Alcohol Withdrawal & Liver Failure Case Study with Bisoma Acupuncture

By David Lee, L.Ac.

As we know, acupuncture is not just for relief of pain and inflammation. It also improves physiology by regulating organs and nervous system. The case below is a good example in illustrating the holistic power of acupuncture for both external and internal diseases.

A male, age 52, is a pharmaceutical scientist who had a bout of excessive alcohol consumption due to chronic depression. It caused his liver to go into an acute failure, leading to a fluid back up in his torso and legs. In addition, he had chronic pain in neck, right knee, left Achilles tendon, and left hip which were aggravated with prolonged standing or lying down. After being admitted to a sober living facility, he began acupuncture. Right-side Yang Horary points (천부혈) in the Metal-Order of LI1, UB66, GB41, SI5, and ST36 were given.

He had 8 acupuncture treatments at twice a week visit. Each treatment was noticeably helpful. There was an accelerated reduction of edema in the legs, which indicated his liver was functioning better than before. Furthermore, the discomfort in the mind and pain in the body were also relieved. He was emotionally stable with a higher sense of well-being. Even the multiple areas of joint and muscle pain were less. By the 6^th visit, his overall improvement was evident. This type of multiple improvement indicates acupuncture is simultaneously helpful for brain, muscle, joint, and even liver organ.

For this patient, the Metal-Order Horary points reversed his diseases. If there was no relief within the first 2 visits, the acupuncture points must be changed to GB44, SI2, ST43, LI5, and UB40 as shown in the table below.

The first set of 5 Horary points LI1 (metal), UB66 (water), GB41 (wood), SI5 (fire), and ST36 (earth) apply to the 70% of population. For them, the first point on the Jing-Well begins with metal. This patient turned out to be the 70%. The second set of Horary points GB44 (wood), SI2 (fire), ST43 (earth), LI5 (metal), and UB40 (water) apply to 30% of the population. These points are ingrained in an individual from birth because it is in the constitution, which does not change over one’s lifetime. A person will either have a Metal-Order or Wood-Order of the Horary points. Hence, this type of acupuncture is called Bisoma, which means “two body” in Greek because Hippocrates in 400 B.C. is the oldest known scholar to propose constitutionology.  

A second case is a 36-year-old man who was also living in the same sober living facility due to addiction to alcohol. He was alcohol-free for 36 days. The first treatment of right-side Yang Horary points in Metal-Order did not produce a noticeable improvement. A switch to Wood-Order on the second visit was helpful in lessening anxiety and neck tension. In addition, he slept deeper and longer in that same evening. The continuation of Wood-Order treatments was even more helpful. By the 6^th visit, the improvement was stable with less frequency, less intensity, and shorter in duration – indicators of a fundamental improvement, not just symptomatic relief. This second patient turned out to be in the 30% of population.

Bisoma acupuncture is so simple that a differential diagnosis is not necessary. It is a two-size-fits-all protocol that treats external and internal diseases that Transporting Shu points are known for.