Home › Classical Five-Element Acupuncture: Two More Powerful Treatment Strategies
Classical Five-Element Acupuncture: Two
More Powerful Treatment Strategies
By Neil R. Gumenick, LAc, MAc (UK)
In prior articles, this author has detailed the importance of diagnosing a patient’s primary
elemental imbalance (aka Causative Factor or “CF”) via odor, color, sound, and emotion. Once
we have cleared any and all of the energetic blocks to treatment efficacy, in this system of
medicine, we turn our attention to supporting, balancing, and harmonizing the CF, as it is the
source of the symptoms that invariably spread throughout the entire system and manifest at the
levels of body, mind, and spirit. So, when we speak of supporting the CF, what do we mean?
In this author’s last article in Oriental Medicine (Summer 2018), the use of Command points was
covered and, more specifically, Source points, Tonification points, and Horary points. This
article will focus on two additional types of command points: Sedation points and Junction (aka
Luo/Connecting) points.
Command points are the “bread and butter” of this system of medicine. While any point may be
called upon (as needed) for its spiritual connotation, location, or function, Command points are
often the first points we use in the early stages of treatment, as they are the safest points (with the
lowest risk of over-tonifying or over-sedating) and provide the clearest feedback as to whether
our diagnosis of the patient’s CF is correct. Placing a needle in any point will have an effect on
the whole of a person’s energy, so treating the meridians of the CF without the input and
reactions of treating other elements and meridians will help us know what actually caused the
change. Command points are found distal to the elbow or knee flexure and include Source
points, Element points (including Tonification points, Sedation points, and Horary points), and
Junction points.
Assuming the patient is not blocked, when we treat the correct CF, we will get an immediate and
palpable pulse change on all 12 pulses, as well as a change in the intensity of the patient’s odor,
color, sound, and emotion. Sometimes, the pulse change will be the more dramatic; sometimes
the sensory indicators will register the more dramatic change; and sometimes both will be
dramatic. With this feedback, we will know that the change was the result of having treated the
primary core imbalance—the source of the problem. If we do not get this result, it may well
indicate that our diagnosis is incorrect.
The
Sheng Cycle of the Elements
Tonification Points: a Brief Review
The Tonification point of a meridian is the point that corresponds to its Mother—the preceding
Element on the Sheng or “Creative” cycle. We observe that, on this cycle, Wood is the Mother of
Fire. It creates, promotes, and feeds Fire just as a Mother would feed her child. Thus, in the
Element Fire, the Tonification point of any of its Officials (organs/functions) is the Wood point
(HT 9, SI 3, PC 9, SJ 3), corresponding to its Mother Element.
In Earth, the Tonification point is the Fire point (ST 41, SP 2), and so on around the cycle.
These points can only be used as Tonification points when, by pulse diagnosis, it is determined
that there is more energy in the Mother than in the child. Metaphorically speaking, there has to
be more milk in the Mother’s breasts than in the child’s tummy. Used as such, tonifying these
points affects a simple transfer of energy from the Mother to the child, as indicated in the above
diagram. These points pull the excess to the child from its Mother. If successful, not only will
Mother and child be balanced, but all Officials will feel the relief and will manifest a change for
the better. In the vast majority of cases, this strategy will be successful and the pulse change will
confirm it. However, in some cases, the Mother is stubborn, unwilling or unable to freely give
her excess to her child. In such cases, Tonification points may not work, or not work well
enough. The Mother is still holding on to the excess. Thus, we turn to Sedation points.
(NOTE: for a description of the needle techniques for tonification and sedation, see Oriental
Medicine, Summer 2018)
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Sedation Points
Unlike Tonification points, which are the points on a meridian that correspond to the Element of
its Mother, Sedation points are points on the meridian corresponding to the Element of its child.
Sedating these points relaxes the Mother, helping her to release the excess and drain it into the
child. The energy knows where to go because sedating the Sedation point directs it to the child.
For example, if a patient were a Water CF and the pulses indicated an excess in Metal (the
Mother of Water), we would first try tonifying UB 67 and KI 7 (the Tonification points) to pull
the excess from the Mother. If that was not sufficient and Metal was still holding excess, we
would sedate LI 2 and LU 5, the Water points of Metal. This would be akin to getting behind the
excess and pushing it into the child, as diagrammed below.
In another example, if the patient were a Metal CF and there was an excess in Earth (Mother of
Metal), and if tonifying LI 11 and LU 9 (the Earth and Tonification points) was not successful in
pulling the excess from the Mother, we would sedate ST 45 and SP 5 (the Metal points) to push
the excess from Earth and drain it into Metal, as diagrammed below.
As in the previous example, we would retain these needles until the excess had drained and
balance was achieved, determined by the pulse change.
Note that there are other uses of these points. For example, PC 7 (the Earth point) would be used
as a Sedation point only if there were an excess in PC and a deficiency in SP, but it also could be
used as a Source point, an Earth point, or for the spiritual connotation suggested by its name,
Great Mound, all depending on the expressed need of the patient and the pulse picture. Energy
understands intention and the response of a point does, in large part, depend on the intention of
the practitioner.
Junction (AKA Luo/Connecting) Points
Junction points connect the two-paired Officials within an element, enabling them to share the
available energy equally. In the case of Fire, which has 4 Officials, the Junction points only
connect HT and SI on the “organ side” and only PC and SJ on the “function side”. There is no
connection via Junction points between HT and PC, between HT and SJ, between SI and PC, or
between SI and SJ.
We can imagine the paired Officials as siblings. To maintain balance and harmony in the family,
the children should share their toys and food, and receive equal love and attention. If there is a
split between the two—one having more than the other—jealousy and resentment will result, and
the harmony of the whole family will be disrupted.
In terms of the qi energy, we feel this split on the pulses of the paired Officials. One will have
too much and will feel stronger to our touch, the other too little and will feel weaker. The result
of such a split can be devastating to the energy of the whole of the body/mind/spirit. A split in an
element will create imbalance in its child and likely be passed further along the Sheng Cycle and
throughout the system. It is better that whatever amount of energy is present in an element is
equally divided between the paired Officials. It is particularly important that any split in the CF
be addressed, as balancing the CF will tend to balance out splits in other Elements.
To resolve such a split in an Element, we tonify the Junction point of the deficient Official. This
is akin to opening a lock or valve on a waterway. If, on one side of the valve, there is excess
water, and very little on the other, opening the valve will allow the excess to flow into the
deficiency, resulting in an equal quantity of water on both sides.
For example, if we found by pulse diagnosis that there was a split within the Wood element
wherein the predominantly yin Official, the liver, was deficient in relation to its brother, the
predominantly yang Official, the gall bladder, we would tonify LIV 5, bilaterally, allowing the
excess to flow from gall bladder to liver, creating balance and harmony between the two.
If the situation were reversed and liver had the excess, we would tonify GB 37, the Junction
point of gall bladder, allowing the excess to flow from liver to gall bladder.
The Junction points of the twelve meridians are as follows: HT 5, SI 7, UB 58, KI 4, PC 6, SJ 5,
GB 37, LIV 5, LU 7, LI 6, ST 40, and SP 4. Note that the direction of flow is one way: into an
Official from its paired Official. Used as Junction points, they are always tonified, drawing the
energy to the deficiency from the excess.
As in the case of many kinds of points, the use is determined by the expressed need of the patient
and the pulses. For example, GB 37 would be used as a Junction point in the situation described
above, but could also be used for its spiritual connotation, suggested by its name: Bright and
Clear. LIV 5 could also be used for its spiritual connotation: Insect Ditch. Energy does
understand intention
Lyme Treatment Success with Chinese
Medicine
By Hillary Thing, LAc
Lyme and similar devastating stealth infections are on a rise across the world. Chinese medicine
practitioners across the United States and beyond are being faced with patients with illnesses that
are difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to treat.
Many of us are drawn to Chinese medicine for its refined holistic diagnostic approach and
untapped range of plant, dietary, and lifestyle medicines that can heal all types of infections and
symptoms. We have a rich tradition to draw from, yet most practitioners still feel overwhelmed
and unable to knowledgably lead these enigmatic patients out of the woods and into full health
and disease resilience.
The real problem is not the effectiveness of Chinese medicine to treat these problems, but our
ability as practitioners to:
Recognize the true underlying causes of chronic multi-system inflammatory disease.
Know how to navigate the maze of diagnostic and treatment options and be positive leaders for
our patients.
Understand how to wield the tools of Chinese medicine most effectively to create powerful
results for this unique patient population.
The little-known secret sauce of Chinese medicine’s success in the treatment of mysterious and
difficult-to-treat illnesses such as Lyme and tick-borne infections lies in some profound insights
and treatment strategies that are as relevant today as when they were developed 3,000 years ago.
Understanding the characteristics of Gu disease will give you immediate holistic insight into the
nature of Lyme, parasitic, and chronic inflammatory disease.
Gu Syndrome: Ancient Insights Into A Modern Epidemic
Gu zheng, which can be translated as “possession syndrome”, is a Chinese medical diagnosis that
describes a situation where a person’s body is overcome with one or many parasitic-type
organisms. The visual pictogram of Gu in written language depicts worms breeding in a pot.
Gu is one of the oldest Chinese characters, and therefore a very old concept in Chinese culture.
It’s been part of medical practice for many thousands of years and is discussed in the earliest
Chinese medical texts, which are 3,000 years old.
Due perhaps to decreased immunity, compromised genetics, diet, or our sedentary tendencies,
the average modern person is more susceptible to parasitic infection than people of the past.
Gu syndrome encompasses all complex chronic infections and inflammatory diseases and gives
us a profound understanding of what we’re dealing with when a patient has chaotic multi-system
health problems—whether or not we can identify through bloodwork the exact infection or
infections that a patient has.
The Characteristics of Gu (Lyme and Lyme-Like) Diseases
Gu, as described in the classical Chinese medical texts, is characterized by a complex disease
picture that first and foremost is triggered by infection from a parasitic organism such as
Borreliosis burgdorferi, Babesia, or Bartonella.
Next, it often manifests in a combination of digestive, mental/cognitive, and nervous system
symptoms such as insomnia and anxiety.
It is understood to:
Be a disease experience that feels like a terrible calamity, like the worst thing that has or could
ever happen to you. Lyme patients will often say “I feel like I’m dying”, “I feel like I’m being
tortured,” or “I can’t take any more”. This is a trademark characteristic of Gu syndrome.
Involve nonsensical or inexplicable symptoms (both for patient and practitioner) such as a
seizure-like experience that doesn’t show up on an EEG or sensations that patients have a hard
time putting into. This is common with Lyme disease and with Gu.
Typically, medical diagnostic exams turn up nothing. Both Lyme and Gu are the diagnosis that’s
left when all else has been proven negative.
Gu pathogens also act as a type of toxin or poison (Gu du = Gu poison). We know this is true in
Lyme disease because it’s corroborated by the fact that the metabolic byproducts of parasitic
organisms are known to have a toxic effect on the body. Since the 7 th century, classical Chinese
medical texts have stated that “Gu can transform itself into harmful toxins”.
Lyme Disease Re-Defined: A Super-Infection that Consumes its Host’s Resources
Lyme disease is not just a spirochetal infection. Through the lens of Gu, we can see Lyme as
more than simply a super-infection involving a combination of different strains of parasitic
organisms. It also operates by consuming the resources of the host, leading to a physical and
emotional wasting of the person, and creating great mental, physical and emotional suffering in
the process.
Gu are chronic inflammatory degenerative syndromes, super-infections involving a variety of
pathogens such as funguses, viruses and spirochetes, that may lead to malnourishment and a
depleted, dysfunctional immune system.
These co-existing infections thrive upon each other as well as other toxic material stored within
the body. They symbiotically assist each other in the process of feeding upon their more and
more deficient host. Unfortunately, the choices humans have made over the recent past decades
have led to our bodies becoming attractive havens and easy targets for infestation by these types
of microbes.
This is the nature of Gu disease, as well as a very accurate description of Lyme and Lyme-like
illnesses that we see in the modern clinic. The treatment approaches that were developed in
response to Gu disease are still highly valuable today. In our clinic we’ve developed many
protocols that evolved out of the Gu approach and are highly effective at bringing the modern Gu
patient back to a state of health.
The Most Important Elements of Lyme Treatment with Chinese Medicine
Successful treatment of complex chronic disease requires a multi-layered, strategic treatment
approach. There are numerous strategies that we apply in different cases depending on the
symptom presentation, diagnoses, and what phase of healing they are in.
However, there are 3 crucial treatment strategies that are foundational to nearly all cases of
chronic Lyme disease. They are:
o Rebuild and restore the life force energy flow. This is the central factor around which
our treatment plans are built and the primary principle that we use to navigate
treatment decisions with our patients. This translates into TCM terms as tonifying the
patient’s qi, blood, yin, and yang (emphasis varies patient to patient).
One of the unique and critical aspects of successful Gu treatment is that all the tonic herbs that
we use for rebuilding the deficiencies also have detoxifying properties. A few common examples
are gan cao, dang gui, and huang qi (not honey-fried!).
Detoxify and move the stagnant liver qi and blood. Lyme is a disease of toxicity. The suffering it
creates is largely a result of the endotoxins the Borreliosis spp. and other pathogens produce as
they live, breed and die inside the body.Detoxification is always compromised in long-term and
severe cases of Lyme disease, and the pathways of elimination must be strengthened before the
true healing progress can begin. This equates to coursing, harmonizing and softening the liver qi,
as well as invigorating the movement of liver blood.
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In our work with patients we utilize many tools of Chinese medicine to support
detoxification including lifestyle practices, herbs, acupuncture, diet, and exercise.
Eliminate the pathogenic factors. Antimicrobial herbs and techniques are used to reduce the
total load of parasites, bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and other microbes that burden the body.
Herbs are chosen to target specific species or classes of microbes (such as Bartonella and
viruses, or Lyme and Babesia) depending on what the current symptom picture is showing are
the active infection or infections.
Some favorite anti-gu herbals include ding xiang, qing hao, gui zhen cao, hu zhang, and chuan
xin lian. We typically include different herbs for elimination of eggs, spore forms, and at some
point in the treatment journey (generally not the beginning) we also use herbs to initiate the
breakdown of biofilm, hidden colonies of pathogenic microbes that remain protected from
antibiotics and the immune system.
Practitioners of Chinese medicine can (and indeed must!) play a leading role in the diagnosis and
treatment of Lyme and Lyme-like illness with our holistic diagnostic perspective and non-toxic
treatment tools that focus not only on the elimination of the microbes but also on the generation
of health and disease resilience.
Hillary Thing, LAc, is a holistic medicine practitioner with two decades of clinical experience.
Lyme disease became her specialty ten years ago, after her husband suffered repeated bouts of
Lyme and co-infection. Hillary now trains other health professionals through a year-long
training, the Holistic Lyme Practitioner Mentorship. She and her associates treat patients both
in-person at Accord Acupuncture & Herbs in High Falls, NY and internationally via
telemedicine. Hillary also speaks at scientific and holistic medical conferences throughout the
US.
