an acupuncture on the opposite position of the current pain point. For example, if the original pain point is on the back of a hand, now simply have another acupuncture on the palm of the hand, opposite of the original pain point. If the pain is on the Neiguan, now you can try on Waiquan. If the pain is on Yinlingquan, now you can acupuncture Yanglingquan. Try it you will know how it works. It is very useful for acupuncturist.

 3. Overall boasting: big circle acupuncture technique.

This technique is used for those of patients who have had a long term acupuncture treatment without clear improvement.

With a single needle (1 inch in length), acupuncture only one side of body each time. Acupuncture each point only once without leaving the needle there. For chronic disease, acupuncture sequence is from primary point to luo points, and for acute disease, from luo point to primary points.

For example, from primary point to luo points:

Taiyuan (primary point of Lung meridian) – Pianli (luo point of Large intestine meridian) – Chongyang (primary point of Stomach meridian) – Gongsun (luo point of Spleen meridian) – Shenmen (primary point of Heart meridian) – Zhizheng (luo point of Small intestine meridian) – Jinggu (primary point of Urine bladder meridian) – Dazhong (luo point of Kidney meridian) – Daling (luo point of Heart shell meridian) – Waiguan (luo point of Triple jiao meridian) – Qiuxu (primary point of Gall bladder meridian) – Ligou (luo point of Liver meridian).

From lou point to primary point:

Lieque (luo point of Lung meridian) – Hegu (primary point of Large intestine meridian) – Fenglong (luo point of Stomach meridian) – Taibai (primary point of Spleen meridian) – Tongli (luo point of Heart meridian) – Wangu (primary point of Small intestine meridian) – Feiyang (luo point of Urine bladder meridian) – Taixi (primary point of Kidney meridian) – Neiguan (luo point of Heart shell meridian) – Yangchi (primary point of Triple jiao meridian) – Guangming (luo point of Gall bladder meridian) – Taichong (primary point of Liver meridian).

4. Acupuncture for lower back pain.

Meridians in the body is all in a mirror relationship. Meridian on left side of the body is the mirror of meridians on the right side of the body. Meridian on the front is the mirror of the those on the back. Ren meridian is the mirror of Du meridian on the back. Kidney meridian is the mirrow of the Huatuo jiaji line. Stomach meridian is the merrier of the first line of Urine bladder meridian. Liver meridian and Spleen meridian is to the second line of the Urine bladder meridian. When we use the mirror meridian for treatment, the effectiveness is also very good. It is called Liaoci technique.

Application of Liaoci technique in the treatment of lower back pain:

This technique is suitable for those whose lower back pain is localized, in a small area or spot. If the pain is large area, or if you cannot find small, most painful spot, this technique doesn’t work.

Find the pain spot. Make a mark for it. Measure the distance from this point to acupuncture point Mingmen. Measure the vertical distance from Mingmen, then horizontal distance again. For example, if the pain point is right side, 6 cm horizontal, then 3 cm down. Remember it. Let patient lie face-up. Measure from naval right side, 6 cm horizontal, then 3 cm down. Acupuncture on this spot, no need to leave the needle. Usually it works right away. If not, lift the needle half way up (not out of the skin), then insert for surrounding directions. Let patient turn over, press the previous pain point. There will be no pain.

Mingmen: located on back middle line of the body, under the second lumber vertebra. Normally it is in the same horizontal level naval in front of body. But in practice, you should make sure it is, since for overweight people, the level of naval may be different (lower than normal).

This way works pretty good for one has clearly small area pain on the back. But the practitioner should find the mirror point exactly.

5. Cure therapy for various illness.

This acupuncture technique is for enlarged lymphatic nodes, acne, enlarged mass in breast, ulcer within hairs, skin furuncle, etc.

Take nipple as measure point. Use a band or a string, hold one end of the band to right nipple, move the band up to the right shoulder, around the neck to the left shoulder, down to the left nipple, fix the end on nipple level. Again, hold one end of the band to the right nipple, move it up to right shoulder, over it and down to the right back in vertical. The end of the band is the acupuncture point.

For women with very big breast, you can measure 4 inch to right side, from the middle line in front chest, just under the fifth rib. Take this point as the starting measuring spot. The acupuncture point on the back is close to Ganshu point.

Acupuncture this point with 15 degree angle to skin (hold up the skin little bit with your fingers), towards spine direction. Leave the needle for 20 to 30 min, repeat once every three days.

6. Stop pain by acupuncture on mirror point.

This acupuncture technique means to find a mirror point of the pain point to perform acupuncture. It has been introduced in title 3 above. For example, if the pain is on the Neiguan point (out side of front arm), you can acupuncture on Weaiguan point (inner side of front arm).  If the pain is on the Yinlingquan (under knee, inner side of knee), you can acupuncture on Yanglingquan (under the knee, out side of the knee), vise versa. It works for most part of body. In some place, such as on the top of the head (Baihui point), it is hard to find a mirror point, or on elbow, it is also hard to find a mirror point since there is more bone structure than muscle there.

This technique is useful for localized, small area pain, say, a pain of smaller than 1 cm in diameter. No need to leave the needle at all.

(Dr. Martin: for the pain on the top of head, the Baihui point, we may try the Huiyin point – under the perineum).

7. Fast reducing of blood pressure.

This method is suitable mostly for primary hypertension. For secondary hypertension, it works but still depending on the release of the primary disease that causes the higher blood pressure.

One of the best way to reduce the blood pressure is the use of inner-skin needle technique. Choose Geshu point on the back. Insert the inner-skin needle towards the spine direction, keep the needle just under the skin, not deeper. If deeper, patient will feel pain and you have to move the needle out little bit and re-do it again. Fix the needle with medical tape (one small tape between the skin under the handle of the needle and the handle of the needle, and a big one to cover whole needing area) and press the needle to make sure that the patient does not feel pain. Leave the needle there for 3 days in summer or 5 days in winter.

Another quickest way is to use eye-acupuncture therapy. Use the Liver area on the eyes.

Effectiveness of acupuncture on the treatment of primary hypertension: it is fast to reduce the blood pressure to normal, but it is still hard to cure.

8. Acupuncture points for poor sleep.

Commonly used acupuncture points are: Dazhui, Taodao, Shentang. Continue to acupuncture on these points. It works for most people. If not, you can add acupuncture point Shimian. Or add inner-skin needle in this point too.

9. Triple points for illness involving central nerve system.

There are three acupuncture points that are used for the treatment of central nerve system, stiff and pain in the neck, post stroke syndrome, loss of voice, .

Brain point 1: from acupuncture point Yamen, down in the hair edge. (on the 2^nd cervical vertebra level)

Brain point 2: one cross finger from the Brain point 1. (on the third cervical vertebra level)

Brain point 3: one cross finger from the Brain point 2.  (on the fourth cervical vertebra level)

10. Stop toothache by acupuncture on yifeng.

There are many acupuncture points that are used for the stop of tooth pain, such as Xiaguan, Jiache, or Hegu, Zusanli, Neiting, etc. Here we introduce the use of acupuncture point Yifeng. Yifeng is good for teeth pain due to the teeth root membrane infection or trauma. This pain is continuous, can be worse when beat, or tap the teeth. The reason for such pain is when the tooth root membrane is rubbed or scratched again and again by music instruments, or by biting nails, etc..

When acupuncture this point, note to insert the needle for 1 inch deeper (acupuncture inch, nor commonly used inch!) towards the lower front (to the lower jaw direction), with little bit twist only. No need to leave the needle, the pain can be stop right away.

The Yifeng point is located under the ear drip, behind the lower jaw.

11. End-end acupuncture technique for the treatment of infection on tip of finger or toes.

Infection on the tips or toes is called Ding Du in Chinese medicine. It comes more in people with bare feet, or labor work without wearing gloves to protect hands. It starts as a small spot on the finger tip or toe, or sometimes on face. then becomes bigger swelling with fever. Many times, it occurs just on the start point of a meridian on the hands, feet or face.

Acupuncture works well for such infection. Verifying which meridian the Ding Du is located. Perform acupuncture on the end acupuncture point, or close to the point, of that meridian.

For example, if the infection spot is on the inner end of eyebrow, acupuncture the end point of Lidui on the foot.

(Dr. Martin: such End-end acupuncture technique is also good for release pain on the end of a meridian).

12. Experience with the use of sifeng.

Confirmation on the use of Sifenf in children.

Acupuncture on point Sifeng is really good for the treatment of child poor appetite, poor digestion, and under normal body weight. Such child is usually less active, low physical and mental reaction and poor memory, without shining light on face.

Sifeng points is the point between the first and second stem of each finger: the pointing finger, the middle finger, the no name finger, and the small finger too. So there are four points in each hand and eight in both hands. The point is stimulated with sharp needle first, then squeeze the skin around to press little bit white or white-yellow liquid out of the point. Repeat once every four days and it usually needs four to five times of treatment.

It works for children, but can also be used for adult with poor appetite and poor digestion, or adult with asthma.

Specific problem with the use of Sifeng is that it is painful. Parents have to encourage child to take it.

13. Usefulness of intra-skin needles.

We found that intra-skin needle acupuncture technique is useful in the following situations:

(1). Balance meridian.

(2). First degree frostbite. The skin is red, very itch and swelling. Insert the intra-skin needle in the center of the frostbite. Keep it for several days.

(3). Whenever acupuncture does not work for stopping pain, try the intra-skin needle technique. For example for lower back pain, let patient stand and move lower back. Try to find the most painful spot on the lower back, insert the intra-skin needle to stop pain.

(4). If the acupuncture works, but the effect does not last for long time. Then insert the intra-skin needle in the effective acupuncture point. Keep it for several days.

(5). Difficult insomnia (very poor sleep): insert intra-skin needle in the Anmian point.

(6). Child night urine. Insert intra-skin needle into Sanyinjiao (both side), but one needle towards up and another towards down.

(7). Insufficient breast milk production for women after birth giving. Insert intra-skin needle in Tanzhong point. Press the needle every day.

(8). Enhance effectiveness of eye acupuncture technique.

(9).Lose weight program: Insert intra-skin needle into Tinggong point in front of each ear. Press it with finger several times a day, or before eating or when feel hungry.

(10). Pain in the knee. Find the most painful point over the knee about 2 inches area. Insert intra-skin needle in it.

14. Hooking technique.

This technique is used for the treatment of face paralysis (use Jiache point), gastroptosis (use Youmen point), metroptosis (use Weibao point), kidney prolapse (also use Weibao point), etc.

On proper acupuncture point, insert a long needle with low degree to skin (15 degree, for instance). Let the needle tip towards the skin again (by pressing the middle part of the needle that is under the skin now) and draw the needle out and insert in again. Repeat such draw and insert for 10 times and leave the needle for 20 min.

It is better to have acupuncture treatment for face paralysis as early as possible within two weeks. Chronic paralysis is hard to treat. There is a way to test the possible result for acupuncture treatment: acupuncture the Xiaguan point. If the needle can penetrate the point in normal depth, it means the chance for cure is high. Otherwise, if the needle cannot insert to normal depth, it suggests a poor result. Scar tissue or some other structural change in the Xiaguan point prevents the penetration of needle.

15. Usefulness of Liver-kidney four appoints for the treatment of hernia.

Four acupuncture points are used for the treatment of hernia in our clinic: Dadun, Taichong, Sanyinjiao, and Taixi. They are called Liver-kidney four points.

In Chinese medicine, there are various kinds of hernia. The liver-kidney four points are effective mostly for Cold and Qi types of hernia.

16. Treatment of constipation with acupuncture point of Fujie.

In elderly people, constipation is pretty common. It is more popular when one takes pain killer pills.

Use intra-skin needle on the Fujie point can well solve this problem. Fujie point is on front belly, four inch (same body inch, not regular inch!) side of naval, then 1.3 inch down.

17. Treatment of ganglion cyst with multiple needles technique.

Ganglion cyst is commonly found in wrist though it can happen in other part of body. Multiple needle technique is useful for its treatment.

Insert one needle on the center of the cyst, then each other needle on the four directions too. If the cyst is very big, additional needle can be used under the bottom of the cyst too. This technique is also called Yangci in Chinese. If there is liquid following out, dry it with cotton. Repeat the acupuncture once every other day. It needs only several times of treatment.

18. Treatment of chronic throat pain with Lama point.

Chronic throat pain with lose of voice. You can try either Chinese herbal therapy or acupuncture.

For acupuncture: first with bleeding therapy on shaoshang point (on the finger tip), then on Jingjin and Yuye in mouth. The other day, acupuncture the Lama point only.

Lama point: on the back of shoulder, at the end of should crack (chink). When acupuncture on this point, twist the needle slowly and not let patient feel pain. The acupuncture feeling will pass first down to fingers, then to the throat. Twist the needle for 5 min at least. Leave the needle for 10 min. Patient should not speak loudly, not eat stimulating food, and should not have cigarette smoking.