Acupuncture treatment is the use of unique methods such as needle insertion and moxibustion to achieve the purpose of preventing and treating diseases, with the functions of harmonizing yin and yang, supporting the upright and expelling the evil, and dredging the meridians.
Harmonizing Yin and Yang
The occurrence of diseases is fundamentally due to the relative balance of yin and yang being disrupted, resulting in excessive dominance or deficiency. To treat these pathological changes in organ and meridian dysfunctions, acupuncture methods can be used to regulate yin and yang, supplement deficiencies, restore relative balance of yin and yang, promote harmony between yin and yang, maintain abundant essence and qi, coordination of form and qi, and retention of spirit and qi.
The role of acupuncture in harmonizing yin and yang is mainly achieved through the combination of meridian acupoints and needle techniques. For example, toothache caused by excessive stomach fire, which is yang excess, should be treated by clearing the stomach and draining fire, using the acupoint Neiting of the Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming for needle insertion with purging technique.
Stomach pain caused by stomach injury from cold pathogen, which is yang excess, should be treated by warming the middle and dispersing cold, using the acupoints Zusanli and Zhongwan of the Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming for needle insertion with purging technique, as well as moxibustion.
Dizziness caused by deficient kidney yin and excessive liver yang, which is a manifestation of yin deficiency and yang excess, should be treated according to the principle of "treating yin diseases with yang methods and treating yang diseases with yin methods". It is appropriate to nourish yin and suppress yang, using the acupoint Taixi of the Kidney Meridian of Foot Shaoyin for needle insertion with tonifying technique, and the acupoint Xingjian of the Liver Meridian of Foot Jueyin for needle insertion with purging technique.
Chronic diarrhea caused by deficient spleen yang, which is yang deficiency and yin excess, should be treated by warming yang and dispersing cold, using acupoints such as Yinlingquan on the Spleen Meridian of Foot Taiyin for needle insertion with tonifying technique, and moxibustion.
Since yin and yang can transform into each other and influence each other, when harmonizing yin and yang, the method of "inducing yang from yin and inducing yin from yang" is often used. The most common approach in clinical practice is to use the acupoints Geshu and Beiyu to regulate the yang qi and yin qi of the organs.
Supporting the Upright and Expelling the Evil
The development of diseases is a process of the struggle between the body's upright qi and pathogenic evil. The balance between the two determines the progression and outcome of the disease. When using acupuncture and moxibustion to treat diseases, the goal is to support the upright qi and expel the evil.
The role of acupuncture in supporting the upright and expelling the evil is mainly achieved through needle techniques and the combination of acupoints. For example:
In terms of acupuncture, tonifying technique and moxibustion have the function of supporting the upright; on the contrary, purging technique and bloodletting have the function of expelling the evil.
In terms of acupoint combination, acupoints such as Gaohuangyu, Qihai, Guanyuan, and Mingmen are often selected for supporting the upright; while acupoints such as the Twelve Jing-well points, Shixuan, and Renzhong are often selected for expelling the evil.
For example, if the patient has pale complexion, profuse sweating, cold limbs, and weak pulse, indicating a state of collapse, the treatment should focus on restoring yang and stopping collapse. The acupoints Guanyuan and Shenque should be quickly punctured with large moxibustion cones, and Zusanli should be needled with tonifying technique. If the patient has high fever, delirium, restlessness, thirst, and a rapid and full pulse, indicating an external warm pathogen, the treatment should focus on purging heat and opening the orifices. The Twelve Jing-well points should be pricked with triangular needles to draw blood, and Dazhui and Quchi should be needled with purging technique.
Supporting the upright and expelling the evil may employ different methods, but they are mutually used and complement each other. They can be used to expel the evil first and then support the upright, support the upright first and then expel the evil, or use both methods simultaneously. The principle is "support the upright without leaving the evil, expel the evil without damaging the upright". Only in this way can the desired therapeutic effect be achieved.
Dredging the Meridians
The meridian system is distributed throughout the body, connecting vertically and horizontally, intersecting and entering, communicating the surface and interior, and connecting the upper and lower, forming the pathways for the circulation of qi and blood in the human body and maintaining normal physiological functions. If the meridians become obstructed due to various reasons, the organs and limbs will lose nourishment and warmth, resulting in the occurrence of diseases, such as stagnation, stasis, deficiency, excess, cold, heat, disharmony of qi and blood, and imbalance of yin and yang. Acupuncture treatment can utilize its function of "dredging the meridians and regulating qi and blood" to select certain acupoints within the routes and scope of meridian circulation, and perform needle insertion or moxibustion to promote the smoothness of meridians, proper circulation of qi and blood, and balance of yin and yang based on the physiological and pathological connections between meridians and organs.
The role of acupuncture in dredging the meridians is also achieved through the combination of meridian acupoints and needle techniques. Taking the Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming as an example:
For swollen and painful gums caused by excessive qi in the Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming, the acupoint Neiting on the meridian should be selected to clear heat, regulate the meridian, and relieve pain. For stomach pain caused by deficient qi in the Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming, the acupoint Zusanli on the meridian should be selected to warm and regulate the meridian and tonify deficiency to relieve pain. For disorders of rebellious qi in the Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming, including vomiting caused by turbid qi reversal, bloating and diarrhea caused by failure of clear qi to ascend, the acupoint Zusanli on the meridian can be selected to ascend clear and descend turbid, harmonize stomach qi. For thigh and buttock pain and numbness caused by qi obstruction in the Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming, the acupoints Biguan and Futu on the meridian can be selected to dredge meridian qi, promote smooth flow of qi and blood.
