Acupuncture for Psychiatric Disorders - Treatment Protocols

Below you will find some of the more common tcm diagnoses and acupuncture treatment protocols for stronger psychiatric disorders. There are many ways to treat this condition with Eastern Medicine and our presentation is only one of many possible options.

  • Differentiation:
    • Kuang - Yang Conditions:
    • Phlegm Fire
    • Empty Fire - arises from long-term yin depletion
    • Dian - Yin Conditions:
    • SP Qi & HT Blood Deficiency - may arise from excessive worry and/or overthinking which, over time, injures the functions of the HT and SP
    • Phlegm Accumulation - related to long-term excessive or repressed emotions, in particular anger, which weaken the ST/SP and lead to an accumulation of phlegm

  • Phlegm Fire - Kuang/Yang
    • Signs & Symptoms:
      • Acute condition with outbursts of anger a/or aggressive activities, irrational actions, abusive language, flushed face, red eyes, insomnia.
      • Tongue:  Red or Red/Purple w/greasy yellow coat
      • Pulse:  Full, slippery, wiry
    • Treatment Points:
      • Valaskatagis Treatment Points:
      • LV 2 - clear LV heat
      • LU 11 - clear heat, mania
      • GV 26 - clear the mind
      • PC 8 - clear heat effecting the HT
      • PC 9 - clear heat effecting the HT
      • ST 40 - resolve phlegm
  • Empty Fire - Kuang/Yang
    • Signs & Symptoms:
      • Strong restlessness but more subdued than with the fire conditions, little self-control, patient may be thin a/or emaciated, yin deficient signs such as mallor flush, heat in the 5 palms, night sweats, insomnia.
      • Tongue:  Red w/no coat
      • Pulse:  Thin, rapid
    • Treatment Points:
      • Valaskatagis Treatment Points:
      • LV 3 - harmonize LV
      • HT 6 - clear heat effecting the HT, nourish Yin
      • PC 8 - clear heat effecting the HT
      • SP 6 - tonify Yin
      • UB 15 - HT Shu
  • SP Qi & HT Blood Deficiency - Dian/Yin
    • Signs & Symptoms:
      • Poor concentration, muddled thinking, forgetfullness, dream-disturbed sleep, insomnia, anxiety, palpitations, fearfulness, sadness, fatigue, poor appetite.
      • Tongue:  Pale
      • Pulse:  Thin
    • Treatment Points:
  • Phlegm Accumulation - Dian/Yin
    • Signs & Symptoms:
      • Dull and muddled spirit, apathy, melancholoy, inability to concentrate, nausea, chest oppression, fatigue.
      • Tongue:  Greasy coat
      • Pulse:  Slippery, wiry
    • Treatment Points:
      • Valaskatagis Treatment Points:
      • ST 40 - resolve phlegm
      • PC 5 - Expel phlegm from the HT
      • PC 6 - open chest, calm the spirit
      • CV 14 - HT Mu
      • SP 6 - tonify ST/SP
      • LV 3 - harmonize LV
      • GV 20 - clear the mind
      • GV 26 - clear the mind

The information on our site is drawn from our own lecture notes and clinical experience. The following lecture notes were consulted within this section:

  • St. John, Meredith: New England School of Acupuncture, Etiology and Pathology Lecture Notes
  • Valaskatgis, Peter: New England School of Acupuncture, Etiology and Pathology Lecture Notes
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