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Acupuncture for Hypochondriac Pain - Treatment Protocols

Acupuncture for Hypochondriac Pain - Treatment Protocols

Below you will find some of the more common tcm diagnoses and acupuncture treatment protocols for hypochondriac pain. 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:
- Etiology:
  - Emotional depression - for women hypochondriac pain is usually more associated with breast pain/distention.
  - Trauma - costal chondriasis.
  - LV bile storing/excretion.
  - Internal causes.
- Xinnong (CAM) & Maciocia Differentiations:
  - Constricted LV Qi - usually associated with anger.
  - Blood Deficiency - LV related, seen more with women, related to menstrual issues, low level PMS.
  - Congealed Blood
  - Hanging Mucus
  - LV/GB Damp-Heat (from Maciocia)
Differentiation:
- Constricted LV Qi
  - Signs & Symptoms:
    
    Irritability, migrating pain that varies in intensity, chest/epigastric fullness a/or distention, belching, vomiting, sighing.
    
    Tongue: Normal or slightly purple
    
    Pulse: Wiry
  - Treatment Principle:
    
    Smooth LV Qi
  - Treatment Points:
    
    Valaskatagis Point Selection:
    
    LV 2 - clear LV heat, move LV Qi
    
    GB 40 - move GB
    
    LV 14 - LV Mu
    
    PC 6 - chest stuffiness
    
    Xinnong (CAM) Point Selection:
    
    LV 14 - LV Mu
    
    TH 6
    
    GB 34 - w/TH 6 for moving Qi in the costal area
    
    LV 3 - resolve LV Qi stagnation
    
    GB 40 - resolve LV/GB Qi stagnation
- Blood Deficiency
  - Signs & Symptoms:
    
    Pain, dizziness, hot flashes, pale face, tired spirit.
    
    Tongue: Pale
    
    Pulse: Wiry, thin could be choppy
  - Treatment Points:
    
    Valaskatagis Point Selection:
    
    UB 17 - Hui Meeting of the Blood
    
    UB 18 - LV Shu, tonify LV/Blood
    
    LV 14 - LV Mu
    
    GB 43 - GB Water Point
    
    Xinnong (CAM) Point Selection:
    
    UB 18 - LV Shu
    
    UB 23 - KD Shu, water is the mother of wood
    
    ST 36 - tonify ST/SP
    
    SP 6 - tonify ST/SP
    
    LV 3 - harmonize LV
    
    LV 13 - SP Mu
- Congealed Blood
  - Signs & Symptoms:
    
    Sharp, stabbing pain, worse at night, dark stools, fever possible.
    
    Tongue: Purple a/or purple spots
    
    Pulse: Rough, choppy
  - Treatment Points:
    
    Valaskatagis Point Selection:
    
    LV 14 - LV Mu
    
    LV 3 - move Qi in the costal area
    
    LV 13 - SP Mu, congealed Blood in the costal/hypochondriac area
    
    Xinnong (CAM) Point Selection:
    
    UB 17 - Hui Meeting of the Blood
    
    UB 18 - LV Shu, tonify LV/Blood
    
    TH 6
    
    GB 34 - w/TH 6 for hypochondriac pain
- Hanging Mucus
  - Signs & Symptoms:
    
    Hypochondriac pain resulting from a respiratory issue.
    
    Not seen often, use LU Points and LV 13, TH 6, ST 40 a/or SP 9 to treat.
- LV/GB Damp Heat (Maciocia)
  - Signs & Symptoms:
    
    Inflammed LV a/or GB, jaundice possible (organ involvement), hypochondriac pain, fullness, heaviness, heat signs, costal area stagnation, sticky insipid taste, nausea, yellow sclera.
    
    Tongue: Greasy, yellow (on both or just one side - if one side GB related)
    
    Pulse: Slippery, fast, possibly wiry
  - Treatment Points:
    
    Maciocia Point Selection:
    
    GB 34 - clears LV/GB damp-heat
    
    GB 24 - GB Mu
    
    UB 19 - GB Shu
    
    LI 11 - clear heat
    
    SP 9 - resolve dampness
    
    CV 12 - ST Mu
    
    UB 20 - SP Shu, use in more chronic cases only

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

Relationships

TCM Patterns (5)

Conditions / Symptoms (1)

Hypochondriac Pain

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Acupuncture for Hypochondriac Pain - Treatment Protocols