Acupuncture for Diabetes - Treatment Protocols

Below you will find some of the more common tcm diagnoses and acupuncture treatment protocols for diabetes. There are many ways to approach the treatment of this condition within TCM. Our presentation describes foundational approaches that would need to be further tailored in most cases to be effective for a given individual.

Etiology & Pathology:
- Differentiation:
  - Classical Differentiation of Wasting & Thirsting disorder (Xiao Ke):
  - Classically, Yin Deficiency with Empty Heat is the root cause of wasting & thirsting disorder. The origination a/or effect of the Yin Deficiency may be from/in one of the 3 warmers as described below.
  - Upper Wasting - LU Heat
  - Middle Wasting - ST Dryness
  - Lower Wasting - KD Yin & Jing
  - Modern Differentiations of Conditions involved with Type-II Diabetes:
  - These differentiations tend to be more lifestyle related involving poor diets a/or lack of exercise among other factors.
  - SP Qi Deficiency alone, w/dampness or w/damp-heat
  - LV Qi Stagnation alone or w/fire
- Upper Wasting - LU Heat
  - Signs & Symptoms:
    
    Dry throat and mouth, thirst, frequent urination.
    
    Tongue: Red w/dry yellow coat
    
    Pulse: Rapid
  - Treatment Points:
    
    St. John Treatment Points (with modifications):
    
    SP 6 - tonify Yin
    
    ST 36 - tonify Qi
    
    LU 5 - clear LU heat
    
    UB 13 - LU Shu
- Middle Wasting - ST Dryness
  - Signs & Symptoms:
    
    Excessive appetite, epigastric pain, constipation.
    
    Tongue: Yellow dry coat
    
    Pulse: Rapid
  - Treatment Points:
    
    St. John Treatment Points:
    
    SP 6 - tonify ST/SP
    
    ST 36 - tonify Qi
    
    ST 44 - clear ST heat and dryness
    
    KD 3 - tonify KD
    
    UB 20 - SP Shu
    
    UB 21 - ST Shu
- Lower Wasting - KD Yin & Jing
  - Signs & Symptoms:
    
    Sore back a/or knees, weak lower body, dizziness, blurry vision, frequent copious urination, dry mouth.
    
    Tongue: Red w/no coat
    
    Pulse: Fine, rapid
  - Treatment Points:
    
    St. John Treatment Points (with modifications):
    
    KD 6 - tonify Yin
    
    KD 3 - tonify KD
    
    CV 4 - tonify Yin
    
    SP 6 - tonify ST/SP and Yin
    
    GV 20 - raise the yang
    
    UB 23 - KD Shu
- SP Qi Deficiency
  - Signs & Symptoms:
    
    Fatigue, weakness, poor appetite, loose stools. May also generate dampness over time, which may combine with heat.
    
    Tongue: Pale w/teethmarks (coating with dampness)
    
    Pulse: Empty (slippery with dampness)
  - Treatment Points:
    
    St. John Treatment Points (with modifications):
    
    SP 3 - tonify SP
    
    SP 6 - tonify SP & Yin
    
    ST 36 - tonify Qi
    
    CV 12 - ST Mu
    
    UB 21 - ST Shu
    
    UB 20 - SP Shu
    
    If dampness - SP 9
    
    If dampness effecting the head - ST 8
    
    If damp-heat - LI 11
- LV Qi Stagnation
  - Signs & Symptoms:
    
    Depression, easily angered, belching a/or gas, PMS, menstrual irregularities.
    
    Tongue: Normal or Pale/Purple (red w/yellow coat with LV Fire)
    
    Pulse: Wiry (w/rapid with LV Fire)
  - Treatment Points:
    
    St. John Treatment Points (with modifications):
    
    LV 3 w/LI 4 - four gates tx, harmonize LV
    
    LV 14 - LV Mu
    
    PC 6 - open the chest, calm the spirit
    
    UB 18 - LV Shu
    
    If LV Fire - LV 2

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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TCM Patterns (6)

Conditions / Symptoms (2)

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Acupuncture for Diabetes - Treatment Protocols