Inger Johnson

Medical Chinese

Fall 2004

Journal of Clinical Acupuncture and Moxibustion, 1994, Vol. 10, Issue 5, page 38.

Now we will show you first when we were in the clinic needling inappropriately, causing the rise of three cases of unexpected circumstances and analyze the report below for beginners to learn from:

Case 1:

Mr X., Male, 52 years old, government worker, first visit March 28, 1988.

Patient’s physical body tended toward thin, causing left side facial paralysis, therefore, he came for acupuncture treatment and the diagnosis was peripheral facial paralysis (Wind-heat-Type).  The points used were left-side: Feng Chi (GB 20), Di Cang (ST 4), Qu Chi (L.I. 11), Nei Ting (ST 44), draining method, retained the needles for 20 minutes.

The Qu Chi (L.I. 11) point was needled 1.2 cun.  After the patient was needled, the left elbow joint had distending pain, accompanied with anterior arm soreness, distention, and lack of strength, with no functioning blockage or finger numbness.  Immediately I (the Doctor) did acupressure up and down the arm and the uncomfortable feeling was slightly alleviated.

Every time thereafter when the patient came to the clinic, the acupuncture points were not used for the rest of the treatments.  At the same time, the surrounding area was treated with Tui Na.  After one-half month later, the soreness and pain in the elbow joint was gradually eliminated.

Analysis:

In this case the patient was 52 years old, his physical body tended towards thin, when the acupuncture treatment was done, it was during springtime.  The seventieth difficulty of the Nan Jing states: “In the Spring and Summer the yang qi is in the upper regions and a person’s qi is also in the upper regions, therefore one should seek it superficially.”  This pattern of Wind-Heat-Type facial paralysis belongs to a yang pattern and it is a new disease.  Secondly, the Qu Chi (L.I. 11) point is a yang channel point, the Ling Shu, Yin Yang Qing Zhuo states: “when you needle the yang, it should be needled superficially and quickly.”  In view of the above statements, superficial needling is enough to remedy.  If you needle too deep, it will cause the following to happen: “when the disease is superficial and you needle deep, it will injure interiorly the good flesh.”

Therefore, in clinical work, it is important to understand Chinese medicine theories thoroughly and use them flexibly and to not be rigid with the old rules or our predecessors without also being flexible.