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Advanced Needle Theory and Techniques 2

Study Materials Quiz 1

Date:

May 2009

Nine Kinds Needling Techniques

This is an acupuncture formulary about how to treat the Nine different kinds of disease.
If its bolded below, it means Dr. Liu bolded it on his slides. Usually that means something.
Name of technique
Shu Needling
(shu ci)

What does it mean?

Needle shu stream and
back shu points

Clinical application
Treats disorders of the Five
Zang

Distal Needling
(yuan dao ci)

Treat the upper by needling Treats the Six Fu organs

the lower (distal points on
(and their dysfunction in the
the meridian)
head/trunk/viscera)

Use the lower he sea points. Examples:

ST 36 ST qi rebellion
UB 40 d/h in UB/lo back pain
GB 34 d/h/stones in GB
ST 37 LI fluid xu
ST 39 SI d/h
UB 39 cant irrigate fluid in SJ

Meridian Needling
(jing ci)

Treat meridian disorders

Collateral Needling
(luo ci)

Bleeding method used to

needle the collaterals

Needle the distal Shu points of the affected

meridian as well as local points on the
meridian.
Use a 3-edged needle and needle the small
collaterals shallowly to induce bleeding.
Examples:
LU 11 or LI 1 for sore throat
LU 10 for excess LU heat
DU 14 for heat syndrome
Erjian for red/painful eyes

Treat meridian disorders

Qi/blood stagnation
pain/blockage/sclerosis
Treats excess and heat
syndromes

Advanced Needling Technique and Theory 2 Spring 2009

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Method
Needle the
1) ying spring
2) shu stream
3) back shu
for the organ/s in dysfunction

Muscular Needling
(fen ci)

Insert needle directly into

the muscles

Deep technique which treats

muscular problems of
Pain
Flaccidity/atrophy
Old wounds

Insert the needle deeply and directly into the

muscle.
For muscles on the back, needle
subcutaneously following the contour of the
muscle.
For GB 21, pinch the muscle up and needle
through to avoid pneumothorax danger.

Major Reducing
(da xie ci)

Eliminate and dredge

(majorly reduce) stagnant
blood and ascites

Dredge pus and ascites

Cutaneous Needling
(mao ci)

Needle the skin shallowly

Treat cutaneous numbness,

superficial diseases

Contralateral
Needling
(ju ci)

Needle one side to treat the

other.

Cauterized needling
(Ciu Ci)

Note: Not really legal to do this here.

Incise or puncture to eliminate pus with
blood in it. Also ascites, abscess, hematoma,
edema.

Treat disorders on the left by

needling on the right (and vice
versa...since Qi in the
meridians exchanges from left
to right/right to left)
Insert cauterizing/ed needle Treat cold pain, scrofula,
into the body
carbuncle

Needle shallowly into the skin rather than

deeply into the layer between skin and
muscle.
Same same

1/3 to of needle is heated until red, then

inserted into an acupoint.

NOTE: know the different kinds of shu needling and which they are from (which is 9 kinds, which is 12, which is ). That showed up on
my test in several questions and I couldnt remember

Advanced Needling Technique and Theory 2 Spring 2009

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Twelve Kinds Needling

From the Neijing and treats diseases of the 12 meridians. This section is strictly about techniques (compared to the 9 kinds which was
about acupuncture formulas). The 12 kinds are addressed in the chart below. If its bolded, Dr. Liu bolded it on the slides.
Name of technique
What does it mean?
Symmetrical needling Yin yang needling method
(ou ci)
in which one needle is
inserted front, another back

Clinical application
Treats zang-fu organ diseases
by using Front Mu/Back Shu
combination

Trigger needling
(bao ci)

(ConfusingTo
repuncture after the needle
is withdrawn)

Treats Wandering Bi syndrome Find the painful spot. Needle and

manipulate. If so, move to the next painful
spot and repeat.

Rehabilitative
needling
(Hui ci)

Help restore function of

affected part

Treat bi syndrome due to

muscle cramping by needling
around the affected region.
Usually around the joints

Insert needle beside the joint

Get needle sensation
Withdraw so needle sits shallowly and
have patient move the joint.
Repeat, changing directions of the
needle to dredge the meridian.

Ranked needling
(qi ci)

Insert a needle then 1 on

either side for a total of 3
insertions

Treat deep Bi syndrome over a

small area

Similar to rehabilitative, but uses 3 needles

rather than just one.
Insert one needle in the center
Insert a needle on either side of the
center.

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Method
Simultaneously needling the front mu and
back shu. Use lateral recumbent position for
this.

Surrounded needling
(yang ci)

One needle in the center

and four superficially
around it

Bi syndrome with superficial

cold retention in a large area

Insert one needle in the center of the area,

and 4 superficially around it: upper, lower,
left, right.
Needled area is not concentrated.
You can also do this deeply for deeper
problems or shallowly for surface problems.

Straight needling
(zhi zhen ci)

Skin is kneaded, needle

inserted into diseased
location

Treats superficial and

collateral problems by shallow
needling

Knead the point, then insert subcutaneously

between the skin and muscle layers.
SHALLOW!
This is a form of threading. You could use it
on the face, between the back shus, etc.

Shu needling
(shu ci)

Directs yang away from

yin to eliminate heat

Eliminates pathogenic heat by

directing yang away from yin.

Note: not the same as the 9 kinds which

uses shu stream/back shu!

This is a reducing technique.

Insert needle perpendicularly and deeply

and get needle sensation.
Withdraw slowly.

Close bone needling

(duan ci)
(also called short
needling)

Needle the region near the

bone.

Treats deep diseases like bone

Bi

Insert slowly/deeply by slight shaking then

rotate mildly when it gets near the bone.

Superficial needling
(fou ci)

Oblique superficial
needling

Cold cramps of muscles and

numbness syndromes.

Oblique shallow needle on the superficial

aspect of the muscle.

Yin needling
(yin ci)

Bilateral simultaneous
needling of points

Treats Yin cold

Bilateral needling of points (i.e. both KI

3s)

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Accompanied
needling
(pang zhen ci)

Insert one needle into a

selected point and another
nearby

Treat stubborn Bi syndrome

with obvious tenderness and
fixed location

Insert one needle perpendicularly at the

selected point and another obliquely beside
it.

Dredges meridian and activates

the collaterals over the
tenderness.
Repeatedly sparse
needling
(zhuan ci)

Helps subside
soreness/swelling.

Treats carbuncles, furuncles,

erysipelas before they develop
pus.

Dr. Liu uses 3 needles in one hand at the

same time, pricks the area and bleeds it.
Shallow needle, quick withdrawal followed
by bleeding.

(Erysipelas is a severe skin

disease caused by
Kind of like 7 star or plum blossom, but
streptococcus infection in
those cover too large of an area.
surface and surrounding tissue,
marked by continued spreading
inflammation.)

Advanced Needling Technique and Theory 2 Spring 2009

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Five Needling Techniques

Refers to the five Zang organs and needling the tissue corresponding to them therefore indirectly affecting their functions and the
organs themselves.
Remember what tissues correspond to what organs:
Lung = skin
Spleen = muscle
Liver = tendons
Heart = vessels
Kidney = bone
Name of technique
Semi-needling
(ban ci)

What does it mean?

Shallow needling of skin
only

Clinical application
Treats
superficial w/c
fever
dyspnea
Lung diseases
Some skin diseases

Method
Needle is inserted only into the skin
(shallowly) and then withdrawn quickly like
you would pluck out a body hair rather than
a smooth in /out motion. Kind of like
flicking out a small splinter.
Know the difference between this and other
types of cutaneous/shallow needling!

Leopard spot
needling
(baowen ci)

Multiple points of bleeding

Treats red, swollen, hot,

painful dermatological
diseases
Regulates Heart Qi.
This type of disease
reflects blood heat and so
treating that treats the heart
qi also.

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Blood letting technique.

Select one point at the center of the
problem, needle sparsely around it for blood
letting.

Joint needling
(guan ci)

Guan means joint.

Needling the tendons
around the joint.

Tendon Bi syndromes
Regulate Liver Qi

Needle into the tendons around the joints,

taking care not to needle vessels (this is
sharp pain there is no pain when needling
tendons)

Hegu needling
(hegu ci)

Gu means major muscle

convergence. This is
needling thick muscle.

Treat muscular bi
Can regulate Spleen Qi

Insert deeply (1 1 cun needle) into

thick muscle and get Qi. You can leave
it in for a few minutes if you think its
needed. Normally you move as soon as
you get Qi.
Withdraw shallowly and push obliquely
to one side. Get Qi.
Repeat to the other side. Get Qi.
Go back to original insertion and retain.
This is heavy stimulus. Similar to
rehabilitative needling.

Shu needling
(shu ci)again!

This time it refers to

needling perpendicularly to
the bone and then
withdrawing straight to
dredge the internal and
external

Obstructive pain of the

bones and disease in deep
regions
Regulates Renal Qi

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Perpendicularly insert deeply to the

bone
Withdraw straight
Retaining the needle is not generally done
in this technique. Just touch and go.

Triple Layer Needling Technique

All tissue from surface down can be separated into 3 layers unless a point is very very shallow (like on the scalp):
Intradermal (shallow)
Expels pathogenic factors, promotes blood circulation
Subcutaneous (middle)
Disperses yin Qi
Intramuscular (deep)
Antipathogenic Qi stimulation
You must think about what the needle tip is touching and in what layer it is. This method removes pathogenic Qi and maintains the
healthy/antipathogenic Qi.
Divide these proportionally depending on the depth to the bone from the surface of the tissue.
How to:
1) Insert the needle into the shallow to expel pathogenic/promote blood circulation
2) Next insert into the middle to disperse the Yin Qi
3) Finally, insert deeply to stimulate antipathogenic Qi.

Qi Directing Technique
This technique treats adverse flow of Qi and blood. You insert to depth then manipulate slowly and evenly with lift/thrust and rotate
methods. Once needling sensation is achieved you retain for a while.
Nanjing Techniques to Know
Method
Needling of the Wei

Needling of the Jing

Clinical application
Needle and stimulate the
superficial Wei Qi without
damaging the Ying Qi lying
deeper
Needle and stimulate Ying Qi
without damaging the Wei Qi

Method
Needle into the shallow layer and rotated or lift/thrusted only
within this layer to get needling sensation.
Needle transversely or perpendicular/shallow.
Press on the point with the non-needling hand in order to
disperse and move the Wei Qi at the surface. Insert needle to
Ying level, manipulate to get qi sensation if necessary.

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Four Methods for Dredging Channels, Connecting Qi

Qi and Blood stagnation in the channels. Note that there is no needle sensation shooting through the joints.
Name
Blue Dragon Wagging
Tail

Clinical Application
Directs Qi
Strengthens deficiencies
Warms meridian to promote circulation of Qi
and blood
Treats abdominal masses
Arthralgia
Problems of Qi/blood yu and meridians

Method
Needle is inserted shallowly and obliquely (or deep
first, then removed to shallow level) with tip of
needle pointing to the location of the disease.
Handle is slowly and barely rotated from R to L to
transmit meridian Qi to distal region. Described as
a steersman turning the helm. You not only
rotate, but move left and right slightly.

White Tiger Shaking

Head

Reducing method promoting Meridian Qi flow

and reducing excess.

Black Tortoise Seeking

for Hole

Strongly promotes the circulation of Qi and

needling sensation. Also dredges meridians and
direct the needling sensation from shallow
region to deep and other direction.

First, insert perpendicularly deep into the muscle,

get Qi. Withdraw shaking the needle like a tiger
shaking its head or like ringing a bell. Shake, lift.
At the same time you use the other hand to press
the other side of the meridian to drive the meridian
qi to flow to the other direction/location of disease.
To needle you insert to selected point, then
withdraw shallowly and go different direction. This
is referred to as seeking the hole which means
you dont change directions and insert in one
smoothe move, but in about 3: shallow, middle,
deep. Do this in all 4 directions.

Red Phoenix Meeting Its Promotes qi circulation

maintains needling sensations
Source
dredges meridians and promotes the flow of
meridian Qi.
Treats various kinds of pain disorders and good
to move Qi.

Insert into deep region with needle sensation.

Needle is then lifted to shallow, shaken to wait
for Qi
Then inserted to middle layer.
Needle is then manipulated with flying
technique like a phoenix spreading its wings
which then promotes circulation of Qi.

Advanced Needling Technique and Theory 2 Spring 2009

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Eight Methods for Treating Diseases

Name
Heat inducing technique

Clinical Application
Powerful strengthening method, especially for
deficient cold. Builds Yang. Severe Bi cold
syndrome. Can also use after a stroke and for
atrophy.

Method
Needle is inserted and manip in 1) shallow, 2)
middle, 3) deep layers. Manipulation is by
tonifying-rotating or strong insertion/light lifting,
lift/thrust (strong in gentle out), etc. . Nine times
each layer.
Repeat several times to induce heat. When you
finally withdraw, close hole.
Choose thick muscle area.

Cool inducing

Makes whole body cool for high fevers

Insert, directly deep, do reducing tech and deep,

then mid, then shallow layers. You can use
swift/slow, lift thrust, nine/six numbers, close open
and respiration method.

Yin Hiding in Yang

Cold

Tonifying method of slow insert with heavy breath

insert and quick withdrawl. This tonifies yang on
the way in and reduces fever on the way out.

Yang Hiding in Yin

Heat

Fever

Cold

Needle is inserted/manip in shallow and deep

regions. Tonify shallow, reduce deep.
Opposite of previous

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