Mu Liu (Wood Keep) is Most Effective and Commonly Used
By Cho, Byung Sik L.Ac.
Many patients visiting Korean medicine clinics complain of cervical pain and related disorders. This section reviews effective treatment methods using Master Tung’s acupuncture.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
In 99% of cervical disc herniation cases, pain occurs on only one side. Patients often have current or past pain in the neck or scapular region, a straight neck, or other neck-related symptoms.
Early signs include neck stiffness, shoulder numbness, pain, and tingling in the fingers. Patients may report heaviness in the posterior neck, occipital headaches, and radiating arm pain. They often have difficulty extending the 4th and 5th fingers and show slow hand opening/closing movements.
Severe cases can involve leg weakness, difficulty climbing stairs, urinary/sexual dysfunction, and trouble with tasks like using chopsticks or buttoning. Cervical disc symptoms can be mistaken for stroke because they progress from the neck downward, eventually affecting the lower back.
When both arms and legs are affected, stroke risk increases, especially with a family history. A key sign: symptoms improve when the arm is raised, worsen when it is lowered. Most cases improve within a month. In right-sided disc herniation, pain may extend to the right buttock and ankle.
After needling, check for immediate relief and encourage movement. Cervical disc cases always involve arm numbness.
Most Effective Point Combinations
- Mu Liu (Wood Keep): Master Tung extra point for cervical disc, acute neck sprain, scapulocostal pain, and generalized paresthesia, especially in fingertips/toes. Huo Ju (Fire Chrysanthemum) – Effective for hand stiffness and finger numbness in the morning. Shen Guan (Kidney Gate) – Treats hand stiffness, inability to straighten fingers. Fei Xin (Lung Heart – tendon region) + Cha San (SJ2) – Cha San alone can relieve neck tightness.
- DU26, SI3, BL65, GB31 + Shen Guan (Kidney Gate)
- Shuang Feng (Pair Phoenix – BL first line T2–T8)
Bloodletting improves circulation and relieves pain/numbness in hands and feet. Also use LU5 for upper limb pain with cervical disorders. - Fei Xin (Lung Heart) + Shen Guan (Kidney Gate) – For shoulder and neck pain. Use Cha San (SJ2) on the affected side.
Yang You-Gol’s formula: GB31 + Shen Guan (Kidney Gate) for shoulder pain; Chong Zi(Layer Water) and Chong Xian(Layer Metal) with Cha San (SJ2) for enhanced results. - For central cervical pain: Chong Xiao (Up-shooting Heaven) and BL40.
For shoulder pain with arm numbness: Wai San Guan (Exterior Three Gates) and Yi, Er, and San Chong (Three Layers: First Layer, Second Layer, and Third Layer).
If you have any questions about the points or content in this column, please email thehanitimes@gmail.com. We will forward your questions to the author and send you a reply.
