Clinical Application of Saam acupuncture (Four Points Acupuncture) (3)

• Sanghoon Lee, KMD, MPH, PhD, DiplAc, LAc Professor, Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, College of Korean Medicine Kyunghee university
• Dongwoo Nam, KMD, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, College of Korean Medicine Kyunghee university
• Jeongmin Ko, KMD, Dr.Jeongmin Ko’s Korean Medicine Clinic (Inc.) All that Korean Medicine
• Hyojung Kwon, KMD, PhD (Inc.) All that Korean Medicine
• Seung Min Kathy Lee, KMD, PhD, Research Fellow Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, College of Korean Medicine Kyung Hee University
• Park Jun Hyeong, KMD, MS, Researcher, Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, College of Korean Medicine
  Kyung Hee University

Published in December 2017 by Korean Society of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Society

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6) Small Intestine meridian

(1) Jung-gyeuk: Tonifying GB41, SI3 and sedating BL66, SI2 circulates Blood, removes congealed Blood, and generates Blood, thus improves coldness of the lower Triple Energizer. Coldness in the lower Triple Energizer can lead to heat symptoms too. Improvement of symptoms related to Blood by treating the Small Intestine meridian is due to this circulating effect.
Use Liver jung-gyeuk when loss of Qi and Blood is serious.

2) Yeol-gyeuk: Tonify SI5, GB38 and sedate BL66, SI2. This equation is applied for coldness and deficient energy of the lower Triple Energizer. Large Intestine seung-gyeuk, on the contrary, is used for excess coldness.

(3) Seung-gyeuk: Tonifying BL66 and SI2 has cooling effect while sedating ST36 and SI8 relieves blocked qi in the gut. ST39 is sometimes replaced for ST36.

(4) Han-gyeuk: Tonifying BL66 and SI2 performs cooling effect while sedating SI5 and ST41 plays powerful extinguishing fire role. This equation works remarkably well for heat symptoms of the Blood and is more frequently used than Small Intestine seung-gyeuk.

Small Intestine Meridian Female / age 30 Office worker with severely stiff neck and shoulders, complaining of period pain. Small Intestine Meridian is the foremost meridian sought after to treat menstrual problems. It is also very effective in treating stiffness of the trapezius muscles. Small Intestine Meridian has the function of activating Blood.

7) Bladder Meridian

Bladder Meridian is the Foot Greater yang meridian. It moves along the back. The root qi of bladder meridian is cold-water(寒水). Bladder is water. Metal engenders water. Earth restricts water. To tonify water, metal should be tonified. The metal point of Bladder meridian (BL 67) and metal point of metal meridian (LI1) are tonified. To tonify water, earth should be sedated. The earth point of bladder meridian (BL40) and earth point of earth meridian (ST36) are sedated.

*Meaning of Bladder Jung-gyeuk

• circulation of exterior qi
• removal of turbid qi within the body
• moves the water

*Clinical application of Bladder Jung-gyeuk

• headache
• lower back pain
• chronic cough
• ENT problems

Bladder Meridian Female / age 65 Patient with slightly high blood pressure taking pills for hyperlipidemia. The patient came to the hospital after a stressful event complaining of headache on the back of the head and neck. Bladder Jung-gyeuk was administered to control the uprising of Fire and Heat. The Bladder Jung-gyeuk is often used for prevention of stroke due to cerebral hemorrhage.

8) Kidney Meridian

Kidney Meridian is the Foot lesser yin meridian. Kidneys are organ where water and fire coexist. Kidney rules the water.
Kidney is water. Metal engenders water and earth restricts water. To tonify water, metal should be tonified. The metal point of Kidney (KI78) and metal point of metal meridian (LU8) should be tonified. To tonify water, earth should be sedated. The earth point of kidney meridian (KI3) and earth point of earth meridian (SP3) are sedated.

*Meaning of Kidney Jung-gyeuk

• strengthens Kidney-water (by metal engendering water)
• tonifies Kidney
• extinguish any deficient-fire

*Clinical application of Kidney Jung-gyeuk

• tinnitus
• urinary incontinence
• impotence
• dizziness

Kidney Meridian Male / age 45 Patient with chronic back pain. Kidney Jung-gyeuk is very widely used to treat back pain, for the cause of back pain is largely due to deficient Kidney qi. This patient was treated for a long time mostly with Kidney Junggyeuk and at times with other Saam acupuncture when special symptoms concurred. Back pain was much more bearable when taking steady acupuncture treatments, but the pain returned when the patient went without treatment for a prolonged time.

9) Pericardium Meridian

Pericardium meridian is the Hand reverting yin meridian. Pericardium is the fire.
In Pericardium Jung-gyeuk: Wood engenders fire. Water restricts fire. To tonify fire, wood point of wood meridian (LR1) and wood point of pericardium meridian (PC9) are tonified. To suppress water, water point of water meridian (KI10) and water point of pericardium meridian (PC3) are sedated.

*Meaning of Pericardium Jung-gyeuk

• regulated stress-related disorder
• helps for heart disorder (may replace heart Jung-gyeuk)

*Clinical application of pericardium Jung-gyeuk

• psychologic problems
• heart pain (stomachache)
• forgetfulness
• sleepiness

*Meaning of Pericardium Jung-gyeuk

• regulated stress-related disorder
• helps for heart disorder (may replace heart Jung-gyeuk)

*Clinical application of pericardium Jung-gyeuk

• psychologic problems
• heart pain (stomachache)
• forgetfulness
• sleepiness

10) Triple energizer Meridian

Triple energizer meridian is the Hand lesser yang meridian. Triple energizer is responsible for water-fluid metabolism. As like pericardium, it is an organ of qi but with no specific shape.

In Triple energizer Jung-gyeuk: Triple energizer is fire. Wood engenders fire and water restricts fire. To tonify fire, wood point of wood meridian (GB41) and wood point of triple energizer meridian (TE3) are tonified. To suppress water, water point of water meridian (BL66) and water point of triple energizer meridian (TE2) are sedated.

*Meaning of Triple energizer Jung-gyeuk

• promotes flow of qi
• moves the water

*Clinical application of triple energizer Jung-gyeuk

• shoulder pain
• stuffed nose
• stress-related disorder
• ear problem
• throat disorder

Triple Energizer Meridian Male / age 67 Shoulder pain patient. Triple Energizer Jung-gyeuk was administered for the shoulder pain at the coracoid process. Shoulder pain is treated with Saam acupuncture using the meridians according to the painful area and the flow of the meridian. Shoulder pain on the anterior part is in accordance with the flow of the Large Intestine meridian, and the posterior part accords with the Small Intestine meridian, while the middle part is where the Triple Energizer meridian flows.

11) Gall bladder Meridian

Gall bladder meridian is the foot lesser yang meridian.

In Gall bladder Jung-gyeuk: Gall bladder is wood. Water engenders wood, and metal restricts wood. To tonify wood, water point of water meridian (BL66) and water point of Gall bladder meridian (GB43) are tonified. To suppress metal, metal point of metal meridian (LI1) and metal point of Gall bladder meridian (GB44) are sedated.

*Meaning of Gall bladder Jung-gyeuk

• Wood qi of Gall bladder is boosted.
• moistens muscle, bones, and skin regulated by bile

*Clinical application of gall bladder Jung-gyeuk

• anger, nervousness, fear
• psychologic disorder
• insomnia
• palpitation

Gall Bladder Meridian Female / age 18 College student in her freshman year complaining of migraine, who has insomnia. The distribution of the Gall Bladder meridian is often exactly in accordance with the pain area of migraine. Therefore Gall Bladder Jung-gyeuk is commonly used to treat migraine. In addition, the Gall Bladder meridian is of shaoyang characteristic which enables it to work well upon conditions brought on by stress. Migraine, as well as headache in general, is often caused by Phlegm. The stagnation of qi in stressful situation generates Phlegm that causes pain. Gall Bladder as an organ functions in getting rid of Phlegm as well. Gall Bladder Jung-gyeuk also worked wonders on another patient who had alopecia areata, or known as pattern baldness. Most of pattern baldness occurs on the back of the head at the sides, which is near the flow of the Gall Bladder meridian. The major cause of pattern baldness is known to be stress, so the use of Gall Bladder Jung-gyeuk for the treatment makes sense. Insomnia is a typical condition treated with Gall Bladder Jung-gyeuk.

12) Liver Meridian

Liver meridian is the foot reverting yin meridian.
In Liver Jung-gyeuk: Liver is wood. To help the liver, Water should be tonified ( to boost wood), and metal should be sedated (to not harm wood). Water engenders Wood. Metal suppresses Wood. To tonify liver, water point of water meridian (KI10) and water point of liver meridian (LR8) are tonified. To suppress metal, metal point of metal meridian (LU8) and metal point of liver meridian (LR4) are sedated. 

*Meaning of Liver Jung-gyeuk

• helps blood
• circulates blood
• replenishes shortage in essence-blood
• helps yin deficiency

*Clinical application of liver meridian

• tiredness
• dizziness
• flank pain / lower back pain
• digestion problem
• constipation / diarrhea
• muscle spasm
• depression
• menopausal syndrome
• eye problems
• skin problems: freckle, purpura, atopic dermatitis
• tics

Liver Meridian Male / age 68 Old CVA patient with constipation. The patient has recovered from stroke and his motor function is nearly complete but numbness on the affected side remains. Treatment of the Liver meridian works by eliminating the Wind that causes numbness. Liver Seung-gyeuk was administered to soften stool that is hardened by overactive Liver Heat, for Liver and Large Intestine are in interconnected relationship. This patient receives acupuncture treatment once in a week or two, with prolonged effect on the numbness until the next session.