Abdominal acupuncture therapy is a method of treating systemic diseases by needling acupoints on the abdomen. The abdomen is closely connected to the meridians and organs of the whole body. The hand three yin meridians are distributed in the large intestine, small intestine, and Sanjiao (Triple Burner), while the hand three yang meridians are distributed in the stomach, gallbladder, and bladder. The foot three yin meridians are distributed in the liver, spleen, and kidneys, all of which are located in the abdomen. In addition, the foot yangming meridian enters the abdomen, the foot yangming tendons spread across the upper abdomen, the foot taiyin meridian enters the abdomen, the foot jueyin meridian reaches the lower abdomen, the conception vessel runs through the abdomen, and the conception vessel meridians disperse at the tail of the dove, spreading in the abdomen. Therefore, various pathological changes of the organs have specific reflections in the abdomen. Needling acupoints on the abdomen can regulate the Qi and blood of the organs, thus treating a variety of diseases.
[Operating Method]
1. Acupoint Localization
There are mainly 5 acupoints:
1. Shoulder: Located 6cm below the lower end of the sternum, 1cm away from the midline on both sides.
2. Chest: Located 7-8cm below the lower end of the sternum.
3. Neck and back of the head: Located 2-3cm below the lower part of the sternum.
4. Waist: Located 6cm below the navel.
5. Lower limbs: Located 7-8cm below the navel.
2. Principles of Acupoint Selection
The selection of acupoints on the abdomen is generally based on the location of the pathological changes.
3. Procedure
Use a 32-gauge, 5cm (1.5-inch) long filiform needle, insert it about 1 inch, obtain Qi, and retain the needle for 20 minutes. Repeat the needling every 5 minutes with a 5-minute interval.
[Indications]
It is used to treat conditions such as stiff neck, intercostal neuralgia, shoulder sprain, acute lumbar sprain, and sciatica. Abdominal acupoints corresponding to the affected areas can be selected. It can also be combined with body acupuncture therapy.
[Precautions]
Since there are many visceral organs in the abdominal cavity, precautions should be taken to avoid major blood vessels and organs during needling. Special attention should be paid to patients with enlarged liver or spleen, gastric ptosis, and bladder distention.
