Acupuncture for Abdominal Pain - Treatment Protocols
Below you will find some of the more common tcm diagnoses and acupuncture treatment protocols for abdominal pain. There are many ways to treat this condition with Eastern Medicine and our presentation is only one of many possible options.
- Etiology & Pathology:
- Xinnong (CAM) Differentiations:
- Direct Stike of Cold to the Intestines
- Retention of Food
- Chronic lower abdominal pain due to SP Yang Deficiency
- Maciocia Differentiations:
- Differentiation:
- Direct Strike of Cold to the Intestines (Maciocia Cold)
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Treatment Points:
- Xinnong (CAM) Point Selection:
- CV 12 - ST Mu
- CV 8 - w/salt moxa, warms lower jiao
- ST 36 - tonify ST/SP
- SP 4 - clear ST excess
- Maciocia Point Selection:
- ST 25 - warm lower jiao
- SP 15 - warm lower jiao, esp. w/constipation
- ST 27 - warm lower jiao
- CV 10 - direct ST Qi downwards
- SP 6 - tonify ST/SP
- ST 36 - tonify ST/SP
- Valaskatgis Point Selection:
- ST 25 - warm lower jiao
- ST 37 - reinforce ST 25
- ST 27 - warm lower jiao
- CV 6 - tonify Qi
- SP 4 - clear ST excess
- SP 6 - tonify ST/SP
- Retention of Food
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Treatment Points:
- Xinnong (CAM) Point Selection:
- CV 12 - ST Mu
- ST 25 - LI Mu
- CV 6 - moves food/Qi in the lower abdomen
- ST 44 - moves the stools (may not be necessary)
- Maciocia Point Selection:
- CV 10 - move food/Qi downwards
- CV 6 - move Qi in the lower abdomen
- SP 15 - constipation
- SP 16 - ST 25 possibly better
- ST 27 - pain in the lower abdomen
- TH 8 - regulate the TH and promote bowel movements (not commonly used, TH 6 for heat w/excess is more commonly used)
- ST 36 - tonify ST/SP
- UB 25 - LI Shu
- UB 27 - SI Shu
- SP Yang Deficiency
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Treatment Points:
- Retention of Food
- Signs & Symptoms:
- May effect either the ST or the intestines.
- Can be acute or chronic, depending on dietary habits.
- Usually from overconsumption of food, overeating when tired a/or contaminated food.
- Persistient pain that is constant or colic-like, worse with pressure and eating, fullness and discomfort in the epigastric area, nausea, foul belching, vomiting of undigested food.
- LI symptoms - constipation a/or flatulence.
- No desire to eat.
- Tongue: Thick, greasy coat
- Pulse: Full, slippery (which can indicate, phlegm, damp a/or pregnancy as well as stagnation of food)
- Treatment Principle:
- Resolve food stagnation.
- Promote digestion.
- Treatment Points:
- Valaskatgis Point Selection:
- CV 10 - direct Qi downwards
- LV 13 - SP Mu, moves stuck food in the epigastric area
- ST 36 - regulates ST Qi, tonifies Qi, can disperse excess above, descends the ST Qi
- ST 44 - cools heat in the ST and conducts Qi downwards
- LI 10 - arm equivalent of ST 36
- Maciocia Point Selection:
- CV 13 - useful w/vomiting a/or nausea
- CV 10 - directs Qi downwards
- ST 21 - excesses in the epigastric area, reinforces Cv 12
- ST 20
- ST 44
- ST 45 - ST fire, possibly effecting the mind (may not be necessary)
- ST 25 - LI Mu, epigastric pain, constipation
- SP 4 & PC 6 - Yin Wei Chong Mai, move excesses in the epigastric area
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Damp Heat (common clinically)
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Treatment Principle:
- Clear Heat in the Intestines.
- Resolve dampness.
- Treatment Points:
- Stagnant Qi
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Treatment Principle:
- Regulate the Intestines.
- Tonify SP.
- Move Qi in lower abdomen
- Treatment Points:
- Stagnant Blood
- Signs & Symptoms:
- Treatment Principle:
- Move Qi/Blood in Lower Abdomen.
- Treatment Points:
- Direct Strike of Cold to the Intestines (Maciocia Cold)
- Xinnong (CAM) Differentiations:
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