Yin Yang House | Acupuncture for Trigeminal Neuralgia - Treatment Protocols General Approaches

Acupuncture For Trigeminal Neuralgia - Treatment Protocols

Acupuncture treatment protocols are generally directed towards the deeper root of a persons set of health issues, not at each individual issue. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, treatment is generally directed towards the individuals diagnostic pattern(s) and their primary issue is only a part of the information required to approach the correct patterns to treat (see "treating the cause vs. the symptoms" for an introduction to this process.).

In designing an acupuncture protocol for trigeminal neuralgia, one might find one or a combination of the following patterns: kidney yin deficiency, liver fire, lung wind invasion - wind cold, stomach food stagnation among many other possibilities and possible combinations.

Below you will find some of the more common tcm diagnoses and acupuncture treatment protocols for trigeminal neuralgia. 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.

The trigeminal nerve has 3 branches which come out around the taiyang area of the face. In trigeminal neuralgia the pain can be quite severe with an electrical or burning sensation

Etiology & Pathology:
1. Exterior - Wind-Cold Invasion
2. Interior - LV/ST Fire
3. Interior - Yin Deficiency w/empty fire rising
Differentiation:
- Wind-Cold Invasion
  - Signs & Symptoms:
    
    Acute onset, severe pain for a few seconds to a few minutes several times/day
    
    Exterior signs, runny nose, tearing
    
    Tongue: Thin white coat
    
    Pulse: Tight, floating
  - Treatment Points: (see below)
- LV/ST Fire
  - Signs & Symptoms:
    
    Severe pain w/irritability
    
    Internal heat signs, thirst, constipation
    
    Tongue: Yellow, dry coat
    
    Pulse: Wiry
  - Treatment Points: (see below)
- Yin Deficiency w/empty heat rising
  - Signs & Symptoms:
    
    Pain is more insidious, gradual, comes and goes, mallar flush, soreness in lumbar area
    
    Tongue: Red w/no coat
    
    Pulse: Thin, fast
  - Treatment Points: (see below)
- Treatment Points:
  - For pain in the supraorbital region:
    
    Local:
    
    Taiyang
    
    GB 14
    
    UB 2
    
    Distal:
    
    TH 5
    
    LI 4
  - For pain in the maxillary region:
    
    Local:
    
    ST 2
    
    SI 18
    
    LI 20
    
    Distal:
    
    LI 4
  - For pain in the mandibular region:
    
    Local:
    
    ST 6
    
    ST 7
    
    Extra point 1 cun lateral to CV 24
    
    Distal:
    
    LI 4
  - Wind-Cold
    
    Add GB 20
  - LV/ST Fire
    
    Add LV 3, possibly LV 2
    
    ST 44
  - Yin Deficiency
    
    Add KD 6
    
    SP 6

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

All Content 1999-2024
Chad J. Dupuis / Yin Yang House
Our Policies and Privacy Guidelines
Our Affiliated Clinics