Atlas of Acupuncture

8 Point Categories and Point Selection

Needling technique:In acute conditions or with severe pain the

distal points should be needled with a reducing technique in

order to activate the Qi flow more strongly in the blocked

channels.

Stimulation of distal points:For a limited range of motion

accompanied by pain the relevant distal point is strongly stimu-

lated with a reducing technique while the patient moves the

affected joint.

Enhancing the therapeutic effect:The therapeutic effect can

be enhanced by combining distal points on the hand channels

with those on the foot channels or by combining distal points

with relevant local and adjacent points (➞8.3.1).

8.2.2 Point Selection According to

Affected Channel

Here the method of selecting points is based on the channel

system (➞1):

● Selecting points on the channel which traverses the affected

area

● Selecting points on the channel that is Interiorly–Exteriorly

pertaining(➞1.2) to the affected channel

● Selecting points from the channel which is connected to the

affected channel by hand–foot pairing(for example, taiyang

axis, etc. ➞1.2.3)

Differential selection of distal points

The following possibilities for selecting distal points are, among

others, based on course material about the ‘one point therapy’ by

R. Thambirajah (1990, 1991), R. Tan (2003) and my own clini-

cal experience.

Selection of distal points according to

corresponding areas

The distal points can be selected according to corresponding

areas. The affected area is carefully examined, then the corre-

sponding area is needled contralaterally (➞Fig.).

Selection of distal points according to

Interiorly–Exteriorly connected channels

Here points are selected on the Interiorly–Exteriorly connected

channel (Yin/Yang). The affected area is carefully located, then

the corresponding point (mirror point) is needled with reducing

technique on the contralateral side on the Interiorly–Exteriorly

pertaining channel. Another specific example for this method of

point selection is the yuan–luocombination (➞8.3.3).

Example:For a disorder affecting the ST channel (foot yang-

ming) select a point on the Interiorly–Exteriorly pertaining SP

channel (foot taiyin). For example, for knee pain at ST-35, nee-

dle SP-9contralaterally (➞Fig.).

A

Fingers

B

Wrist

C

Forearm E

Upper arm

D

Elbow

F

Shoulder

G

Lumbar region/back

F Hip

G Thorax/abdomen

E Thigh

D Knee

C Lower leg

B Ankle

A Toes

SP-9

a

ST-35

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