How to choose acupuncture points

Data source: http://www.zygby.com/

Followings are the clinic experience of Dr. Xiao Youshan (China), introduced in the website (www……). Readers can check the initial articles for more information.

Additional ways to choose acupuncture points:

(1). Parallel pain spot.

If the pain is localized to a narrowed spot on the body, not pass to other part of the body, or not involve other muscles close by, you can choose a mirror spot on the opposite of the body. Say, if the small area pain is in the right ankle, you can do the acupuncture on left ankle. Similarly, if patient feels pain in one thumb, you can use acupuncture on the thumb of another hand.

Stimulating the needle with bird-biting technique. Remember to find the center of the pain area and choose the mirror spot of the pain spot. This technique works on any part of the body. Try to find the localized pain spot. If you know how to use the inner-skin needle under the pain spot, it is better.

Usually, if the most pain is solved, the previously less pain spot could become relatively attracting. It is not the transfer of the first pain spot into the second one. You simply do the same thing on the second pain spot.

(Dr. Martin Wang: if the pain is on the middle of spine, e.g. on the Dou meridian, you choose the corresponding spot on the front of the body, e.g. on the Ren meridian. Visa versa).

(2). Pain or weak point stimulation

Some times, patient feels pain when he/she moves the body. If they do not move, there is no pain. In this case, let him to move the affected arm or hand or leg to induce the pain. Then acupuncture the painful spot. For example, if one feels pain in the shoulder only when lifting, let him to lifting to cause the pain. Acupuncture the pain spot on the shoulder with bird-biting technique. If one feels pain in the knee when he stretch the knee, but feel nothing when he bends the knee, let him to stretch the knee to induce the pain out. Acupuncture the pain point (usually it is in the knee eyes) with the bird-biting technique.

If the muscle is weak so as not be able to hold stuff, let the patient hold something and you acupuncture the center of the weak muscle (it is usually a novel on the skin). For example, if one feels weak on the wrist, let him hold a small stuff first, you acupuncture the weak muscle on the wrist. If one feels weak on the back of the knee so he cannot bend the knee when he bends to some height, let him do it again and find the weak spot to acupuncture it (usually it is on the upper back of the calf, e.g. the acupuncture point of Weiyang).

If the restriction of body movement is due to pain, let patient move the part of the body to the most painful position, then acupuncture the most painful spot.

If the pain is involved to several groups of muscles, try to find the weak muscle (showing weakness) and acupuncture on it.

(3). Painful spot and functionally opposite muscle stimulations.

This means that when acupuncture the painful spot, also acupuncture on the muscles that are functionally opposite to the painful muscle. For example, if the pain is in the back of the front arm, so that the patient cannot twist the arm clockwise, then you acupuncture the pain spot on the muscle on the back of the arm, but also acupuncture the muscle spot on the another side of the arm, the function of the which is to make the arm twist counter clockwise.