The application of abdominal acupuncture in the recovery and post-stroke period
Throughout the ages, acupuncture has been used to treat stroke in a variety of ways, which best reflects the profoundness of Chinese medicine. In terms of body acupuncture system, from the traditional “treating impotence by taking only Yangming”, i.e. taking points mainly from Yangming meridian, to Shi Xuemin’s theory of “awakening the brain and opening the orifices”, i.e. focusing on nourishing the liver and kidney, awakening the brain and opening the orifices, followed by opening and activating the meridians, it has epoch-making significance. The use of head acupuncture system for the treatment of stroke originated in the 1970s, of course, the first teacher Jiao Shunfa, and the same period of Fang Yunpeng, Zhu Mingqing, Yu Zhishun, Tang Yansong, etc., as well as the 80s national standard program leader Chen Keyan, can be described as a group of stars, since the 80s, biology professor Zhang Yingqing’s biological holographic theory, spawned and promoted the development of the acupuncture industry micro-needle system. In the 1960s and 1970s, they invented water acupuncture and electroacupuncture for the treatment of paralysis, pain, and various diseases, including stroke, and for more than 40 years, water acupuncture and electroacupuncture have strongly promoted the development of acupuncture and moxibustion.
Ventral acupuncture is the work of Prof. Bo Zhiyun for more than 20 years. The first time I came across ventral acupuncture, I had a bright feeling before my eyes. The abdominal meridians (spleen, stomach, liver, gallbladder, kidneys, and the zang-zhang veins) are crisscrossed with acupuncture points, which have the advantage of unobstructing the six internal organs and warming the lower yuan; the abdominal acupuncture is painless or slightly painful, which facilitates patients to receive systematic and long-term treatment.
He believes that the micro-needle system of Shen Que is the earliest regulating system and the mother system of meridians in the human body, which has the function of transmitting qi and blood to the whole body and the role of macroscopic regulation of the organism, internally connecting the five internal organs and six internal organs, externally connecting the whole body meridians, stimulating the meridian points in the abdomen can regulate the qi and blood around the body. Abdominal acupuncture therapy has a multi-level regulatory effect, and the Chinese medicine “holistic concept” and “help the positive to eliminate evil” principle is very consistent.
How do I learn and apply abdominal acupuncture to treat stroke evidence?
First, the composition of the abdominal acupuncture (the diagram of the divine tortoise is omitted)
1 Middle cavity
4 inches above the Shenqui point on the Ren vein
It is a collecting point of the stomach and treats: gastritis, gastric ulcer, gastric prolapse, stomach pain, indigestion, vomiting, abdominal distension, diarrhea and constipation, dysentery, hypertension, neurasthenia, psychosis, vomiting blood from false labor, asthma, etc.
It is equivalent to the mouth and can treat various diseases of the mouth, nose, teeth and head and face
2 Hypochondrium
2 inches above the Shen Que point on the Ren Vessel
A meridian point of the Ren Vessel, it can treat indigestion, stomach pain, gastric prolapse, diarrhea, regurgitation and other diseases.
It is equivalent to the seventh cervical vertebra and can treat diseases in the corresponding area
3 Water points
1 inch above the Shen Que point on the Ren Vessel
for diseases such as ascites, vomiting, diarrhea, nephritis, intestinal dysentery, dysuria and urination
Corresponds to the seventh thoracic vertebra, treats diseases of the corresponding area
4 Shen Que
Right in the middle of the umbilicus
Acute and chronic enteritis, chronic dysentery, paediatric dysentery and prolapse, intestinal tuberculosis, oedema, dropsy, stroke, heat stroke, women’s blood is cold and not subject to fetal gas, etc.
5 Qi Hai
1.5 inches below Shen Que point on Ren Vessel
Deficiency of coldness in the lower jiao, vomiting, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, intestinal paralysis, enuresis, frequent urination, urinary retention, spermatorrhea, impotence, abdominal discharge, irregular menstruation, deficiency of Yang, fear and sleeplessness, neurasthenia, coldness of the extremities, etc.
6 Shimen (Alias: Absolute Pregnancy, Forbidden Needle)
2 inches below the Shen Que point on the Ren vein
Diseases such as abdominal distension and firmness, edema, retention of urine, red and unfavorable urine, pain in the small abdomen, diarrhea, body cold and heat, coughing and rebellion, vomiting of blood, hernia pain, persistent malodorous dew after childbirth, menorrhagia, amenorrhea, mastitis, women with terminal pregnancy.
It is equivalent to the second and third lumbar vertebrae, and can treat diseases of the second and third lumbar vertebrae
7 Guan Yuan (alias: Dan Tian)
3 inches below the Shen Que point on the Ren Chakra
It is used to treat all kinds of deficiency and hundred losses, subumbilical colic, abdominal pain and diarrhea, nephritis, irregular menstruation, women’s infertility, dysmenorrhea, pelvic inflammatory disease, hemoptysis, uterine prolapse, spermatorrhea, impotence, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, urinary tract infection, postpartum malignant dew, hernia and other diseases.
It is equivalent to the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae and can treat the diseases of the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae
8 Shang Qu
5 minutes away from the hypogastrium
It can treat diseases such as painful cutting in the abdomen, accumulation of food, painful red eyes starting from the inner canthus, peritonitis, neck and shoulder pain, etc.
Equivalent to the neck and shoulder union, treating the corresponding area
9 Qi side
5 points from the side of Qi Hai
Diseases such as lumbar muscle strain, lumbar pain, soreness and sleepiness, and weakness of lower limbs.
Corresponds to the second and third lumbar vertebrae, treating the corresponding area
10 Qi point
5 min next to Guan Yuan point
Penetrating dolphin pain leading to lumbar spine, menstrual disorders, dysmenorrhea, infertility, urinary tract infection, diarrhea, diarrhea, and other diseases.
Equivalent to next to the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae, treating the corresponding areas
11 Slippery Meat Gate
Taken at 2 inches from the side of the water division point
Epilepsy, vomiting blood, heavy tongue and tongue strength, gastroenteritis, shoulder arthritis and other diseases.
Equivalent to shoulder, treating diseases around the shoulder joint
12 Tian Shu
2 inches away from the middle of the umbilicus
Vomiting, diarrhea, dysentery, dyspepsia, edema, abdominal distension and intestinal tinnitus, painful coldness around the navel, constipation, abdominal discharge, menstrual disorders, dysmenorrhea, infertility, epilepsy, etc.
Equivalent to lateral lumbar, treating various pains and diseases of the lumbar muscles
13 Wai Ling
2 inches away from the Yinjiao point
Abdominal pain under the heart like hanging, downward drawing umbilical pain, hernia, menstrual pain, hip pain, sciatica and other diseases
Equivalent to the hip, treating diseases around the hip joint and femoral head
14 upper rheumatism point
Sliding Meat Gate point outside 5 points on 5 points
Equivalent to elbow, treating diseases around the elbow joint
15 Upper rheumatism external point
1 inch outside the Slippery Meat Gate point
Equivalent to wrist, treats diseases around wrist joints
16 Lower rheumatism point
5 minutes below and 5 minutes outside the Wai Ling point
Equivalent to the knee, treating various diseases of the knee joint
17 Lower rheumatism point
5 points below and 5 points outside the lower rheumatism point
Equivalent to ankle, treating various diseases of the ankle joint
Second, the application of abdominal acupuncture in the recovery period and post-stroke period
Stroke is a sudden lesion of the central nervous system, a warning of the decline of the function of the internal organs of the body. We should not look at the paralysis of limbs, unfavorable speech and mental state in isolation, but should pay great attention to the imbalance of yin and yang of the body and the loss of harmony of internal organs. Partial recovery of paralysis, different improvements of aphasia, or even a major recovery of consciousness and thinking are not equal to a complete recovery of the body’s internal organs function, therefore, we should analyze the patient accurately and give an individualized rehabilitation treatment plan.
During the recovery and post-stroke period, there are often hyperactivity of liver and yang, phlegm and fire, wind and phlegm obstruction, qi stagnation and blood stasis, qi deficiency and blood stasis, and qi and yin (yin and yang) deficiency.
1. Liver-Yang hyperactivity type: 17 acupuncture points in the abdomen, no acupuncture in Shen Que, same as the following types. Baihui, Touwei, Ruigu, Fengchi, Jiquan, Shuzhe, Neiguan, Yanglingquan, Sanyinjiao, Taichong. Bilateral acupuncture points, only needles without moxibustion, Baihui puncture bleeding, flat tonic and flat diarrhea, stay for 30 minutes, add fire cupping after taking the needles in the abdomen, once a day or every other day, 12 times a course of treatment. Can be treated for more than one course of treatment, between the course of treatment can rest 2 weeks, the following types of the same. Typical case: Xiong Moumou, slightly (resting period: Chinese herbal medicine Tianma Hooked Vine Drink combined with Liver Quenching and Wind Quenching Soup plus reduction)
2. phlegm-fire internal disturbance type: 17 abdominal acupuncture points; Baihui, Touwei, Ruigu, Fengchi; Shoulder well, Quchi, Zhigou, Shang Juxu, Fenglong, Qiuhui. Bilateral acupuncture points, only needles without moxibustion, Baihui puncture bleeding, flat tonic and flat diarrhea, stay for 30 minutes, once a day or every other day, 12 times a course of treatment. Typical case: Wang Moumou, omitted (rest period: Chinese herbal medicine ten-flavored warm gall bladder soup with reduction)
3. wind-phlegm blocking type: 17 points of ventral acupuncture; Baihui, Touwei, Rate Valley, Fengchi; Shouze, Neiguan, Fenglong, Sanyinjiao. Bilateral acupuncture points, abdominal acupuncture plus Shendian, Baihui plus moxibustion, flat tonic and flat diarrhea, stay for 30 minutes, once a day or every other day, 12 times a course of treatment. Typical case: Zhang Moumou, slightly (resting period: Chinese herbal medicine of purifying phlegm soup combined with addition and subtraction of Han Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang)
4. Qi stagnation and blood stasis type: 17 points of ventral acupuncture; Baihui, Touwei, Ruigu, Fengchi; Shoulder well, Quchi, Hegu, Yanglingquan, Sanyinjiao, Taichong. Bilateral acupuncture points, abdominal acupuncture plus Shendian, Baihui plus moxibustion, flat tonic and flat diarrhea, stay for 30 minutes, once a day or every other day, 12 times a course of treatment. Typical case: Li Moumou, a soldier, slightly (rest period: Chinese herbal medicine Peach and Red Four Objects Soup and Blood Activating Effect Elixir with additional flavor)
5. Qi deficiency and blood stasis type: abdominal acupuncture with 17 points; Baihui, Head Wei, Rate Valley, Fengchi; Shoulder k, Quchi, Hegu, Sea of Blood, Foot Sanli, Sanyinjiao. Abdominal acupuncture with Shendeng, Baihui, and Sansanli plus moxibustion, flat tonic and flat diarrhea, stay for 30 minutes, once a day or every other day, 12 times a course of treatment. Typical case: Tang Moumou (female), slightly (resting period: Chinese herbal tonic Yang Returning Five Soup with flavour)
6. Qi-yin (yin-yang) two deficiency type: abdominal acupuncture 17 points; Baihui, Touwei, Rate Valley, Fengchi; Shouze, Neiguan, Hegu, Foot Sanli, Sanyinjiao, Taixi. For those with Qi deficiency and Yang deficiency, abdominal acupuncture plus Shen Deng, for those with Yin deficiency, no moxibustion, tonic method, stay for 30 minutes, once a day or every other day, 12 times a course of treatment. Typical case: Qi Moumou (female), slightly (resting period: Chinese herbal medicine with tonification of Zhong Yi Qi Tang, Annexe Rizhong Tang, Yi Stomach Tang, Consistent Decoction, Liu Wei Di Huang Tang with dialectical addition and reduction)
Experience
Under the great teaching of the older generation of teachers in our acupuncture department, I have learned the treatment of body acupuncture, head acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and water acupuncture for stroke since I started my clinical work in 1984. I attended several national head acupuncture exchange meetings and had the honor to meet with head acupuncture masters such as Jiao Shunfa, Fang Yunpeng, Zhu Mingqing and Yu Zhishun in 1989, and then published some clinical articles on the treatment of stroke in acupuncture journals. With the accumulation of clinical experience over the years, I actually feel that when applying one or more acupuncture methods, one must pay attention to the whole body condition. If you only focus on improving paralysis, aphasia, and brain dysfunction, you cannot really improve the symptoms of moderate or severe stroke and prevent another stroke. If we only focus on treating the symptoms, the stroke may seem to be cured but it is prone to recurrence, or the quality of life is very poor, such as poor food, restless sleep, constipation, frequent night urination, depression or irritability, what is the joy of life to speak of? If we pay attention to improving the imbalance of yin and yang and the disharmony of the internal organs, although the paralysis is not ideally recovered, we can live comfortably and happily, which really relieves the burden of the patients and their families. This is true for stroke, and the same is true for other diseases. The concept of abdominal acupuncture is actually similar to the theory of “double fixation and one pass” of our President Wang Hua of Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which I appreciate very much and have been applying in my clinical experience. The concept of abdominal acupuncture, which focuses on treating the root cause and regulating the internal organs as well as the qi and blood of the limbs and body, is very suitable for chronic deficiency diseases, which also fits the pathogenesis of stroke. Therefore, I also use abdominal acupuncture to treat obstetrical and gynecological diseases, male diseases, systemic rheumatism, chronic gastrointestinal diseases, neck, shoulder, waist and leg pain, and some difficult-to-treat diseases, which are welcomed by patients. I sincerely thank Mr. Bo Zhiyun for the invention and application of abdominal acupuncture, which has added a vivid and bright stroke to the history of acupuncture and moxibustion, and provided a new valuable asset to our acupuncture clinicians and brought a new gospel to the patients suffering from chronic diseases.