Understanding Distal Treatment Through Mu and Xin Chang
By Cho, Byung Sik L.Ac
Tung’s Acupuncture is a distinctive acupuncture system known for its unique points and frequent use of distal treatment. Instead of placing needles only near the area where symptoms occur, practitioners may select points on the hands, fingers, or legs to address distant parts of the body.
Two points-Mu (木穴, T11.17) and Xin Chang (心常穴, T11.19)-offer a useful introduction to this clinical approach.
Mu (T11.17), also called the “Common Cold Point” in the lecture material, consists of two points on the palmar side of the index finger. Its traditional applications are broad, including nasal discharge and congestion, common-cold symptoms, dry or watery eyes, itching, excessive sweating, and dry or cracked skin of the hands.
Its application to nasal problems is particularly noteworthy. Mu (T11.17) may be considered for both a runny and congested nose. In traditional East Asian medical terminology, the point is also associated with clearing the head and eyes and regulating constrained Liver qi.
The lecture also applies Mu (T11.17) to conditions involving heat and dryness, including menopausal symptoms such as irritability, bitter taste, facial heat, and dry eyes. In such cases, it may be combined with other Tung’s points.
A second example is Xin Chang (T11.19), a pair of points on the palmar surface of the middle finger. The lecture associates Xin Chang (T11.19) primarily with cardiovascular complaints, including palpitations and rapid or irregular heartbeat. It may also be combined with other Tung’s points according to the patient’s presentation.
Mu (T11.17) and Xin Chang (T11.19) demonstrate an important principle: the site of needling does not necessarily correspond to the site of the symptom.
This distal correspondence is one of the features that makes Tung’s Acupuncture clinically distinctive. Point selection may also depend on the side of the symptoms, palpation findings, point combinations, and the patient’s response after needling.
For someone beginning to study Tung’s system, memorizing point locations is only the first step. Understanding why a distant point is selected-and how it functions within a treatment strategy-is equally important.
In the next article, we will see this principle applied more directly to pain through Wu Hu (五虎穴, T11.27), the Five Tigers, and Si Zhi (四肢穴, T77.20), the Four Limbs Point.
