ACU TX PRINCIPLES CH. 1

The general principles of treatment are based on proper diagnosis and differentiation of syndromes.

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. Regulating Yin & Yang to restore balance

2. Strengthen body resistance & eliminate pathogenic factors

3. Distinguishing primary from secondary

4. Treating disease based on climatic & seasonal conditions (geographical knowledge)

explain the imbalance of Yin & Yang as a major cause of disease: explain

1. Excessive Yang makes Yin suffer

2. Excessive Yin makes Yang suffer

1. Excessive Heat/Yang damages Yin & Essence

2. Excessive Cold/Yin damages Yang & Qi

How to needle for Yang Syndrome (exterior, fu organs, excess, heat)

FAST NEEDLING OR BLEEDING should remove the excess

How to needle for Yin syndrome (interior, Zang organs, Deficiency, Cold)

TONIFYING METHOD & MOXA

Deficient Yin and Yang: "treating Yin for Yang problems and treating Yang for Yin problems"
Examples:
a. For hyperactivity of LR Yang due to LR and KI Yin deficiency should be treated by
b. For cold /Yin syndromes due to Yang deficiency (SP or KI) should be treated by

c. Both Yin & Yang Deficiency

a. strengthening Yin to control Yang.

b. reinforcing Yang to control Yin.

c. tonify both Yin & Yang

(others: regulating Qi & Blood, dispel cold by warming method)

STRENGTHENING BODY RESISTANCE & ELIMINATING PATHOGENIC F.

a. strengthen the body resistance for reinforcing the anti-pathogenic Qi

b. Strengthen the body resistance for dispelling the pathogenic factors

a. The process by which the body tries to achieve balance between the anti-pathogenic Qi (vital qi) and pathogenic factors so that the anti-pathogenic Qi can defeat pathogenic f.

b. pathogenic factors will be eliminated when the body resistance is strengthened & body resistance will be reinforced when the pathogenic factors are removed.

ACU for strengthening body resistance & eliminating the pathogenic factors:

ex: excessive heat syndrome: superficial puncture to cause bleeding, done often to eliminate excess heat

explain points

1. prick to bleed 12 jing well points

2. DU14, LI 11 for excess heat, high fever delirium

ACU for strengthening body resistance & eliminating the pathogenic factors:

ex: Deficient Cold Syndrome: do reinforcing method: prolonged retaining of needles

explain points

1. CV4

2. CV6

3. Moxa CV8

4. ST36

5. DU4

ACU for strengthening body resistance & eliminating the pathogenic factors:

ex: Exccessive Syndrome: do reducing method

explain points

CV3

DU26

1. weak body resistance + pathogenic f. not strong enough=

2. excessive pathogenic f. + body resistance normal/not damaged=

3. weak body resistance + excessive pathogenic f. =

4. critical condition + body resistance tooo weak to eliminate excess pathogenic f=

5. very poor condition + excccessive pathogenic factors + body resistance weak=

1. treatment must strengthen the body resistance first

2. treatment should eliminate the pathogenic f. first (Initial stage of wind-cold)

3. work on both of them simultaneously: find primary vs secondary, build up body then get rid of pathogenic f.

4. body resistance strengthened first (late stage cancer)

5. eliminate pathogenic factors first then strengthen body resistance

Primary & Secondary represents the two oopposite aspects of one entity during the course of a disease

(primary, secondary, main causes, sx, acute, chronic assessed according to diff situations)

the primary or Main causes should be found first

If sx are acute, they should be treated first

If sx & main causes are both serious, they should be treated at the same time

1. Anti-pathogenic Qi

2. Etiology

3. Internal Portion (location of skin lesion)

4. Original (clinical course of disease)

5. Main causes (main cause & sx)

Primary aspect

1. Pathogenic factors

2. Manifestation

3. External portion (location of skin lesion)

4. Complication (clinical course of disease)

5. Symptoms (main causes & sx)

Secondary aspect

Treating different diseases with the same method

-although symptoms are different, their etiology & pathogenesis are the same & can be treated via same method

ex:

1. for sore throat :due to Yin Def

2. for low back pain :due to Yin Def of KD

Treating the same diseases with different methods

-although symptoms are similiar, the etiology & pathogenesis are different therefore, different methods should be used to treat the main cause

ex:

1. headache: due to LR Yang Rising: TX: nourish Yin to anchor Yang

2. headache: due to Qi & Blood Def: TX: Tonify Qi & Blood

3. headache: due to Wind-Cold invading Tai Yang meridians: TX: by dispersing W-Cold

Treating the Symptoms first when they are acute and treating the main cause when these symptoms are released

-sometimes symptoms are critical, can die if not treated for their symptoms immediately therefore, both primary and secondary aspects treated at same time if both are serious

ex: chronic cough, asthma and catches common cold

If Illness is going to invade another meridians, needle Foot-Yangming meridians to stop development

Prevention is important for treating primary aspect. It includes prevention before the attack of a disease & impediment from further deterioration after occurrence of disease. (ex: ST36 is an important reinforcing point) Moxa also prevents disease.

Clinical and seasonal conditions

-spring

-summer

-fall

-winter

spring: pathogenic f. attacks superficial layer

summer: pathogenic f. attacks the skin

fall: pathogenic f. attacks muscles

winter: pathogenic f. attacks tendons & bones

Geographical location

climate & lifestyle vary in diff. regions as well as physiological activities & pathological changes therefore, TX SHOULD BE DIFFERENT

Individual conditions

The treatment varies based on age, sex and constitution:
Male and female are different in physiology and pathology, the points are carefully selected.
People with different age, the selection of points can be different.
Constitutionally, somebody may be stronger or weaker, more heat or cold...
The sensitivity to acupuncture treatment varies individually.