THE ESSENTIAL ACUPUNCTURIST

GUIDE TO HEAD AND

NECK PAIN
Effectively treat Migraines, cluster, tension and
hormonal headaches. Also covered TMJ, jaw, Sinus,
ear, eye, lips and nose problems and Much Much More!

Brad Whisnant
(LAc, DAOM)
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgments
Forward
Chapter 1: BIO
Chapter 2: Headaches
Chapter 3: Headaches Simplified
Chapter 4: What are these Jing Jin meridians?
Chapter 5: Basic Images and Channel Relationships
Chapter 6: Cheat Sheet: You Will Never Need More
Chapter 7: Neck Pain
Chapter 8: Headache? - Why Not Tung Points?
Chapter 9: Just a Random Day in the Clinic
Chapter 10: Headache Case Studies & Examples
Chapter 11: Headache: Q and A
Chapter 12: Headache Conclusion and Next Steps
 Acknowledgments

I’m forever grateful to Richard Tan and Wei Chi Young without both of them,
none of this; my clinic, these books, my experiences, the volunteer camps, 100’s
of patients a week? None of it would be possible without them. So thank you. I
am forever in your debt.
We must always remember all the other great practitioners as well. David
wells, Chuan Min Wang, Robert Chu, Henry McCann, Ted Zombalas, Susan
Johnson, Dr. James Maher, Bob Doane, Cole Magbanwa, Miriam Lee, Palden
Carson and so many others! Their skills and teachings have all influenced me
in way or another and I am grateful and thank for all of them.
In this book you will see and feel a part of them all. What I share are my
personal experiences inspired by these great teachers who have come before
me. I can only share because they have all shared with me
To my Family who have helped, supported and put up with all my long nights
and early mornings.
Brad Whisnant
 Forward

T he growth and interest of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in the West is

both evident and exciting. It is well known in the professional field of
Chinese Medicine that acupuncture is a complete medical system and was the
dominant medical system for thousands of years. Although the entrance into
acupuncture for most people today is through the relief of pain, it is, in fact, the
belief of many, who are unfamiliar with acupuncture, that the only issue it can
help is pain issues. Which is why it is of great importance that we become
experts at treating pain. If we, as acupuncturists, cannot effectively treat pain
then it will be very difficult to educate our patients about all the other amazing
benefits of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.
So it is the effective treatment of pain that will be the bridge to the
acceptance of acupuncture for all other maladies. And aside from all other pain
it is important to be able to treat headaches and migraines with stellar success.
Anyone who has dealt with the debilitating and constant pain of a nasty
headache knows that whoever can quell the vice like pain will have their praises
as a healer sung for all to hear. The impetus of this book is to give readers the
skills to confidently treat all kinds of head and neck pain as a way to display
their skills and gain the trust and acceptance of their patients’ hearts and minds.
The success of this, or any clinical book, is in the skills of the author to not
only be a great teacher but to be able to translate that three dimensional
teaching into a two dimensional book. So then what makes a great teacher?
There are so many people out there that are great at their craft or profession that
are not good teachers; they lack the ability to disseminate information in a
concise and digestible way. Sometimes it is a large ego that prevents the master
from becoming a teacher, other times it is a lack of the ability to filter out the
complex for the novice student so they can first grab the fundamentals. Or, it
could even be a simple lack of enthusiasm for sharing their talents with others.
I’m sure we have all experienced being under the tutelage of a bad teacher. And
the worst part of being in that situation is that they can suck all the love and
interest for the subject right out of you. But when the stars align, as they not so
often do, you have the marriage of someone who has reached a high level of
proficiency and also has a love and passion for sharing what they know, as well
as the unique ability to make the complex simple. Then you are in the company of
a great teacher.
In my journey of becoming and then growing as an acupuncturist, I have
been extremely fortunate to have three different teachers/mentors. These
practitioners were all high-level acupuncturists with a ton of clinical skill. They
were all amazing people in many ways; they took me as a student under their
wings and were extremely generous with their time and knowledge. The first two
acupuncturists that I apprenticed with, as amazing as they were, they were not
great teachers. They were both very skilled and great practitioners, both
beautiful and generous individuals, but I had to work hard to distill the lessons
and information while under their instruction.
Then I meet Brad Whisnant. Dr. Whisnant is one of the rare breeds of great
teachers in this space, which I realized almost immediately. I was renting office
space with some friends, all of who were practicing Tung acupuncture. I tried
using the books on Tung acupuncture to teach myself this fascinating system, but
the books had little to no theory or explanation of how or why Tung worked. It
was hard for me to learn a system by just trying to memorize groups of points
and the functions. So I resisted learning Tung for some time.
My first introduction with Dr. Whisnant was through an online seminar he
was teaching on Tung acupuncture. This Tung seminar changed my initial
understanding of Tung acupuncture; he blew the doors wide open for me. For the
first time I saw Tung as a system that made sense, and not just a bunch of
empirical points that needed only to be memorized without question.
I was hooked and I took a bunch of online seminars that Dr. Whisnant had at
the time and then something great happened, he started writing books. It was
shortly after the release of his first book that I decided to reach out to Dr.
Whisnant personally. I just wanted to thank him for his samurai-like abilities of
slicing through the complex in order to reveal the more simplistic and actionable
workings of the Tung system. And it wasn’t long after that initial correspondence
that he became my third and most important mentor in my life.
Dr. Whisnant’s passion and dedication to the practice of acupuncture and
Chinese Medicine is matched only by his passion and skills as a teacher. His
knowledge comes from his vast clinical experience. Having treated, at this point,
close to 70,000 patients he treats, observes, learns, tests, and then spreads his
personal knowledge in his books and seminars. It is this clinical, in the trenches;
knowledge that he pulls from- that is so valuable. Coupled with Dr. Whisnant’s
unique ability to just boil down and explain Tung theory in simple bite-sized
digestible chunks of erudition.
Most valuable for all of us is that Dr. Whisnant is taking great care to drill
down on the nature of this topic as an attempt to dive deeper on a very specific
subject of Tung acupuncture. His decision to release this as an eBook in order
for this information to get out at a lower price is his hope to make it more
accessible to a greater number of people. Thus, helping us, help more patients.
Brian Kelly, LAc
New York, NY 2016
This Headache e-book is the 7th book in the series of Master Tung-style,
Balance/Distal Acupuncture by Dr. Brad Whisnant. Due to its rapid and
predictable results, this style of acupuncture is becoming more widely known and
practiced.

Dr. Whisnant’s publications have been a real disruptor and game changer to the
industry. Until recently there were very few non-point location books on the
practical application of Tung-style acupuncture. Textbooks were dry schematics
of point location with the myriad clinical indications that the point treats.
Indications were diseases that one will never see in a first world private practice
such as: TB, Cholera, Dysentery. If you were lucky to find a decent textbook,
some of the texts are known to contain well-known errata or some errors were
strategically placed so that you would have attend a seminar to get the
corrections.

“It is fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of
failure.”

- Bill Gates

Distal acupuncture makes it ridiculously easy to take the pain away. Often you
read about the home runs, the unicorn and rainbow stories of how the patient
was cured by the Grandmaster with 3 needles in one visit. But how often do you
hear about the ones who did NOT get better? You rarely hear stories about the
follow-up, how long was the carryover, what changed after the first visit, what
happened visit to visit and how was it handled? Did the patient not return
because they ACTUALLY got better or was it ASSUMED they were better because
they had a weak practitioner who was unable to persuade the patient to come in
more than once and they just NEVER came back?

You learn more from your failures than your successes. What I love about Brad’s
books is he talks about the good and the bad. Famous points that he found didn’t
work so great as touted, better applications of points, cases that went well and
cases where the patient wasn’t responding and how he adapted visit to visit.

The fastest way to get good… fast at this style of work is to have a lot of
reference experiences and treat many patients. Brad and I did it by volunteering
abroad and building high volume practices. If that isn’t an option for you, then
reading his books are a way to harness his experiences of what did and did not
work in real world clinical cases. This book gives you a window to compress time
and virtually shadow someone who consistently sees 120 patient visits a week,
week after week without having to apprentice for peanuts “painting the fence” or
having to take time off from your clinic.
 “The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.”

-Albert Einstein

Brad writes “Bread and Butter” books. Which is to say, every day Western
lifestyle conditions that 80% of your patients will come in with that are paying
the bills and building your practice. He has a gift for taking the overly
complicated and being able to distill and teach it making it tangible with real
life cases into something practical that you can use Monday morning in private
practice. He is able to make it look effortless and show you that it’s easy to
reproduce those results on your own patients.

If you internalize the concepts in this book, you should have no problem building
a successful practice and being able to help the patients that other Neurologists,
MDs, Acupuncturists, Chiropractors, and Physical Therapists in your area have
not.

Bio:

Dr. Will Zuhira is a Chiropractic Physician who uses functional medicine, brain-
based neuromodulation and distal, Tung-style acupuncture for difficult to treat
chronic conditions. For the past 10 years, he runs a busy private practice near
Chicago, Illinois and has been a Medical Volunteer healing patients with
acupuncture in Ecuador and Nepal. He is the author of “Peripheral Neuropathy:
What to do when the medications don’t work” and also mentors licensed
acupuncturists on how to treat niche chronic conditions and how to build
successful profitable practices working only four days a week.
CHAPTER 1
 BIO

“I am not a teacher: only a fellow traveler of whom you asked the way. I
pointed ahead of myself as well as of you.”
George Bernard Shaw

rad Whisnant is a Licensed Acupuncturist and Certified Medicinal

B Herbalist. A native of Oregon, he graduated from the Oregon College of

Oriental Medicine and then later from Emperor's College with his Doctor of
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM.)
Dr. Whisnant is a talented practitioner and an avid student of Dr. Jimmy Chang, Dr.
Richard Tan, and Dr. Wei Chieh Young.
Dr. Whisnant brings 3,000 years of Chinese Medicine into the present by
incorporating modern research and clinical relevance in his treatment strategies. He
has run volunteer acupuncture clinics in Vietnam, Honduras, India and America.
Treating over one hundred patients per day has enabled him to apply distal
acupuncture methods and determine which method is most effective. He teaches a
unique blend of The Balance Method and Master Tung Acupuncture theories.
Ultimately, his goal is to take acupuncture theories out of the textbook and into the
clinic, and prove what works.
He has an acupuncture clinic in St. Helens, Oregon, where he treats one hundred
patients per week. Dr. Whisnant has given over 65,000 treatments to patients
worldwide. He attributes his business success to using distal methods, which are
effective immediately, and he encourages his patients to continue with care. He has
also written a series of books on Tung Acupuncture, and The Balance Method. The
books are a combination of theory and actual case studies. Dr. Whisnant recently
released an app on Bloodletting, which has been huge hit amongst his fellow
practitioners. (You can find the books at http://bit.ly/BWBooks and Dr. Whisnant’s
app on the Apple app store.)
Dr. Whisnant spent many years attending courses both by Wei Chi Young and
Richard Tan and also off and on at Richard Tan’s clinic shadowing Dr. Tan.
Dr. Whisnant continues to lecture both domestically and internationally. His
lectures cover a myriad of subjects from practice management, Master Tung
Acupuncture, Balance Method Acupuncture and resolving venous congestion
(Bloodletting). He also teaches at numerous Doctoral Programs all across the
country.

Pictured above is a patient at the Free India Medical Clinic. Over one hundred people were treated each day, six
days a week for three months. Over 8,000 treatments were given.

Pictured above is a small village in Honduras. Dr. Whisnant at one point owned land in Honduras and set up a
free medical clinic. This is a village that Dr. Whisnant treated at.
Pictured above is Dr. Whisnant treating a young child in Vietnam. Dr. Whisnant has done seven volunteer camps
in Central and South Vietnam.

Pictured above is Dr. Whisnant treating in the jungles of Vietnam. He would walk from house to house treating
those in need in the local village after his day of treating at the makeshift clinic. Our last clinic in 2015 we treated
1500 people a week.

In 2007, He graduated from Acupuncture School and started a non-profit, and

volunteered for three years. He volunteered in India, Vietnam, Honduras,
Guatemala, and in America.
Today, in his clinic, he sees one hundred people a week on his own. Each patient is
treated individually, no group treatments, no assembly line acupuncture. He sees
25-30 people a day, and works Monday thru Thursday with three treatment rooms.
His wife runs the front office and Dr Whisnant makes all the herbs, handles all the
treatments, insurance, cleaning, laundry, ordering of supplies and materials. They
have only been open since March, 2010. Dr. Whisnant had 76 clinic treatments the
first week they were open in St. Helens and never looked back. They did not know
anyone in the area when they opened. It was a small town of 12,000 people, mostly
of fisherman/farmers/blue collar workers. No acupuncture center had ever been in
the town.
Dr Whisnant attributes his success because of the results in the clinic and that is
attributed to Master Tung and Dr Tan method.
A quote from Dr Whisnant to sum it up in a few sentences?
“I'm just Brad. I have no magic needle, no golden touch; I have no privileged
information or powerful potions. If I can do it, anybody can! Step by step, needle-
by-needle, and patient-by-patient. We learn. All this information is available to
everybody. There are no secrets! The secrets we gain are thru treating patients.”

“You just need to PRACTICE and CRITICALLY think. WHY??

If you are ready to have amazing results, instant results, results today, on all
patients, all the time, no matter what? Then read on!”
CHAPTER 2
Headaches
 think acupuncture is PERFECTLY situated for healing and providing solutions
I for headaches of all types for all patients. Just treating pain and headaches you
could treat 1000’s of people that suffer daily! People that have no options, and
people are in pain. We can help! It’s that easy! Western medicine has zero or at best
solutions that are effective only 50% of the time. This is not to put down Western
Medicine; it’s just they have few effective cures for headaches/sinus/TMJ problems
minus surgery. When surgery is needed? Nothing else will do, and thank the dear
Lord we have that option. I had four nose surgeries when I was younger. But 97 out
of 100 people WILL NOT need surgery and will still suffer from horrible head
problems.
Acupuncture is amazing for headaches and Dr. Tan and Master Tung’s methods
(better known as distal needling) is absolutely an amazing way to fix 95%+ of all
patient’s day in and day out with 95% + “feeling better with no pain” immediately
at each treatment.
I don’t care if it’s a cluster/tension/one eyed headache, migraine, sinus, TMJ,
stress, allergy, hormone, you name it, liver yang rising, who cares; if it’s a
headache (head problem)? I want to treat it! The treatment is effective, quick,
amazing, and we are offer a solution that Western Medicine cannot. I think in the
future I’ll open just a head (ache/problem/disease) clinic, that’s how amazing
acupuncture is for head pain, in particular this style of acupuncture is great for head
pathologies (all types)
So many patients have “headaches”. It’s a wonderful thing to treat! What I have
provided here is a blueprint to amazing success, not in 10 years, not in 10 months,
not after 10 treatments and not after you fix the kidney Yang Xu. Its success for the
first treatment, 2 seconds after the needle goes in. It’s for healing, not just treating
the pain, but the whole body; the branch and root!
How many times have we all had patients that have tried every drug, every therapy,
every conceivable medical device or scan and yet, nothing helps? Nobody knows
why the patient still has a headache. It just blows me away. If we have checked
everything, and everything is negative at some point, don’t we want to ask, “Maybe
your headache is NOT coming from your head?”
What is the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over again and again and
expecting a different result. Why do we, all medical providers, treat 100% of
headaches as if the pain is from the head? If the head is not getting better, we need
to look elsewhere within the patient.
Headaches are much like skin issues. I use to work at the Columbia Asthma Allergy
Clinic. Where I was there herbalist on staff. We saw a ton of patients with skin
problems. Now dermatology is really not that effective, and this is coming from the
dermatologist I worked side by side with. He told me, almost always the skin was
diseased NOT because some influence from the outside was affecting the skin but
some INTERNAL pathology was happening. That dysfunction was showing up
through the skin. The problem with dermatology, he said, was that most, if not all of
the products that treat the skin do so from the outside. He would give medicine to
his patients to put on the rash, bumps or whatever it may be. He knew, and was
always frustrated that the skin issue was stemming from the inside of the patient and
he had to fix that, if he wanted to fix the skin.
Headaches are at times like this. I have had many patients with back pain, fatty
livers, hypertension, pancreatitis, Epstein Barr, fungus, gallstones, asthma, acid
reflux, hormones, low spinal fluid, throat contractures, and hernias. All these things
had been misdiagnosed, or not diagnosed, and the patients had simply been given
medicine for their headache. So many times I have seen headaches that are not
coming from their head. When you treat a headache and it does NOT get better? The
headache is not coming from the head.
In my clinic, if the headache does not get better, it is almost always a hormone
issue, an inflamed liver, an allergy, or a gut problem. My picture at the beginning of
the chapter shows the vascularity in the human head. One can see that if there is a
disruption of any blood flow, inflammatory or blockage you will feel it in your
head. How many times have I treated 20-year headaches because the person had
never been checked for hypertension? Or the person that had headaches for the last
ten years as their hormones had been declining. Another example is my patients that
have had headaches for decades but nobody bothered to check the environmental
toxins they were around at home or at work.
What do we need to have a head free of headaches? We need proper blood flow,
nutrients and oxygen (Qi) all flowing to the head. We need to have relaxed muscles;
the neck is HUGE culprit of headaches in our modern day cultures, also upper
shoulder tension. How many of your patients have headaches that stem from tight
muscles in their neck and shoulders? That is most people in America. Modern day
pathologies, such as all the headaches from looking at screens all day, our TV,
iPhones, computers, iPad etc. Nobody ever looks at nature anymore; we look at a
screenshot of nature!
Realize many headaches, just like the skin, are an “ending place.” The skin, as the
head, many times is not inflamed because of some allergen that came in contact
with the skin. Nor is the head in pain because your head had a trauma. Many times
the skin is inflamed due to pathology inside, and that pathology shows up in the
skin. Headaches are much the same. As an example, hormone imbalances will not
show up as a hormone imbalance, it will manifest as a headache.
This whole system of acupuncture, The Balance Method, I Ching Method, Master
Tung points are so effective at headaches, if the headache doesn’t go away, then you
will know immediately that the headache is not from the head. Acupuncture has
been working for 3,000 years on patients just like we have today. If it’s not
working? It’s not the patient, it’s not the points, it’s not the President nor the school
that taught us. It’s my fault! I have failed my patient. We must look at ourselves as
healers. We have failed.
I have had three migraines in my entire life. I swear to God, I wanted to put a bullet
in my head! They are horrible! Many of my patients talk of their migraines as if it
were like eating ice cream after dinner a few nights a week. “Yeah, I have two to
four migraines a week, every week.” I gasped! Dear Lord! How can anybody just
live with that? They are horrible! This is what you can bring to people’s lives. You
can give them back their sanity, their livelihood! You can do it quickly, affordably,
side effect free and not just treat the headache but if needed correct the underlying
imbalances. Unfortunately, this is a huge part that Western Medicine misses. They
just stare at the finger pointing to the moon and they miss all the heavenly glory.
CHAPTER 3
Headaches Simplified
 headache as I’m sure we all know is the symptom of pain located anywhere
A in the region of the head or neck. People get headaches for many different
reasons. Some causes of headaches are illness related, others are triggered
by stress either physical or emotional or even your environment (light, noise, strong
odors, allergens) can be a cause of headaches for some. Headaches usually are a
symptom of an underlying problem which may be a transient one or a more serious
health concern. On many occasions, the headaches are of unknown origin. A
majority of people can continue working with a headache but some types are severe
enough to limit any sort of activity.
Types of headaches
There are many types of headaches, often the type of headache is given a
descriptive term depending on how it presents. Below is an illustration of the more
common types of headaches.

Sinus Headaches
Caused by blockage or acute infection of the sinuses, sometimes accompanied with
a fever. Sinus headaches can get worse throughout the day. Sinus HA's are rare and
many times are misdiagnosed as migraine or cluster headaches. Causes of sinus
HA's are infection, nasal polyps, anatomical deformities, such as deviated septum
that blocks the sinus ducts.
Tension headache
This type is mostly associated with emotional issues that include any form of
mental stress and depression. It constitutes majority of headaches. And it is more
prevalent in women. Tension headaches are most often felt as a band of pain across
the forehead. Usually they tend to get worse as the day progresses, but tension
headaches do not get worse with activity so most people are able to carry on with
most of their activities. Often the source of tension headaches are tight muscles on
the back of the neck and over the scalp. So anything that causes these muscles to
become tight can potential lead to a tension headache. These causes can include
both physical and mental tension. Tiredness, stress, anxiety and an awkward
sleeping position. Working long hours bent over a computer may also trigger them.
Some people get tension headaches if they drink too much caffeine or alcohol, if
they don't drink enough water or if they go for a long time between meals and
become tired and hungry.
Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Headaches
Often causes severe pain and discomfort located on the temples and in front of the
ears. The temporomandibular joint is the cause of these headaches. It can be
temporary or last many years. It might affect one or both sides of your face. More
women than men have it, and it’s most common among people between the ages of
20 and 40. TMJ headaches are caused by stress, jaw tension and injury to your jaw,
the joint, and in particular to the muscles of jaw themselves. Direct trauma to the
jaw like from a heavy blow or whiplash can cause be a major cause of TMJ
headaches. The TM joint is the most active joint in your body and some studies
show that approximately 75% of the population suffers from TMJ headaches at
some point in their lives.
Cluster headaches
Cluster headaches are the least common type of headaches. They are named cluster
headaches because they occur in groups or clusters. These clusters are periodic
headaches that can appear several times throughout the day without warning. They
are sharp, one sided and debilitating when present, usually in the vicinity of the eye
and can be more painful and severe than migraines but fortunately don’t last as
long. Cluster headaches are also known by their nickname “suicide headaches”
because of the intensity of pain that they bring on. Attacks can occur for weeks, or
even months. They can go into remission for months or years only to reappear
suddenly. The etiology of cluster headaches is unclear, but they tend to be more
prevalent in men. Do to the cyclical nature of cluster headaches there is thought that
they might be a connection to the body’s circadian rhythms and the hypothalamus.
Migraine headaches
Migraines are one of the most common types of headaches in adults. Women are
three times more susceptible than men to get migraines. They are a serious and
often debilitating form of headache. The exact etiology of this condition is not
understood but there appears to be a link between brain circulation and serotonin
levels. You can get migraines at any age, but they’re most common before the age of
40. About half of all people who get migraines have a family history of them.
Some women suffer from menstrual cycle related migraine, often referred to as
hormonal headaches. This appears before menses as one of the symptoms of
premenstrual syndrome; during menses and after the periods.
Other headaches
Headache and Neck pain associated with trauma: acute post trauma pain or
chronic post trauma pain
Headache from vascular disorders: cerebral thrombosis, intracranial
hemorrhage and stroke
Headache from nonvascular disorders: high or low cerebrospinal fluid
pressure (ex: post lumbar puncture), high pressure hydrocephalus and
intracranial infection
Headache from substances or their withdrawal: Acute Exposure- alcohol,
caffeine, nitrites, MSG Chronic Exposure- ergotamine, analgesics acute
withdrawal: alcohol chronic withdrawal: caffeine, narcotics, ergotamine
Headache from noncephalic infection: viral, bacterial
Headache from metabolic disorder: hypoxia, hypoglycemia, dialysis
Treatment
Some headaches will resolve spontaneously. Others will respond to common OTC
or prescription painkillers such as (NSAIDs), such as naproxen (Aleve) or
ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others). While others will need to be fully
investigated until the underlying cause is established and treated.
Be careful with chronic headaches as they could be a pointer to more serious
problems in the brain and this should be ruled out or confirmed.
For more detailed information on headaches visit the International Headache
Society http://ihs-classification.org/en/
Dr. Richard Tan and Master Tung

I briefly mentioned and discussed Dr. Tan and Master Tung. Together they make up
the distal acupuncture styles that I use in my clinic and that I write and teach about.
If you are unfamiliar with these two styles don’t worry because you’re about to get
a crash course. And the reason I’m doing so is because not only is distal
acupuncture So effective for pain issues, but I don’t think many patients suffering
from headaches would appreciate you trying to stick needles in their already
throbbing heads.
Dr. Richard Tan
Dr Tan made all this possible for all of us. If you have never heard of Dr. Tan, I
highly suggest you google him as soon as you finish reading this book. He
revolutionized acupuncture for all of us. I also strongly suggest anybody interested
in Dr. Tan (rest in peace) take his courses that are being offered by amazing
intelligent clinically effective people.
For the purposes of this book? It’s enough to say, if you don’t do the Dr. Tan’s
balance method? You should. Your patients will thank you. We could write pages
and pages of who and what Dr. Tan taught but it’s enough to summarize what he was
best known for:
“Li Gan Jian Ying 立竿見影 means “stand a pole and see its shadow”. The
Balance Method is known in the acupuncture community as a system which
gets « instant results »”

Dr. Tan
Excerpt from Dr Tan’s book, “12 Magical” (please buy his amazing book)
Dr. Tan’s systems relies on the I Ching. The I Ching has many systems of “balance”
and Dr. Tan taught 6 of them. Below are the basics of that. Please read his books
and take his seminars for the correct education. My other books go into GREAT
DETAIL on his theory.
System 1 Chinese Meridian Name-Sharing:
(Needle: Opposite Side)
Example:
A patient presents with left-sided tennis elbow on Hang Yang Ming (Large
Intestine) in the area of Quchi (LI 11). The needled meridian is Foot Yang Ming
(Stomach) on the right side. Point selection is accomplished by using the Mirroring
Format, as discussed in a later section. Dubi (ST 35), or an ashi point near Dubi
(ST 35), would be the appropriate knee point to treat this elbow pain.
System 2 Branching Meridians:
(Needle: Either Side)
Example:
A patient presents with a sprained ankle on Foot Shao Yang at Qiuxu (GB 40) on
the right side. The needled meridian is the Hand Shao Yin. The appropriate point to
use is Shenmen (HT 7) on the right or left side. Needle the side that is more ashi.
System 3 Interior/Exterior Pairs:
(Needle: Opposite Side)
Example:
A patient presents with left-sided knee pain on the Foot Jue Yin channel at Ququan
(LR 8). The needled meridian is Foot Shao Yang on the right side. The appropriate
point is Yanglingquan (GB 34) using the Mirroring format.
System 4 Clock Opposites:
(Needle: Either Side)
Example:
A patient presents with pain along the Hand Tai Yang (Small Intestine) channel at
Bingfeng (SI 12) – Jianwaishu (SI 14) on the left scapula. The needled meridian is
Foot Jue Yin (Liver) channel on the left side or the right side. Using the Imaging
Format, the appropriate point is around Zhongfeng (LR 4) – Ligou (LR 5).
System 5 Clock Neighbors:
(Needle: Opposite Side)
Example:
Patient presents with headache along the Foot Shao Yang (Gallbladder) channel at
Shuaigu (GB 8). The needled meridian is Hand Shao Yang, the San Jiao meridian.
The appropriate point to needles is Tianjing (SJ 10) using the Imaging Format.
System 6
Theory says either side, but clinically it’s best if it’s same side.
Same channel, same side. LU treats LU, PC treats PC etc.
This article was taken out of Dr. Tan’s book Dr. Tan’s Strategy of Twelve Magical
Points
System 7 Why Not? Read ON

MASTER TUNG
What is the Tung method?
Master Tung summarized this as follows, "If the diagnosis is exact, the location of
points is accurate, and the needle technique is skillful, the result will be quick and
successful. No other school of acupuncture can surpass its effectiveness." (Wei Chi
Young from his book on Master Tung)
Master Tung Ching–Chang was born in 1915 and passed away in 1975.
There are hundreds of Tung’s unique acupuncture points distributed mostly on the
extremities of the body. Tung Acupuncture is well known for its unique set of
points, being a complete system that includes its own unique channels and points.
Many points are the same location as TCM points many are not. The points have
names and they have numbers. Some just have names and no numbers.
Tung Acupuncture is based on a five Zang and six Fu channel system, different from
the traditional 14 channels of TCM's acupuncture. Each of Tung's points has its own
pathway which directly connects to the five Zang and six Fu. The interesting thing
to note about Master Tung acupuncture that depending on the teacher; you will hear
a different as to “why and how’ it all works. Why is this? It is because it was
Master Tung never explained his points or theory and left each student to, in the
words of Master Tung, “think for yourself”. I was taught by Wei Chi Young and my
understanding flows from him. There are many different theories and ideas as to
why the Tung points work so well. To me it’s a moot point. They work, that’s good
enough for me. Master Tung is regarded as one of the best acupuncturist in the last
500 years. Remember Master Tung theory is a guide, it doesn’t make the points
work, they work with or without our understanding of the theory.
Master Tung and Dr. Richard Tan use the same system?
Many people say Dr Tan and Master Tung are the same. This is usually said
because both Masters use “distal points”. The “same system” is only partially true.
They have similarities of course, but there are vast differences as well. Both have
their strengths and both have their weaknesses. I combine them freely in this book
but it is only because I use the theory of both of them correctly and the application
correctly.
Such as the systems of balance with Dr. Tan and the 5 Zang dysfunction of Master
Tung. In the end they are the same, yes; but the starting point was not. I urge you all
to learn more of Dr. Tan and Master Tung method either from my other books or
other amazing teachers. It will revolutionize your practice.
CHAPTER 4
What are these Jing Jin meridians?
 he Chinese use the term "Jing Luo" which means, channels, conduit,
T meridian, etc. According to acupuncture theory, these are the invisible
channels through which Qi circulates throughout the body. The acupuncture
points, or holes, as the Chinese term “Xue” is more aptly translated, are the
locations where the Qi of the channels rises close to the surface of the body. There
are 12 main meridians, six of which are Yin and six are Yang and numerous minor
ones, which form a network of channels throughout the body.
I first learned of the Dao of Chinese medicine in 2007 when Bob Doane introduced
the book to me while I was at his clinic. He had told me to read the Dao of Chinese
medicine by Kendall and that it would change my practice. It did! Reading the Dao
of Chinese medicine unlocked all the secrets of the Tung method. The Dao of
Chinese medicine led me to the “Jing Jin” by Legge and both of those books led me
back to the Ling Shu where it all comes from. Looking at those 3 books and then
applying them back to the mystery of the Tung method, it all made sense. I would be
remiss though if I didn’t thank Bob Doane for telling me to read the Dao of Chinese
Medicine. Bob has not only helped me but 1000’s of others in our field of
medicine. Bob has been a leader in our industry and I’m thankful for what he has
shared with us all.
In acupuncture, each meridian is related to, and named after, an organ or function,
the main ones are: The Lung, Kidney, Gallbladder, Stomach, Spleen, Heart, Small
Intestine, Large Intestine, Gall Bladder, Urinary Bladder, San Jiao (three heater)
and Pericardium (heart protector/ or circulation sex meridian.)
There are also eight extraordinary channels in acupuncture that are considered
reservoirs supplying Qi and blood to the twelve regular channels. These are
believed to have a strong connection to the kidney.
The Jing Jin meridians are a “network of secondary meridians that form part of the
meridian system in Chinese medicine.” This is from David Legge’s book, Jing Jin:
Acupuncture Treatment of the Muscular System using the Meridian Sinews. These
channels can be thought of as another system, much like the “sinew,”
“extraordinary,” and “internal” channels. One reason we can see immediately why
the “Jing Jin” channels might be so useful for pain is that “Jin” means sinew, and/or
muscle and even includes the theory/concept of tendons. Just the name “Jing Jin”
implies it must do something for muscles, ligaments, tendons, and sinews.
In David Legge’s book, he states that the history of the Jing Jin meridians was first
mentioned in Ling Shu in Chapter 13. He states that this part of the Ling Shu (and it
does, I have read the chapters he mentions) discuss their pathways. I think one
reason why there are discrepancies between authors is for this reason: The form of
communication of this theory was written, and not graphical, and thus leads to
different interpretations. Though they are different to some degree, many people,
myself included, find many similarities between the “muscle tendino channels,” the
“Jing Jin” and the “sinew channels.”
There is not much else written about the Jing Jin meridians, but I think that is
normal. In most of the ancient texts of Chinese Medicine less than 15% is actually
devoted to acupuncture, per se.
If we look classically at how we are advised to use the Jing Jin it is quite different
than I am suggesting; such as the quick insertion and withdrawal of a hot needle. I
like the Jing Jin/muscle tendino channels for the muscles that they control and areas
that they can influence in treating painful disorders.
There is mention in the Nan Jing/Ling Shu Chapter 9 of “distribution vessels, which
constitutes a comprehensive discussion on the distribution vessels superficial and
deep pathways.” In Donald Kendall’s book, Dao of Chinese Medicine, Kendall
states “the Chinese vascular system are organ-related blood vessels in the
neurovascular system are critical to nutrients, defensive substances, substance of
vitality, and oxygen from vital air to all the internal organs, glands, muscular tissue,
tendons, bones, the brain, neural tissue, sensory system, and skin, and transport
metabolic waste products for disposal, including carbon dioxide out to the lungs for
exhalation.” These pathways as Kendall and Legge state from the “classics” help
give us detailed information about what and why these pathways are and why they
are so important for treating many issues, in particular for the relevance of this
book on pain.
Theoretically, why are the Jing Jin so wonderful at treating pain? Jin refers to
wood, and or the liver. The liver controls the tendons, sinews and infers muscles.
Some translations of Jin even mean “film” much like the fascia covering the
muscles.
Legge states that this is the “secret” strength of the “Jin,” that it helps so much with
the fascia, and connective tissue.
For many of us who treat pain, we know that from a western standpoint, the fascia,
and connective tissues are of utmost importance in treating muscle pain. Again
Legge points this out in his book Jing Jin. Even Maciocia says that the Jing Jin
could be just treated as “channel-like muscles.” You can even think of why the Jing
Jin meridians are similar to “muscle trains. Consider how one muscle connects to
and becomes the other muscle, for example.
In the “west” we like to think of each muscle as distinctly different from the others.
However, in all actuality, the muscles run together. This is why we can use distal
needles and have such a profound effect. Newsflash! It is all connected!
The idea that another “channel” and/or “vessel” does exist and exerts a strong
effect on the muscles is the idea to be grasped. One should continue further by
reading “Jing Jin” by David Legge and The Dao of Chinese Medicine by Donald
Kendall.
So how does all this affect our treatment and headaches? In TCM we think that GB,
SI, TW, LI, ST, BL all run through the face. While I no doubt agree on this, I would
also suggest that the Jing Jin or muscle tendino channels run through the face/head
and are better channels at treating pain vs the TCM channels.
Take for example the “front of the head.” We are taught in school that is the “Yang
Ming headache.” But the frontalis muscles are NOT controlled or fed by the Yang
Ming, instead it is controlled/fed by the Foot Shao Yang, the GB. If you treat the GB
you will have much better success with your frontal headaches, assuming it is the
frontalis muscle.
Why in TCM is LI 4 considered the Master of the Face? Is it empirical? It just is? I
would say no! The LI treats the ST. The ST controls most of (90%) of the face via
the Jing Jin relationship. The other 10% is the LI. The LI also fixes itself. So the LI
fixes the ST and fixes the LI. LI 4 is at the level of the eyes. One can see using the
image of the hand and the LI channel will have a great effect of the face.
We are told that the side of the head is the Foot Shao Yang, the GB. The Jing Jin
agree with this, but it also says that the TW and the SI control muscles on the side
of the head. The GB covers the large area on the temporal side, the TW controls an
area above the ear and SI controls the small ear muscles just above the helix. The
next time you treat a “Shao Yang headache” it will behoove you to realize that the
headache on the temporal side of the head is much more than just the GB. It is the
GB, the TW and the SI.
Now you can see why HT 3 or HT 8 are so powerful at treating temporal
headaches. The image of HT 3 and HT 8 is at eye level and the HT not only fixes
the GB but also fixes the SI. The only channel we have not fixed is the TW. The HT
does NOT treat the TW. What if we choose HT 3 or HT 8 and the headaches is still
there? It is not that we chose the wrong point or wrong channel; it is that we have
chosen or treated all the channels. We have not treated the TW. We need an
additional channel. Such as the PC, GB, KD, these all treat the TW. It’s not enough
to know what you know; you must know what you don’t know. That will elevate
your treatments.
You can use the TCM channels and the systems of balance and or Tung points and
just hope for the best. Yes, that does work. But, if you want a better, more consistent
outcome, then you need to see, realize, understand and treat the Jing meridians.
If you treat the Jing Jin meridians with the 6 systems of Dr. Tan’s balance
method? Your distal/Dr Tan/balance method I Ching treatments will improve
by 50% overnight. This is one reason why the Tung system is so amazing I
think. These relationships are already plugged in to Master Tung’s system.
Amazing isn’t it? Again nobody REALLY knows the “why” behind the Tung
method It was said Master Tung never told his students the “why”. They were
told to think for themselves. But if we look at the Tung points and their
amazing effect and work backwards? It is evident Master Tung was using/ or
had already applied this idea. His point choices, channel choices and theory all
indicated this system; the concept of the Jing jin, though he never publically
stated it.
There are many reasons why the Master Tung system is amazing and this idea
of the Jing jin/ muscle tendino channels might be one of the secrets as its
world famous success.
Here is a review of the channels that control muscles. These muscles and groups
are adapted from the “Dao of Chinese Medicine” by Kendall and the “Jing Jin” by
legge. There are minor differences depending on the author. I have included how I
view each muscle in my clinic with my patients based on my clinical experience
and outcomes.
Bladder Vessel
Occiput, all the small muscles in the back of the head, the SCM etc. (some
authors have the SCM as the GB)
(back of head, BL 7-8-9-10)
Gallbladder Vessel
Frontalis muscle (this is different TCM, it teaches Yang Ming is frontal
headache)
Temporalis (GB 1-20)
The Gallbladder is an interesting channel in the fact it is the only channel in
the Tung system that doesn’t really follow the Jing Jin system. It should not via
the Jing jin treat TMJ/Jaw problems but it does. Some things and ideas are
beyond channel and relationships. Some points, such as GB31 (88.25) are just
“that good”. They are so effective the rules don’t apply to them.
Stomach Vessel
All the muscles of the eyes, masseter, zygomaticus minor and major, and all of
the muscles in the front of the face, chin, nose, eye socket, and even
mid/lateral cheek muscles.
 (ST 1-12)
Kidney Vessel
Same as BL muscles, but deeper, the KD vessel is in the back, and it runs the
deep muscles of the spine. If there is long term chronic neck pain, you must
treat the KD. That is a vessel most people do not think about.
Small Intestine Vessel
Smallest muscles around the ear, auricularis superior/anterior/posterior, about
.5-1 cun above the ear.
The closest SI TCM point is SI 19 but that is in front of the ear, these muscles
are on top of/to the left and to the right of the ear.
Triple Warmer
Controls the muscles superior to the SI. These muscles are about 2-4 cun
above the ear, the temporoparietalis. This is different than TCM, which says,
the temporal side of the head is the GB. That is true, it is the GB, but under
the GB? Is the TW that controls the temporoparietalis. This is why when you
treat a GB HA and it doesn’t work, it is because you were unaware you had to
clear the TW and possibly the SI.
Large Intestine Vessel
Pterygoid muscle (very important for TMJ), buccinators muscles (very
important for chewing and TMJ), Depressor muscles (chin area) Think ST
muscles bigger muscles of face, and the LI the smaller muscles of the face/
(This is the LI 19-20 area)
Liver/Lung/Spleen/Pericardium/Heart
Do not have any muscles that they control in the face.
*though the Liver channel does run up the face, clinically, I do find the internal
branch of the liver (which Dr Tan never said to worry about) does indeed run
internally up the throat, thru the nose and to the vertex.
One can see, that the LI and ST make up 90% of the frontal face and that the BL and
GB make up 90% of the head. There are also 6 ways to balance the channels but
usually you will see me default to my favorites.
All 6 ways work when you balance a channel. THEY DO! But some ways work
better than others. My suggestion is Name Pairs (System 1, LU/SP), Zang Fu Bei
Jing theory (System 2, PC/ST), or Clock Opposite (System 4 LU/BL). You can
decide on your own, which ones work best. But for me, those are the 3
relationships that I prefer.
If you don’t want to think about balancing this or that, or picking this image or that
image; you can just look at my “cheat sheet.” It is what I have been using for years,
on every patient and every day for all issues in the head and face. I would like to
give you options and the theory behind so you do not feel enslaved.
By only knowing points, we become enslaved. But understanding WHY we choose
or pick points and we are freed from the shackles of “points.”
A cook follows the cookbook, enslaved by the recipe, but a chef? Now, a chef can
make your shoes taste good! And why? Because a chef understands how to create!
A chef understands flavors, textures, ingredients, cooking times, etc. A chef can take
anything and make it tasty. A cook can only do what they are told. A cook can only
follow. A chef can lead. This is what I hope for you.
I want you all to become your own chefs. You will first be a cook as your work
through this material and continue as a cook as you first treat. But then with just a
little experience? You can create! You will see for yourselves what works the best,
and you will be on your way! Soon enough, you will be able to take any patient and
create a wonderful medical dish.
I hope you enjoy my clinical notes I have jotted down. They are just one way to
create a recipe of medical success.
CHAPTER 5
Basic Images and Channel
Relationships
 here are a million images. By theory any body part can be an image, so, yes;
T any point anywhere can be an image of something. But clinically? We know
that there are certainly better images than others. Again, I have a full book
dedicated to images, called, “Mastering Tung Acupuncture.”
This book is not about delving into 300 pages of theory, images and channel
relationships but rather having a simple understanding of some very complex ideas.
As I always say, we may not know exactly why gravity works, but that’s okay. If we
drop a brick, we know it will fall. We DO NOT need to poke and pray, we needle
and see the results. Below are some of the most used images and channels in the
day to day clinic.
A word about “images.” I know we all like to say, “Just 1-2-3,” and I do agree, it is
great. We like to say, “This image is correct, your image is incorrect. I am right they
are wrong.” Here is the secret: The images don’t make your points work. The
points ALREADY WORK! The points work with or without our understanding of
“images.” We use images to help understand, mentally, why a point works or does
not.
Let’s not forget as well every system of acupuncture uses “images”. There is scalp,
hand, abdominal, ear, TCM (yes TCM does), Master Tung, Balance Method, I
Ching method, and others such as reflexology. Imaging is part of all of them. They
all vary a bit here or there but nobody, as they say, has corned the market on
images.
My wife does not know acupuncture, but if she does acupuncture on HT 3 she will
fix a GB headache on the opposite side. How could she? She does not understand
images or channels; she doesn’t even get “1-2-3.” The point just works! We use
images, channel relationships and catchy phrases so we, as humans, can try to
understand the beautiful healing that takes place.
The awareness of images may guide you in your choice of points but do not be
enslaved by them. They are meant as a guide, not as definitive law.
This first images below are of how the foot treats the head and below you will see
the hand treats the head. What is important is to be aware that the ankle (KD 3, BL
60) is the neck, C7/T1. The web margins of the toes and fingers are the eyes; the
tips of the fingers or tips of the toes are the top of the head. We can see why we
know LV 1 gets the vertex, HT 8 gets the eyes, and LI 5 treats neck pain at C7.
The next image, which I use a lot, is the whole face on the whole arm or whole leg.
Here you can see the elbow/knee is the eyes. The hip/shoulder is the chin/forehead
and what if we reverse it? The foot/hand is the chin or forehead. We can put the full
face on half the leg or half the arm. You can see why here LI 11 is great to use for
headaches on the face, or BL 40 fixes neck aches and posterior headache on the BL
or KD.

Here is an image that shows arms and legs and how they match to the head. It is
easy to see why all of these points that treat the head are based on so many images.

Here is another image how the body lays on the scalp line. Here we use the DU line
to fix the DU line.
Now you may ask, Dr. Whisnant, are there more images? Of course there are! There
is ear acupuncture, hand acupuncture, foot acupuncture, scalp, face, so many other
images or styles we can pick! It is quite fun and beautiful if you have the mental
gymnastics and fortitude to press on. These are just some basic images to help you
understand why distal needling works so well.
All these images are from the countless seminars I attended with Dr. Tan and the 4
years on and off I spent shadowing Dr. Tan in his clinic. The other images I speak
of are from Wei Chi Young and his lectures on Master Tung.
CHANNEL RELATIONSHIPS
Dr. Tan made famous Chao Chen’ work. Chao Chen spent over 40 years
understanding the I-Ching – this is what Dr. Tan’s 6 Systems of balance are based
off of. These 6 Systems of balance ALL WORK! Depending on what we are doing,
some channel relationships work better than others, but they all work for sure.
I would suggest for my practice, the best relationships are System 1, 2 and 4: all
opposite side. The best for me, is System 6 on the same side. But you will find your
favorites, we all do. You will go through phases where you just love how this one
relationship gets this issue, we all do. You will also go through times where you
just hate one system and find no results, it is okay, we all do.
You can spend your whole life on I Ching acupuncture and “balance” and still not
completely understand it. And yes, there are more than 6 Systems of balance.
Interesting to note, I just saw one of Chao Chen’s book that was in Chinese and was
translated for me. It was one of his books following the time Dr. Tan spent with
him. What I found most interesting was that Chao Chen shows additional
relationships of balance, new Gua systems, and different relationships that I had
never seen before. This is not to say Dr. Tan was incomplete or incorrect. It just
says that none of us have all the answers, not me - not you, not anybody.
These 6 systems of balance are all you will need. Unless you really want to study I
Ching acupuncture then I would urge anybody to continue. It is amazing. To read
Chao Chen’s notes on patients and read how he cured tinnitus with 2 needles
treating a 1/4 gua system of the KD and LI is mind blowing! For those of you who
know 3/6, 1/4 you will know what I am talking about.
You will see on most Dr. Tan charts that there is no “System 6.” What is System 6,
you ask? It’s just the same channel treats the same channel. (Would this sound better
as “System 6 translates as the same channel that treats the same channel?) Easy! It
can be either side, but I prefer it clinically on the SAME SIDE. Such as LU treats
LU, PC treats PC, HT treats HT and so on.
So if somebody has a frontal headache, what is that? Front just above the eyes is the
ST, frontal about the eyebrows is the frontalis muscle that is controlled by the GB.
So system 6 says ST for ST and GB for GB. We know from the previous pages we
can imagine the frontal headache at the knees/elbows; those are the eyes, or the
webbing of the hand or feet. Where are the ST and GB? The ST and GB are in the
feet/knees.
For System 6, ST for ST, GB for GB, we would treat the same side and use ST 42-
43-44 maybe ST 41, if needed. We would treat GB same side for GB, GB 42-43
and, if needed, GB 41. This would be imaging the head on the feet.
Simple, day in and day out. Patient by patient every day. That is how reliable and
predictable that is.
IN SUMMARY
All the credit is Dr. Tan’s, without him sharing these systems of balance with us all,
we all would know none of this. It is with great gratitude, respect and humility that I
was fortunate to meet, study and interact with him. He forever changed my medical
practice.
And lastly, talking about images is for you and me, patients and other medical
people do not care nor do they believe in images.
We could just say, that this point here at LI 3 innervates the radial nerves that goes
up the neck and innervates at the C5-6 area. At the C5-6 area the brain will release
enkephalins, endorphins and other endogenous pain relieving chemicals. This is
why it works, we are stimulating the brain to release pain killers at the spine. As
those pain messages goes up the spine (dorsal horn) to the brain they go past C5-6
area. As those screaming painful messages pass that “gate” at C5-6 those messages
get turned from screams to whispers by release of natural anti pain agents. It’s all
very scientific. See, we can talk images, we can talk science. Both ways are
correct, both ways have advantages and disadvantages. Pick which way it works in
your brain.
CHAPTER 6
Cheat Sheet: You Will Never Need
More
 elow is a list based off the Jing Jin/muscle tendino images that I use day in
B and day out for the last 7 years when it comes to treating the head and neck.
I have kept it to TCM point locations so you don’t have to learn any new
points. I have included Tung points when the location is the same at a TCM points.
Such as 88.25 is the same location as TCM GB 31. You should and will have
instant success in over 90% of all headache patients, every day, no matter what.
That’s how effective the distal system is. It’s not me, it’s the system. Reproducible,
repeatable, and dependable.
The strategy you will see is one of expanding my treatment area; such as I treat
more than I spot. I prefer to think of acupuncture much more like bloodletting. In
that, in bloodletting you go to the points but you bleed an area. The same holds true
for acupuncture. Sure there is a “point,” I guess, but really we are needling an
entire area. So if somebody has an issue at the eyes, a good image could be the
elbow. Instead of putting one needle in and trying for a miracle, which I try to do
every time, just insert 1 needle where the acupuncture point is, for instance HT 3 to
fix a GB headache. Now put in HT 3, and one more needle at HT 3.125 and one
more at HT 3.375 (I made those point numbers up.) The point is to think in terms of
an AREA not a point! Your patients will love you for it and you will love yourself
for all the success you are having.
You will see me overlapping my treatments. This means using more than just one
image. For example, the eyes can be imaged at the web margin of the foot, or the
hand. We can also image the eyes at the knees or elbows. Don’t use just one image,
use more than one! Again, your treatment outcomes will rise dramatically. Such as
ST 43 can (be?) the eyes, it is a great image and so can ST 36. Use both! See there
you are using 2 images. You imaged the foot and the knee. That’s huge for clinical
success
The last thing you will see is me being redundant. This means using more than one
channel to balance the diseased channel. An example would be top of the head
pain. We would say the LV controls the top of the head. So how do we balance the
LV? We can balance the LV with the PC, LI, LV, SI, GB. (There are more, but 5
ways is enough.) Don’t just use ONE channel to fix the Liver. Using more than one
channel to fix the Liver. That is being redundant.
We can all be Dr. Jesus next year, that’s fine, but this Monday when you go back to
your clinic? You need to run your clinic, pay the bills, treat patients and be
realistic. I always try to use as few as needles as possible, but my goal is to help
the patient. That means what exactly? I am not bound by a dogmatic view of “so
many or so few needles.” As I say, “As few as possible, as many as necessary.” I
always try to take the issue away with one needle, but clinically I know that is not
reality. You may need more than one channel, you may need more than one image,
and, yes, you may need more than one needle. IT IS OKAY! The body will not
explode, you will not drain the Qi, and you will not energetically screw people up.
You will not need all of these points or channels. My suggestion is do 1 or 2 sets,
ask the patient, not, “How do you feel?” (They will always say “It’s the same.” Do
one set of needles and then ask, “Where is your problem/pain/issue now?” By
asking ‘where’, the patient has to think and engage. It’s this moment that they
realize, after 20 doctors, 10 years, 5 medications, and 2 priests- that the one
acupuncturist just took their pain away with a few needles. How is that/could that
be possible the patient asks? Unbelievable? Sure, but it plays out like that in the
clinic, day in and day out. Not just for me, but for all of us that practice this method.
These are my cheat sheets I have used before. There is a lot of “why” and “theory”
that goes into many of these ideas and points, but basically? Even if you don’t
understand the theory, this works; plain and simple. It will work on Monday on
your first patient.
Are there a 100 other ways to do this same thing? OF COURSE! These are just
some of my personal treatment ideas over the last years.
A few things about these notes:
Always start opposite side first, many of the treatments say “bilaterally”. Just start
opposite side do your needles, give the patient 5 seconds and ask, “where is the
pain now?” If there has been ANY reduction at all? Then do the same side.
You may see some conflicting points, such as “well brad on this patient you did this
but then over here you saw the same patient and did different points, what gives?”
It’s ok, just breathe. It just shows there many ways to treat a patient and depending
on so many factors that is what drove me to those points. The beauty of the all the
choice! We are FREE to choose! Once you understand the “why” better, you will
see all the choice you have. There are many things that are going on and once you
understand it all it will make more sense. For now, just needle and be amazed at the
instant results and amazing healing that takes place.

(note system 6 is just same channel treats itself. This can same side or opposite side but clinically its proves
better on System 6 same channel same side)
(Same Side=SS, Opposite Side=OS, Either Side=ES)
The TOP of the head is controlled by the Liver. There can be some GB/BL up
there as well, usually not, but it can be, it is something to be aware of.
LV 1-2-3, ES, preferably SS
GB 42-43-44-45 OS
PC 7-8-9 ES
LI 1-2-3-4 OS
If needed, TW 1-2-3 OS
All Jing Well points on hands and/or feet
Base of heel, find an ashi point, if no ashi, just need base of heel, 1 cun distal
to base of heal, center line.
Example will have a vertex headache; it’s centered so there is “no” one side.
Needle R side LV1-2-3, L side GB 42-43-44-45, R side LI1-2-3 and check.
Usually the patient will be out of pain.

Front of the head, GB is frontalis and temporalis muscles.

HT 8, HT 3, HT 3.15, HT 3.25 ES, but preferably OS
GB 41-42-43, GB 31 (88.25 Tung point), GB 34 ES, but preferably SS
TW 2-3, TW 10 OS
LV 2-3-4, LV 8 ES, but preferably OS
Example. Left side headache, do R side HT 3, HT3.25 with L side GB 41-42-
43, GB 31. Almost 100% it’s gone.
Front of the head and tighter to the eyes, just above eyebrows, is the ST.
PC 8, PC 3, PC 3.125, PC 3.25 ES, but preferably OS
ST 41-42-43, ST 34-35-36 SS
LI 3-4-5, LI 10-11 OS
SP 2-3, and KD 2 (Tung points 66.10-11-12) AMAZING for frontal headache
controlled by the ST, ES, but preferably OS
Example: L side headache. R side, SP 2-3, KD 2 with L side ST 41-42-43, 35-
36

Front of the head on the DU line at Yin Tang.

Ren 10-11-12
DU 16-17-18
Example: either do Ren 10-11-12 or do DU 22-23-24

Eyes issues can be GB, but almost always ST.

HT 3, HT 8 ES
LV 3, LV 8 ES
ST 43, ST 36-37 (77.08 and 77.09 Tung points just are as close to tibia as
possible, amazing for eye headache pain)
GB 41-42, GB 34
Example: both eyes hurt, they hurt the same, pick one, or guess which is worst.
L side eye is the worst. Right side LV 3, LV 8 Left side “eyes of knee” ST 35-
36-37

If between the eyes at BL 2, Yin Tang area: (closer to BL 2)

Target the Bladder channel. This one time I don’t follow the Jing Jin/ Muscle
tendino relationships.
Needle bilaterally if needed
 LU 5, LU 10
SI 2, 3, 8
BL 63-64-65-66, 40
Example: inner canthus pain at BL1-2 area. R side is worse. R side BL 63-64-
65-66. Left side LU10, LU5 with Left side, SI 2 and SI 3

Nose problems, ST
LI 2-3-4-5, LI 10-11 OS
PC 3, PC 3.25 (all-time favorite), PC 8 (decent) ES, preferably OS
ST 42-43-44, ST 35, ST 36, eyes of the knee, ES, preferably SS
SP 2-3-4, SP 9, 8 OS
Example: nose is all plugged up. Bilateral PC 3-PC 3.25, bilateral LI 4 and
LI10,
bilateral ST44-43

Tongue problems, the HT opens to the tongue, fix the heart.

SP 7-SP 7.25, SP 8 ES, preferably OS
Any other channel that balances the HT such as KD, GB, SI, but I have found
the SP (clock neighbors with the HT) to be the best.
Example: SP 7, SP 7.5, SP 8 either side

Chin problems, ST and little bit of the LI. Mostly ST

You can go by “channel” but here one of the best clinically is to just needle the
palm of the hand. The chin images the palm of the hand. The whole face on the arm.
The forehead is the shoulder, eyes are elbow and the chin is the palm. It’s very
effective.

Lower Jaw is ST and Upper jaw is LI

Lower teeth are ST, Upper teeth are LI
Lower jaw/teeth pain-
ST 40, ST43 (SS) SP 3 SP 7 (OS)
PC 4 and PC 5 (SS) LI 3 and LI 4 (OS)
Upper Jaw pain/upper teeth pain
LI 3, LI 4 (SS) LU 6, LU 10 (OS)
KD 2 KD 8, KD 8.5 (SS) ST 40, ST 43 (OS)
Some amazing Tung points for Teeth pain are 77.23-23. (Look them up, Great,
GREAT points)

SINUS PROBLEMS
Frontal sinus (BL 2 area across top of eyebrow over to TW 23 area)
(controlled by the ST and some LI)
LU 4-5, LU 10, ES
PC 3, PC 3.25 ES
ST 36-37-38, 43-42 ES
SP 9-8-7, SP 3, ES
LI 2-3-4, LI 10-11 ES
Maxillary (in your upper cheek, just below eyes) (controlled by ST, and some LI)
PC 3.25, PC 3.5, PC 4 ES
LU 4, LU 5, LU 5.5, LU 10 ES
ST 36, ST 37, ST 38, ST 43 ES
SP 3, SP 7-9 ES
LI 2, LI 3, LI 4, LI 8, LI 9, LI 10, ES
LV 3, LV 4, LV 6, LV 7, LV 8,

Pain around the Ear.

Very close to the ears is controlled by SI, wider about 2-3 cun away from the ear is
the TW and the GB covers the whole side of the head. The ear can be a little
confusing. Think in terms of SI (smallest muscles around ear), TW (a little bigger
area around the ear) and the GB is the largest area around the ear.
HT 3, HT 8, ES, preferably OS
TW 2-3-4, 10 OS
LV 3, LV 4, LV 5, LV 8 ES preferably OS
GB 31, GB 32, GB 33, GB 34, GB 35, GB 36, GB 37, GB 41, GB 42 ES,
preferably SS
SP 4, SP 5, SP 8 SP 9 ES but preferably OS
EXAMPLE- temporal side ear/head pain R side. Left side HT 3, HT 3.25. HT
clears GB and SI. What’s left TW. Use Left side SP 8-9. SP will clear
remaining TW.

Headache pain Posterior controlled by BL

LU 5 LU 10 ES
SI 2-3, SI 4, SI 8 OS
KD 1-2-3
BL 40, BL 60, BL 62, BL 63, BL 64, BL 65 ES but preferably SS.
Example-. The back of the head usually doesn’t have a “side”. Do LU 5, LU
10, KD 1-2-3. Other foot BL 40

Lateral Side GB
HT 3, HT 8 ES
TW 3, TW 10 OS
GB 31, GB 34, GB 41, GB 42 SS
LV 2-3, LV 8 ES
Example. R side lateral HA, use L side HT 3 and HT 8.
Internal Brain pressure, brain swelling
I am sorry for this, but you will need to learn Tung points. Pure Balance
method is not that effective for this. About the best you can do with this is LV
 1-2-3, KD 1. It is much better if we use Tung points.
There is no side, since its internal.
55.06 (Brain reaction area on the foot, see foot reflexology, and even Dr. Tan
taught this point.)
77.01-2-3 on the posterior Achilles, the first point is 3.5 cun up from the heel,
the next point is 2 more cun proximal from the first. The 3rd point is 2 cun more
proximal from the 2nd points.
BL 40 bilaterally with 3 needles in each point.

TMJ Pain,
bigger muscles controlled by the ST, smaller chewing muscles controlled by
the LI and at times there is GB involved. It is best to treat all 3 channels.
PC 3-4-5 ES
LI 3-4-5-10 OS
GB 31-32-33-34, GB 41-42-43 SS
LV 3, LV 3.5 LV 4 ES
ST 41-42-43-44 ES
Some great Tung points, 77.22-23, 88.15 (GB 31),
Example. R side TMJ pain. R side GB 31-32-33-34, Left side, LV 3, LV 3.5,
LV, Left side LI 3-4-5, 10, R side, ST 44-43-42

ADDITIONAL CLINICAL PEARLS:

Wherever a channel starts or ends we need that corresponding point.
LI 20 area=Needle same side/bilaterally if needed LI 1-2
ST 1-2-3= Needle same side/bilaterally if needed ST 43-44-45
TW 23= Needle same side/bilaterally if needed TW 1-2
SI 19= Needle same side/bilaterally if needed SI 1-2
GB 1= Needle same side/bilaterally if needed GB 44-45
BL 1-2= Needle same side/bilaterally if needed BL 65-66-67
If you are just determined to needle locally, or closer to local?
Needle the EXACT SPOT OF PAIN on the opposite side of the head.
If a person hurts at BL 2 left side, needle BL 2 right side.
If a person hurts at GB 20 right side, needle GB 20 left side.
When it doesn’t work?
Breathe it’s been working for 3000 years, it’s me and you not the medicine
Go back and check your images, channels, and points
Make mild modifications, small modifications will yield huge changes
If it still doesn’t work? I guarantee they have cancer, a tumor, some blockage,
super scary dangerous issue, that’s how good acupuncture is. It’s a diagnostic
tool for deadly things. When it doesn’t work, you know the patient is in
trouble.
Do you need all those points? NO!!! NO!!! and again NO!!! I have provided
them so you can see how different ideas of treating can take place. I would say
you will need 5-15 needles. I usually like, PERSONALLY, a set of 3 needles
per limb all on different channels and using different images. For me,
personally, if they had a GB headache on the right side I would treat as
follows.
Left arm HT3, HT3.25, HT 8
Right arm, I would needle this last, if I needle it all.
Left, LV2-3 needles down to KD 1 LV 8
Right leg, GB 44-43-42, 34. GB3
You can see how I originally gave you 20-40 points for a headache on the GB and
this is how it looks clinically. Simple, immediate, effective, amazing.
The last bit is about the dreaded “referred pain”. What do we do if its referred
from somewhere else?
Breathe, relax and think. First If you can figure out where the referred pain is
coming from, treat that area. If you cannot figure out where the referred pain is
coming from just treat the area that is painful.
This is why I use more than one needle, more than one channel and use more than
one image to treat an issue. By expanding, being redundant and overlapping our
treatment we will almost always not only fix the pain the patient has but also fix the
origin of the referred pain. We are, as they say, “hedging our bets”.
This is also why you need to ask, “ok, where is your pain now?”. If its referred
from the area that you treated it will be fixed and a new area of pain will be
evident. That’s ok, then go treat that. Eventually you will clear, fix, cover, and heal
all the areas of pain regardless if its referred or not.
The easiest example is to look at sciatica. Sciatica comes out of the S2 area of your
sacrum. So do you treat the leg that the sciatica runs down or do you treat the
sacrum the root of the referred leg pain? TREAT BOTH! If you don’t know where
the sciatica is coming from then just treat where it hurts. As the low back pain gets
better and better you will be left with one pinpoint area of pain. That pinpoint area
of pain is the root. Then treat that as well.
CHAPTER 7
Neck Pain
 he upper neck is pretty easy, and I have devoted an entire book to it called,
T “Fast Neck and Back Pain Relief,” it covers EVERYTHING on the neck and
upper back. It is a fusion of The Balance Method and Master Tung. For the
purposes of this material we don’t need to go into that much detail but it is out there
and it is amazing if you want to master the upper back and neck.
The important thing we need to know clinically for headaches and the neck are the
JJ/MT channels (Jing Jin and muscle tendino channels) our TCM channels and the
correct images.
From a TCM perspective we have TW 16, GB 20 and BL 10 areas. The JJ/MT, I
think, clinically, will serve you better and the BL, which covers the upper neck,
SCM, splenius cervics/captious and then below that is the KD. BL is more
acute/superficial, and the KD is more chronic/deeper.
The images that we can use are the hands and feet. The DIP knuckles (LI 3, TW 3,
SI 3, LV 2, ST 44, GB 43, BL 65 are all represent the neck, C1 area. As we move
towards to the wrist joint (LI 5, SI 4 zone) or BL 60/KD 3 zone we are imaging C7
area. The hand and foot covers C1 to C7.
To treat the neck, C1-7, we can needle SI 3, SI 3.5, SI 3.75, SI 4, and SI 5. The SI
clears the BL and will to some extent, via system 7, clear the BL.
We could needle LI 3, LI 3.5, LI 4, LI 4.5 and LI 5. This will clear the KD from C1-
7.
We could needle the BL 60-61-62-63-64-65. This will clear the KD and the BL.
We could needle KD 2-3, KD 3.5 KD 7 to clear the KD and BL.
We could needle GB 40-41-42-43-44 to clear the TCM GB if we thought it was
there. Via the Jing Jin some authors say that the GB controls the SCM so there is at
times “GB” up in the neck.
If we thought we needed it, we could needle TW 3, SI 3.5, SI 4, TW 4.5 to clear the
KD and TCM GB channel.
We have so many easy choices; I find it best to needle the SI, LI and BL channels.
That always clears the BL and KD in the upper neck and if for some reason there is
some pain left? I will treat the TW or GB. I cannot tell you how many people I see
with pain that starts at BL 10 and goes to BL 1. This can easily be treated by
opposite hand, SI 1-2-3-4-5-6, opposite side.
Or all the people with pain at GB 20 to GB 1 eye area. That can easily be fixed by
opposite side TW 1-2-3-4-5 and same side GB 39-40-41-42-43-44-45.
I see people all day that have a painful neck and a headache from sleeping the
wrong way. They hurt somewhere between C1 and C7 on the KD and BL vessels.
This is easily treated by LI 2-LI 5 about 5 needles, and SI 2-6 about 5 needles on
the opposite side.
To summarize these “points.” I always think in terms of the face and the neck. Try
not to treat one without the other. The neck has at least 50% to do with how the
head feels. Just this morning in my clinic my first 3 patients had headaches, tired
eyes, temple headaches and a sore tired heads. All of those issues were coming
from the neck.
You don’t need all the points I said, use a few, and see the results. If the patient is
better? You are done. If not? Add more. Don’t worry, you won’t drain their Qi, you
won’t make them explode. You will not cross channels of Qi and their internal Zang
will quit functioning. It is okay!
These images on the next several pages are how I use the points, my favorite in the
clinic. There are SO MANY ways to do what the following pages will show. I have
shown just a few ways. What matters is results. As long as you are getting results
you can do it anyways you want
CHAPTER 8
Headache? - Why Not Tung Points?
 any of you know I spend most of my time teaching and/or speaking about
M Master Tung points. For over the last 7 years, I have taught nationally and
internationally. I have 6 books and over 50 webinars on Tung points. And I
have taught at numerous doctoral programs on Tung points. You will see this book
does not have a lot of Master Tung points. What gives? Most of you that know me,
know that I combine The Balance Method and The Tung System. By combining both
you will have a better medical product for your patients. My last few books have
been about combining the Balance and Tung methods. It is a more complete
package.
I wanted to create something that did not require the reader to learn new locations
or new points. The Master Tung system, I strongly believe, is the next evolution in
distal treatments, but many will resist learning new locations. After all, 4 years and
a lot of money and then we are supposed to learn more points and new locations?
Wow! That can be a lot! I have presented the same TCM points but with a different
application. You do not need to learn new locations; you just need to learn to open
your viewpoints as to what is possible. These ideas are from Master Tung and
applied on TCM points from what Dr. Tan taught all of us.
Is it possible to have instant treatment results? YES!
Is it possible to treat 90% of your patients with 90%+ effectiveness? YES!
Is it possible to make great money, treat a lot of people, and have a lot of fun?
YES!
Is it possible to have consistent, reliable, and repeatable results? Day in and
day out? YES!
Is it possible to treat the root and branch together, instantly? YES!
Is it possible for patients to have verifiable results? Not feel it, not think it, but
know that they are better? YES!
Is it possible to have instant results, all day and every day, within seconds? Yes,
it is.
This is The Balance Method. The Master Tung Method is the same but it requires
you to learn new point locations. The practitioner can use The Balance Method
right away on Monday in the clinic. Thousands of practitioners, all over the world,
use it every day. It is by far the most effective, most reliable, most repeatable
system that was ever taught. Just look around. Almost all practitioners that employ
a distal method have one thing in common. What do you think that is? Most, if not
all, distal practitioners have successful, busy clinics. They are happy treating and
their patients all get better. It is rather amazing.
I have chosen to keep this simple, TCM points used with The Balanced Method as
referenced through the Jing Jin meridians. This is, simply put, “The Balance
Method on Steroids.” It is astounding that we are lucky enough that Dr. Tan shared
it with all of us. It is our duty and honor to the take The Balance Method and add to
it. And continue to tweak it, advance it, modify and elevate it. I hope this book
achieves that goal. And I hope that Dr. Tan is looking down on all of us and would
be proud that we have taken The Balance Method to the next level. For the past
3,000 years Chinese Medicine has never been static. Chinese medicine has always
been DYNAMIC, always growing, shifting and changing. It is through change that
we grow. We are never static. Either we are living and expanding or we are
contracting and dying. I hope this expansion of The Balance Method finds you all
well. We must always grow and expand. Improvise, overcome and adapt.
Dr Tan expanded the boundaries of what we all thought was possible and if we do
not continue to push and expand then we do not honor him and his vision.
Master Tung has over 700 points. I would suggest that my Top points over the last 6
years and 65,000 treatments are as follows:
San Cha San- Amazing at opening a stuffy face, nose, eyes, it treats most of the
face, head, and neck.
11.07-8-9, 11.16, 11.17, 11.20-21 just to name a few on the hands, wonderful for
many different reason, etiologies and pathologies.
22.04-5- We could write a full book on just these points, amazing, and best for
acute 22.04. And 22.05 is best for chronic type headaches. 22.05 is a top 10 of all
Tung points.
55.06- In the brain reaction zone, unreal for brain swelling, injury, trauma etc.
66.05 with ST 44- An unbeatable combo for the face, jaw, eyes pain, unreal and
clinically it is great for Tai Yang area extra TCM point.
66.02-3 towards 55.02 (KD 1) - My go to points.
66.05+ST44 Great points for Tai yang TCM extra point ear, and just general
headaches
66.06-7- Again in between channels of the ST and GB, very effective for the head.
66.08-09- Amazing GB points for the head.
66.10-11-12 (basically SP 3-4 and KD 2)- Some of the best points for the forehead
but not the whole forehead, just the area that is just above the eyebrows over to
extra TCM point Tai Yang. It will not fix Ying Tang extra points (that’s the DU) and
it will not clear the frontalis muscle, that is the GB.
77.01-2-3- Are best for headaches that come from neck pain. What kind of neck
pain? BL, KD and SI pain is cleared by these points but not TW and GB. And know
the points more than just channel and image. The reaction area is the brain. All your
patients with traumatic brain injury? Wonderful points.
77.05-6-7 Some of your best Tung points for headaches, pretty much any headache
but best for trauma, stagnation, stress, lack of blood flow, obstruction, blockage
77.08-09-10 (basically ST 36-37-38)- Since most of the face is ST and LI any
points that are on the Hand or Foot Yang Ming are very powerful for the head.
Great, great, great points; some of my favorite and most used points. 77.08 is a top
10 of all Tung points.
77.22-23 -Because it gets both the Yang Ming and Shao Yang and it treats the teeth.
88.01-2-3 If they have a headache due to their heart, hypotension.
88.12-13-14 (NOT INDICATED FOR HEADACHE via the Tung system) But I
will tell you these points are on the liver channel, they treat fatigue: the liver,
blood: the liver, stress: the liver, the “Jin; muscles tendon ligament,” the liver.
These points are REMARKABLE for modern day patients with headaches. This is
taking points and understanding them and applying to the modern day clinic.
Incredible points!
88.17-18-19 Due to lung issues, breathing, asthma, constriction of the lungs
88.20-21-22-25- Amazing point, probably some of the best points you will ever
use. The upper thigh is very powerful for treating the head. 88.25 is a top point for
stress, and pain. A whole book could be just written about 88.25. These points are
amazing for jaw pain, eye pain, and that GB 20 pain that comes up over the head
and rests in the eyes. 88.25 is top 10 of all Tung points.
1010.01-5-6-8 Great headaches points in particular if they have stress.
The 4 “tou points” Amazing for head pain! Unreal!
11.09, 11.16, 11.17, 11.27, 44.06, 55.01, 77.13-14, 77.18, 77.27, 1010.09-10-11,
bleed the ear back and apex, Fan Hou Jie.
I would suggest that Tung points are more specific and in my opinion
therapeutically better but they are a bit more complicated. This is why I have
included some general notes and if one is so inclined please continue your
education. You can to some degree use them how we use the Distal points of
Balance Method/I Ching method; BUT! It’s not a great idea. It’s not how they are to
be used or applied. Remember the Balance method and Master Tung are similar
yes, they both use distal points. But how their diagnosis is completely different. So
be careful how you use Tung points in a Balance method way.
CHAPTER 9
Just a Random Day in the Clinic
 he top complaints, 95% of all cases, over the last 6 years and 60,000+ cases
T in my clinic, top 6 are 60% of all cases are all pain related. This is from my
clinic in St. Helens, Oregon.
I would say acupuncture is the number one modality for HA. Indeed, though, if
needed, you should add herbs, meditation, yoga, and whatever else you think you
need. See below for the top complaints.

From Most Treated to Least Treated:

Upper Neck/Shoulder
Low Back
Headache, Trigeminal Neuralgia, TMJ (jaw pain)
Sciatica
Joint pain, Knee, Elbow, Fingers and Toes, Shoulder
PAIN anywhere and everywhere, Tingling Numbness
Sleep (too much and too little)
Digestion, GB, IBS, Constipation/Diarrhea, “Spleen Qi Xu”
Stress/depression/anxiety/fatigue/libido/no zest for life
The Big 3: Heart issues, Type 2 Diabetes, Cholesterol
Female Issues: Menstrual, Hot Flashes, etc.
Allergies and Breathing
Fertility (male and female)
General Wellness, General Issues, Neuropathy, Numbness, Weirdness
Last resort -Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Tinnitus, MS, Autoimmune, etc.
And, yes, I see many others, like Hypoxemic respiratory failure or Scarlet Fever,
but do we see this all the time? No we do not!
I find that most patients need 5-25 visits (without herbs) and if they take herbs and
acupuncture, usually we can fix most, if not all, issues in 1-6 months. Over 65,000
treatments later I have found, for me and my ability, or lack thereof usually results
in a cure with acupuncture in 1 of 60 patients. Meaning, they might have ankle pain
or Parkinson’s, it doesn’t matter. I don’t know why, but one acupuncture treatment?
And they are 100% healed. That is the EXCEPTION and not the rule. This is much
like 1 needle and they are magically healed. Sure that happens, but that’s the
exception. Usually you will find 1-15 needles will be needed.
I treat most people 1-3 times a week. When I first treat a patient I want 4
acupuncture treatments within 10 days. We need to see if they like acupuncture, if
they respond, if acupuncture is good modality for them. Assuming they are healing
and the patient is happy? And assuming they are not already fixed? Then I sit down
with them and draw up a treatment plan. It is different for each person, but usually
to some degree it looks like 2 treatments per week for the next 2-8 weeks. Then I
will lower the treatment down to 1 time a week or 1 time every 2-3 weeks. I put
people on herbs that we review every 2 weeks and modify accordingly. As always,
we can tell if a patient is healed by checking to see if their pain/issue/pathology,
whatever it is, has not come back in 10-14 days. If you have a daily pathology and
it has been gone for 10-14 days? Almost always you are “healed” and that
pathology is fixed. Obviously for things that don’t come every day, we need to take
a longer viewpoint.
I don’t try to be Dr. Jesus, one needle and one treatment. Be real, be honest, and be
effective. This is a medicine, it is a medical modality, it is not magic! If it were
magic, then, yes, I could do one needle and one treatment. The patient didn’t get
sick overnight and they won’t heal overnight. I always tell my patients my rule:
1 week of disease, I need 1-2 days to fix it.
1 month of disease, I need 1 week to fix it.
1 year of disease, I need 1 month to fix it.

UNDER PROMISE AND OVER DELIVER TO YOUR PATIENTS FOR A

HAPPY SUCCESSFUL CLINIC
A typical day in the clinic is from 9/10am to 7pm. No lunch, no breaks, 1-4 people
an hour, depending on the patient, and I work all day until I am done. Usually I am
pretty happy if I get a chance to get to the bathroom and/or get 3 minutes to shove
some food in my mouth. I didn’t get into medicine to screw around. Maybe next
year I will start scheduling lunch breaks, but I don’t think so. Maybe the only easy
day was yesterday, as the saying goes.
I wanted to show a few days in the clinic because even though this eBook is about
headaches, headaches don’t exist in a vacuum. They are presented to us in the
clinic, with all sorts of variables. I always think of a playbook for sports. The
“coach’s play” is so beautiful and perfect on how “it should be run.” But, then? In
real life, there is the opposing team (disease) and they move and shake. Then all of
sudden that perfect play, that is so exact and beautiful, is modified, adapted, shifted,
altered, and changed. The outcome is still a score, hopefully, but the “final play”
looks much different than that original “coach’s play” in the play book.
Our patient and treatment can be much like this. We have an exact way to treat, but
our patient’s disease is not exact as it shifts and modifies. It moves and changes.
Thus, at times our treatment in the clinic can be different than what is on paper. I
mean, really, how many patients that are described in our textbooks are seen in the
clinic? Almost never! I might see one or two patients a month that fit that textbook
patient! It is so rare; I laugh when I get them. I always say, “Wow, you are just like
my textbooks, such a rarity.”
What is the strength of this? It’s that I’m just Brad Whisnant. I have no magic
needle, no golden potions. I have no ancient Chinese medical secrets. I don’t
enslave my patients into lengthy monetary commitments. I don’t have a famous
Chinese doctor name nor am I a 14-generation-magic-gold Needle-Shaolin Monk-
acupuncture-grandmaster with royalty in my bloodline. I offer no magic, I offer no
quick fixes and I will not BS a patient. This is important because I am very
successful and super busy. I am just a monkey that puts needles in.
The biggest obstacle I had was, “Brad, how can you treat me, you are not
Chinese?” You laugh! But that was almost every new patient when I first got to
town. Now? They are used to the non-Chinese guy doing acupuncture. But 7 years
ago, I spent more time on convincing people that a non-Chinese person could do
acupuncture than explaining their own medical pathology.
Below I listed my patients as a number as not to put their names down. These are
not their “medical charts.” These are quick notes I think in my head as if you were
sitting next to me and were chatting about the patient in my 3 treatment rooms.
1. She has Peripheral Neuropathy, leg spasms, and tight upper traps and
shoulders. At times she gets headaches but her main complaint is her
PN and cramps. We just started treatment with her and already she is
about 50% improved. This is an interesting case because just part of
the treatment, LV 1-2-3 (down towards KD 1) bilateral and LI 1-2-3-
4+Ling Gu will not only increase blood flow but also treat the
headaches. She has reported not one headache, even remotely since
we started.
2. This patient has multiple areas of pain and we don’t treat her for
headaches.
3. This patient has stress, fatigue, sleep issues, multiple areas of pain and
does report headaches that come and go. By using GB 31, LV 8, HT 8
and ST 43 as part of the overall treatment we have been able to
reduce all headaches and are still working on her pain. Which over 10
treatments is down to one last area. Her stress and sleep are better
but mostly fixed via herbs.
4. She was in a car accident patient and gets headaches along with other
multiple areas of pain. But she is a “Textbook Headache” case.
Trauma, base of neck at GB 20 runs up over the head (via the GB
channel) goes into the eye. This has been fixed with same side GB 45-
40-41-42-43-44-45 and opposite side HT 3 and HT 7-8-9 (ashi 2
 needles). This is a “text book” case of a GB headache.
5. This person had large/inflamed arteries (known as large arteritis)
among other things. Sleep, hormones, GB issues, stress, fatigue,
digestion, aches and pain, breathing, SOB. Most of her headache was
around the TCM Tai Yang area. SP 9 (ashi) opposite side and same side
ST 43-44 fixed this wonderfully.
6. He has hormone issues, sleep, fatigue, and back pain. He does not
report headaches.
7. He hurts everywhere, mostly left side, including his neck and head. His
headaches are at the base of his skull. This is treated nicely with
opposite side, LI 3, Lou Zhen (TCM extra point), So Jing Dian (Dr Tan
point), TW 3, and SI 3. All his pain is resolving, yesterday he hurt
everywhere and after his treatment all we had left was his left heel. I
thought that was a success.
8. Stress, sleep, Epstein Barr Virus, gastro issues, no headaches to report
of.
9. Chemical toxicity from living next to a chemical plant, I don’t know
what is not wrong with this person. These headaches are more difficult
because they are NOT from the head. To fix these headaches I treat
her liver and spleen. When her spleen and liver are functioning better
her inflammatory response goes down and her headaches go away. LV
3, LV 5, LV 8 same side as liver, (right side) and SP 3, SP 8, SP 10 on
same side as Spleen (left side). These always reduce her headaches.
We are down from 10 out of 10, 5-7 days a week to a 5 out of 10 on the
VAS pain scale and 2 days a week.
10. MS patient, she does not report headache.
11. Ripped rotator cuff and weight loss. He does not report
headache.
12. She has a multitude of issues, one is headaches, and they
are both caused by neck tension and hormones. There are points that
fix both her hormones and her neck/stress/tension. By treating her KD
vessel, KD 1, KD 2 and KD 10 we both treat her “TCM kidney” (that’s
the adrenal system, no magic here) and her headaches.
(The KD fixes the BL, BL controls most of the posterior neck and head.)
These types of headaches can be a bit confusing because, again, her
headache is not from her head but her upper neck/traps and hormones. Ashi
LV 3-7 and Ashi KD 2-10 if needed SP 5, SP 5.5 and SP 6 opposite side
will fix all that.
13. Fatty liver and GB issues, elbow pain, and wrist pain. No
headaches to report.
14. Headaches are main and only issue. Headaches are
idiopathic in nature. I always remember Dr. Tan using 12 Magical for
headaches all over, no reason, no cause; just the whole body is screwed
up. She was originally 2 times a week for 2 weeks, she was crying
when she first came in. Now we are treating 1 time every 3 weeks, and
will soon be to 1 time every month, and then, hopefully, 1 time every
season. She is not on herbs and doing great. I rotate a 12 Magical
around depending on what she is feeling that day. I usually look like
one hand Yin Jing Wells, other hand Yang Shu Streams, next leg Yin SP
6, LV 5, KD 7, then other leg GB 34, ST 36, BL 40. Then her next
treatment will be foot Yin Jing Wells, SP 1, LV 1, KD 1, over to other
leg GB 43, BL 65, ST 43, arm PC 6, HT 5, LU 7, other arm LI 11 (or
10), TW 10, SI 8. Those two 12 magical treatments seem to work
great. (For more info on 12 Magical see Dr. Tan’s 12 Magical book.)
15. 85-year-old with a broken back, we are 80% improved in 23
treatments. Tough, tough, tough case. But she will walk again. It is
unreal what acupuncture can do.
16. recovering addict to drugs, no headaches.
17. He broke his wrist, has been a patient for 3 years, no issues
to report anymore. All things are fixed except the new issue of broken
wrist. He never had headaches, just other areas of pain. He now just
comes in for weekly stress reduction/maintenance.
18. She is 15 year-olds with allergies. She only gets headaches
when she has sinus congestion from her allergies. The ST control most
of the face in particular the lips, nose, and eyes, where her sinuses are.
If we target the ST and the LI (mostly the ST) it is easy to fix. PC 3,
PC 3.25 and ashi PC 3 area (PC clears the ST and the LI, via system
7.) The eyes of knees (ST 35 area) are great for eye of the face. The
one hand is PC the other hand is LI 2-3-4-5-6, works great. One leg is
the “eyes of knee” and the other leg ST 43-44, ST 36-37-38. Will open
her sinuses right up.
19. Exhaustion, stress, had a stroke years ago, get headaches
off and on. LI 3, (the LI fixes the LI and ST), HT 8 (HT fix the SI, GB,
BL-system 7), KD 2 (KD fixes the TW, BL, LI,) always gets her
headaches. If she has exhaustion is flaring up, I add in ST 36, 37, 38
very nice not only for exhaustion but also her headaches.
20. Traumatic brain injury, PTSD and war vet. His pain is
always inside and top of his head, the most Yang, so I will needle the
most Yin, KD 1 and Dr. Tan brain zone, which is also overlapping Tung
point 55.06 and the foot reflexology brain zone. BL 62-63-64-65 are
very good for people that feel like their brain are wrapped with a
towel around them. This patient frequently feels pressure around his
head. Also on this patient, just like Dr. Tan had taught me, do one hand
Yin Jing Wells, (HT 9, PC 9, LU 11) and other hand all Yang Shu
Streams (LI 3, TW 3, and SI 3). Those channels clear all channels in
the head (minus the DU) and clear most of the head image. The bottom
of the foot will always clear the DU.
21. He just comes for energy medicine, which is really
frustrating to me because I don’t do that. He sees a reiki person who
tells him where his energy is stuck then comes to see me. Hey, what
can I say; he knows I don’t think like that, but yet he comes in. I’ll
treat the guy, I don’t think it helps him, but I am here to serve the
patient, not have the patient follow my beliefs. I honestly don’t even
know what I am treating him for.
22. He has thumb pain from a bad neck, no headaches to
report.
23. She doesn’t sleep and wakes up with headaches and neck
pain. Here is where most of your headaches will come from, this upper
neck, and back issues. Because of how Americans work, and their
constant use of phones, head is always down, looking at computers, an
old, bad pillow, lumpy old bed, crazy stress driving, bad relationships,
horrible food choices, lack of exercise, poor meditation or religious
habits, they will have neck, back, and head pains. This is classic case of
just relieving the stress and secondly treating the head. Her complaint
is usually her eyes and forehead. HT 8 is great for the eyes (HT and
GB), Anything that treats the GB is great because the forehead is
controlled by the GB not the Yang Ming. The Frontalis muscle of the
forehead are ruled by the GB. Fix the GB and the forehead will be
better. Usually adding in LV 3 and LV 8 if needed SI 2-3 and SI 10 all
focus on the GB. This usually clears her HA.
24. Balance and vertigo issues, no headaches.
25. Tinnitus, allergies, fatigue, weight gain, pain, stress, and
lung problems, no headaches to report.
 26. Shoulder pain, weight loss, fatigue, energy, hormones, and
urination issues. At times he gets headaches, GB 31 is a very famous
Master Tung points, even Dr. Tan would remark about how much he
liked using GB 31 for headache problems. I would suggest the upper
legs are parts of the body we don’t use a lot in distal acupuncture, and
are amazing for therapeutic value.
27. Depression, weight gain, no motivation, no headaches to
report.
So on just one random day, a mix mash of patients, and you can see how headaches
show up in the clinic. Is this how it always is? Yes, and no. Sometimes I have a lot
more headache patients and at other times, I won’t have any. I do think it is
important to know how to integrate treatment of headaches into your overall
treatment.
A couple of ideas: Many times the headache is secondary to other issues so a 12
magical approach is used. Or, the headache comes and goes depending on other
factors so you may not know at the time of treatment if you are/are not successful.
Acupuncturists always seem to be so stressed about, “How do I treat a headache if
it is not there when the patient comes in.” I just treat like it is there. The
acupuncturists are always concerned then, “Well, how do I know if I fixed it.” It’s
easy!
You just ask, “I know you don’t have a headache now, but how many do you get a
month?” Okay, let’s treat for a month and then we will see how many or how many
less the patient gets.
It’s really that simple. Just treat it like it’s there, treat more than what you think it is,
“They say, ‘I get headache around my cycle, mostly around my eyes.’” Okay, focus
on the eye and treat all the parts around the eyes. Expand your treatment area. Treat
for a full cycle then reflect back. All of this becomes easy once we start treating
more than one time with one needle.
CHAPTER 10
Headache Case Studies & Examples
 ase studies are good because our patients are not books. The textbooks
C describe a patient and treatment that rarely, if ever, exist. I have found over
the years that maybe one time per month will a patient match what the books
say.
In my clinic I see chronic and acute. I see emergency people coming in with a
splitting headache that have to get treated immediately and I see patients that only
get a headache once a month.
I have cash and/or insurance payees. I get people that are ready for treatment and
some spend half the time educating and discussing how acupuncture works. Some
of my patients heal in 1-2 treatments and some take 5-30 treatments. And yes, some
never heal. Most of my patients get herbs but I continue to find that more and more
people just want to do acupuncture because Western medicine already has them on
so many pills! “Another pill,” they say? I tell them then, “Okay, we will do this just
with acupuncture, no herbs, no problem.”
I have found that if a person does not heal/change/shift at ALL? In 4 treatments, it is
rare they will get better post the 4th treatments.

Patient #1
A fireman with a lot of stress. His headaches start in his neck and come over head
and rest in his eyes. I diagnosed him with GB and BL channel headaches due to
stress. I treated him 4 times in 10 days and his headache did not come back. He was
having headaches every day and now over 10 days has not had one. We will
continue with 1 treatment per week for 6 weeks, and then 1 treatment every 2 weeks
for 6 more weeks.
His treatment was as follows:
Opposite side, SI 3, SI 3.5 SI 4 SI 5 (this clears the neck and BL channel), SI 8
(images eyes and treats BL).
Opposite side LI 3, LI 3.5, LI 4, LI 4.5, LI 5 (this clears the neck and KD channel),
LI 10-11 (images eyes and clears ST eyes).
Same side BL 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 (this clears neck and BL channel) BL 40
(images eyes and treats BL).
Same side GB 40, 41, 42, 43 (this clears the neck at GB channel) GB 34 (images of
eyes and clear GB in eyes).
Opposite side LV 2, 3, LV 8. (This clears the LV, his stress, it clears the LI in face
via LV fixes LI and images the eyes).
This is a very basic treatment; quick, easy, very effective and it works like a charm
for this patient. I do not suspect any problems with his treatment.

Patient #2
I treat him for a lot of things but he came in with a headache, frontal and temporal
right side, with sinus pressure.
For his treatment, since it was acute and I see him every 2 weeks for general
maintenance, I didn’t set up a treatment plan, I will see when he comes back how he
is doing.
Left side, HT 3 and PC 3. These 3 points treat the temporal image and frontal
image. The HT clears the SI and GB. The PC clears the TW.
The PC 3 will also clear the sinuses. PC fixes the ST. The ST runs thru all the
sinuses.
Same side I chose SI 2- 3 TW 2-3 and GB 42-43. All these were System 6, same
channel, same side. The SI clears the SI, the TW clears the TW and GB clears the
GB. The images of these points is the upper part of the forehead and the occiput
area.
He left the clinic with zero headache.

Patient #3
She gets hormonal headaches; she is currently not having a headache. I treated her
with 12 Magical. Obviously her HA is due to hormones. There is an imbalance in
her hormones. There are multiple channels involved in her faulty hormones such as
her Adrenal system, heart, lung, liver, spleen etc. All 12 vessels need to be treated.
Right hand, PC 9, HT 9, LU 11
Left hand, LI 3, SI 3, TW 3
Right leg GB 39, ST 40 BL 58
Left leg KD 10, LV 8, SP 9
You can see we have treated all her channels, root and branch of her dysfunction,
and multiple images, with multiple channels to treat all channels in her head.
It has been 2 weeks now since I saw her and she reported only 1 day of a headache
instead of 5 days of where she is in a dark room and cannot do anything due to her
headaches. She will improve with more treatment and herbs.
Patient #4
She had pain inside her head and pain that runs up to the top of her head. She works
a lot, and when she drives home (her nightly commute is about 1 hour) her head is
killing her. She gets 1-2 of these types per week over the last 4 years. Quitting her
job is not an option. She is coming in at night because her head is currently hurting.
(I tell many patients, just call when it hurts and will treat you right then.)
She came in, all I did was bilateral LV 1 (images Vertex), LV 2, LV 2.5, LV 3, LV
3.5 bilaterally to clear the LV and the LV clears the LI and SI in her head. Within 1
minute her head pain was from 8 out of 10, to a 0 out of 10. I will treat her 8 more
times over the next 4 weeks, give her some meditations and then see her 1 time a
month for 3 months.

Patient #5
He has pain in the ST 2-4-5 along with pain at LI 20 area. It seems for questioning
and taking his pulse he has a sinus infection and or sinus pressure. This is his first
treatment and we are doing 4 treatments over the next 10 days to see how he
responds. Currently his pain/pressure is a stuffy 7 out of 10.
His stuffy nose is mostly on the right, but bilateral. Left side is less
Right side ST 35-36-37-38-39-40, ST clears ST and the LI, the image clears the
eyes down to the jaw line
Right side LI 8-9-10-11, the LI clears the LI and ST, this images from the eyes
down to the jaw line.
With just those needles he was completely free of his stuffy nose and his headache
was a 3 out of 10.
I inserted PC 3-4-5-6 on the opposite to clear the ST. PC clears the ST and to some
extent even the LI (System 7- yes, there are more than 6 Systems of Balance).
With the insertion of PC his headache completely vanished.
I continue with SP 3, 4 and KD 2 (there are Tung points 66.10-11-12) they are
indicated for “frontal headache.” You can see why now. The image of the foot is the
frontal face. The SP clear the ST and KD clears the LI. There are additional
theories such as the treating the SP we will treat all damp, phlegm issues.
Obviously this patient has that. KD 2 will lower the heat/fire/inflammation;
obviously this patient has damp swelling with inflammation (heat).
He left my clinic feeling the best he has felt in years.
These are just 5 patients I had last week out of 103. It shows some very easy,
effective, common instant branch and root treatments. I expect all of them to do just
fine.
You can see in my treatments; I treat more than the area the patient tells me. I treat
more channels that just the channel involved. I use more than just 1 image or
channel. And even after the patient reports feeling better, I still treat them more, this
is to make sure the problem goes away, and stays away as much as it can.
This last week I was busy and had 3 patients I just treated in my lobby!
One patient had shorts on and his thighs were exposed. This was great because he
had a headache from his TMJ issues. I find the TMJ though controlled by the LI and
ST still needs some GB to fix it. This must because the GB treats tendon and it’s so
closely related to the LV the wood. Regardless, clinically when I see TMJ, I need
to treat the GB.
The LI controls the small TMJ muscles.
I inserted GB 31-32-33-34 on the same side as his pain. This didn’t do much. I then
did the same points on the opposite side of his pain and 80% of his jaw pain
disappeared along with the HA. (Again, I hypothesized his headache was from his
jaw).
I then inserted LI bilaterally at LI 4 and LI 4.5 (Ling Gu is Master Tung point.) This
LI bilaterally would be sure to treat both the LI and ST same side and opposite
side. LI 4 and LI 4.5 both image the eyes, mouth and TMJ area. The LI will clear
the LI mouth small muscles and the ST mouth big muscles.
With those additional needles in, his pain was at 1 out of 10 and I let him sit and
rest for 10 minutes in my lobby. He will be back next week for his initial consult
and additional treatment.
Another patient had horrible pain at the base of her neck, the whole way across. It
was late and my rooms were all full, she didn’t want to wait. She hurt at TW 16,
BL 10, GB 20, all the way across the base of neck. I chose Dr. Tan’s quick and dirty
treatment for this; just pick “all the knuckles on the hands and or the feet.” Since the
pain was bilateral, and neither side was more or less, I just chose the right hand
and left foot. I inserted a needle into each knuckle of the hand, “LI 3, Lou Zhen, So
Jing Dian, TW 3 and SI 3,” with her foot, “LV 2, ST 44, put a needle in between 3
and 4th toe. There are Tung points there but no TCM points or channels. GB 44 and
BL 65 with Ren 24. (ren will clear the DU, and ren 24 images base of neck on the
DU).
With those needles in she was able to rest on my lobby couch with zero pain and
95% ROM back in her neck.
I don’t make it habit of treating patients in my lobby, I try not to. But at times it is
busy, people hurt and I don’t want to turn them away. I was happy with their
outcomes.

My 3rd patient has a stressful day, poor sleep, probably a dislike for their marriage
and a general low-grade depression. Her headache was at the TCM extra point Tai
Yang bilaterally. I did bilateral SP 9 and bilateral ST 43.
SP 9 images the eyes, the SP fixes TW. That is the location of TW 21. I’d also say
via the Jing Jin the area is controlled by the stomach. The SP fixes the ST. See
either theory? It’s still good.
ST 43 is an extra point called Men Jin in the Tung system. It is super famous for
getting the Tai Yang area. In Tung acupuncture they say, “Well, of course, the Men
Jin point, 66.05 just has a special point its special indication is that it gets Tai Yang
area TCM extra point.” But NOW, as we expand our understanding of additional
theories we can see why! System 6, ST fixes the ST. The ST controls via the Jing
Jin that area of the face.
The patient was instantly pain free. And for those reading this thinking, “Wait, you
just treated her branch, what about the root?” Did I? SP 9 is the earth and it controls
the water, the kidney. Most of this patient’s depression, stress, and pain are from
her hormones. The hormones are the kidney and the adrenal system. The Earth will
control and stop the leakage of her hormones. We can tonify by stopping the
enviable destruction of her hormones. We can slow the natural degradation that we
all are controlled. By slowing her entropy, by tonifying her hormones, we will treat
the branch (her headache) and her root (her hormones.)
 CHAPTER 11

Headache: Q and A
Why opposite side? Why not same side?
All of our senses are reversed other than smell; that is not an acupuncture thing that
is a God thing. People always think that’s strange, but our vision is crisscrossed,
everybody knows that. How many know of someone that had a stroke on say, the
right side? What side of the body is affected? THE LEFT! Everybody knows that.
So why is it so strange that we insert needles on the left side to fix your right? Or
insert needles on the right side to fix the left? Makes complete sense!
At times some of your nerves are on the same side and it’s not that it’s on the “same
side,” it’s that both sides are affected but we are only seeing that the same side was
fixed. We don’t know why, but most people suggest that 2/3 to 3/4 of all nerve
fibers are crisscrossed, so it makes sense, and I’m a betting man, to place our bets
that the opposite side will usually give us the best results. If you really want to
know what side, opposite or same side, then we need to delve further in the study
of I Ching. But for day-to-day treatments? Start opposite side.
What does a treatment look like?
What I have found, PERSONALLY, is that most people get better with 2-25
treatments. Some people, about 1-60, get 100% healed in 1 TX, I have no idea why,
some people don’t heal. If people have ZERO change, or response after 6 visits?
Less than 3% of the time will they begin to respond post 10 TX. That 6th TX to 10
TX? I usually reserve that for the elderly. If they are elders, 70+ and older, it can
take more than 6 TX to see a change. I ask them to give me 5-10 TX. If no change
after 10 TX? Then I stop treating them. I try to treat 2-3 times a week for 2 weeks,
and then reflect back on how things are going. If they are improving? Let’s continue,
if they are not? Let’s stop. I am focused on results not stringing people along.
Did Dr Tan have a quick and dirty TX for headaches?
Yes, he did. After I graduated on a Friday I was in India that Monday for the next 3
months treating 6 days a week, 100 people a day. I had asked Dr. Tan before I left,
“I think I will see so many headaches and I don’t know how to treat them, can you
help?”
He said of course, “quick and dirty? For headaches”. Take on hand, do 3 Yin Jing
Wells, and the other hand do the 3 Yang Shu Streams
The other “quick and dirty” Dr Tan always did, even to the day he passed away,
was the “12 Magical for Headaches.” He said that who people have migraines
usually have multiple things wrong with them, so the 12 magical was perfect. He
didn’t say, “Global balance,” he didn’t say, “Just 1-2-3- everything,” he didn’t say
“8+1.” He said, “Chronic headache people have all their channels affected, and the
12 magical was made for people with all their channels diseased.” The 12 magical
is a wonderful treatment for headaches.
Or look at Dr. Tan’s 3/6 balance Jue Yin Shao Yang treatment. Those points and
channels clear the head, all the muscles and channels. The points are in the feet and
knees, hands and elbows that images the eyes and head. It treats stress; a very
common reason for headaches. There are so many reasons why that treatment
works. That’s a very popular and consistent “quick and dirty” Dr. Tan treatment.
What is safe for treatment of pregnant women when it comes to headaches?
Legally? I don’t treat pregnant women. Therapeutically? It is darn near impossible
to screw up a pregnant woman with acupuncture. I think any point is fine. That
being said, I don’t treat pregnant women in my clinic, if I do? It is very rare. I just
don’t like the legal system in America. It is my personal choice and you should treat
as you feel.
What are the best images for headaches?
I would say imaging the hand; the HT 8, PC 8, LU 10 area, and the elbow are the
best on the arms. The LV 3, ST 43, GB 41, BL 65 areas, and the knee areas are the
best on the legs. Here we are imaging the face on the hand/feet and we are imaging
the face on the knee and elbow.
I do like the upper thigh a lot for imaging the face/head. That GB 31 area would be
image wise, the forehead and if we reversed it the lower/mid jaw area. Very
effective for anything head/face related.
What and why do images work?
The images work based on embryology. In a nutshell? You were one cell at one
time, and you are 40 trillion cells now. The neural connections are everywhere. So
originally, you and I were a tube, called the neural streak. As quoted from David
Wells, a brilliant healer:
"The first visible structure in the developing embryo is the “neural
streak;” the early brain and spinal cord. The connections between skin
(ectoderm), musculoskeletal system (mesoderm) and organs (endoderm)
are already in place before the tissues differentiate and the limbs divide.”
What that means is, as this “tube” divided into segments and segments into limbs,
all of these pieces came from one piece and thus one piece can affect another piece.
So images work because to you and I as we are different things. To our brain and its
connections? It is the same.
How do you explain this to patients?
I don’t talk in energetic terms, my personal belief and choice. I think it makes no
sense. Our medicine is real, it is a medicine based on the physical and chemical
connections of the body. I don’t believe our medicine works on strictly on energetic
energy. I spent 4 years with a Shaman, I spent years doing Vipassana meditation. I
love all that stuff and believe it in. Powerful, powerful stuff! But our medicine is
based on biology not magic. One is further directed to “The Dao of Chinese
Medicine” by Kendall, or my personal favorite about embryology, “The Spark in
the Machine” by Keown. Both of these books will change you forever.
What is the best image for a vertex headache?
I get asked this a lot, and it is the finger tips or tips of the toes. I guess you could
image it at the top of the shoulder, say LI 15 area, but the tips of fingers and toes
work better.
How about headache at ovulation time?
You will see a ton of these! 85% of all headaches are from women. This is not to
say, women are more in their head, it is that that 85% of all headaches that are
NON-Trauma related are from hormones. Men have hormones changes, as well,
Women, you don’t get corner the market on this. Men change, as well. It’s just that
women’s hormones change quicker and when your hormones change quickly, i.e., a
monthly cycle, it is more possible to get a headache.
So? It’s only at ovulation time? Treat the headache like it is there right now, treat 2
times a week for 4 weeks so see how their headache is during ovulation time. Also
treat how you feel their hormone system is, as well. I personally use Tung points. I
will treat the headache like it was there and then add in 11.24, 11.06, 88.12-13-14,
66.06 and 77.17-18-19-21.
What about headache due to post lumbar puncture?
I think one of the few times acupuncture for headaches does not work is when it
comes to low spinal fluid. For that you need time and herbs. I would be very
surprised if acupuncture worked, consistently, for headache due to lumbar puncture.
Even a blind squirrel will find an acorn, and, yes, even acupuncture will work for a
lumbar puncture/low spinal fluid. But will it work 85%+ of time? I think not.
The other time I have seen acupuncture be very hit or miss is in the treatment of
Chiari Malformation. Chiari Malformations are structural defects in the cerebellum.
That's the part of the brain that controls balance.
How about a Chemo induced headache?
Here, again, obviously if they are receiving chemo they are in serious trouble. 12
magical approach to the headaches would be key.
Headache for years and years and year, how long till results?
I expect the patient to feel better INSTANTLY on the table. If they don’t? I have
failed them. Not acupuncture, not the system, Dr. Brad Whisnant. I tell all of my
chronic patients, let’s do 4-6 treatments, see how you respond and then go from
there. I have super easy cases that did not respond like I thought and I have seen
Stage 4 cancers that do respond. So, far be it from me to tell anybody. I need to
treat, then I can tell how they will do. Once I treat them 4 times, it is very easy and
predictable to tell how they will respond, how they will heal, and how they will
progress.
What if the headache is all over?
Then I pick the worse spot and start. If they can’t tell? Then I guess. From
experience, I start by clearing the GB. Again, because this stuff is so powerful and
instant with a headache that is all over, massive pain, can’t tell where it is? I just
put in 1-4 needles, give them 1-2 minutes alone and go see another patient. When I
come back to them, I then ask, “Okay, we did a few needles. Now, where do you
still hurt?” If it has not gone away, then I put in another 1-2-3-4-5 needles and walk
out for a few minutes. When I come back, I ask again, “Okay, now, where is the
pain?” Usually, by now, it is gone, or we are left with a very specific spot. I treat, if
needed, on that spot, I stay in the room and make sure it is gone.
How many points is too many point? Can we all just do 1 needle?
You can try to be Dr. Jesus with 1 needle. It does happen, but that’s the exception,
not the rule. My goal is to fix the patient by not use 1-2 needles. Don’t worry, you
won’t make your patient explode, their Qi will not drain away, it is fine.
How many times have I taken a patient’s headache away and then as I walk out they
say, “Oh, I forgot to tell you about my erection problems, can you fix that as well?”
So I go back and put in more needles. Guess what happens? The headache that went
away with needles? It doesn’t come back if I put more needles in. Also, guess what
happens? My patient? He gets off the table and he is full of energy! He is not wiped
out.
Or how many times have I treated bilateral pain? The energy waves do not cross
each other and screw up the patient. The right knee hurts? Treat the left elbow.
Right knee is better. Left knee hurts? Okay, let’s treat the right elbow. The left knee
is better. The right knee doesn’t hurt again because I treated both sides!
What is your retention time of needles? How long and why?
I leave the needles in for 30 minutes. This is not because the cycle of Qi is 28.8
minutes, it is because MRI’s studies show your brain will respond for about 30-42
minutes with needles in.
What about other reasons they have headache? From some other issue?
The biggest thing to remember is that headaches are an “ending place.” What does
that mean? That means a headache can be just that: an ache that is in the head.
Maybe the face, jaw, nose, ears, eyes, neck, head muscles, something in the head
caused a pain in the head. That simple. Makes sense.
But also? Many headaches aren’t an “ending place.” That means there is
dysfunction in the body and that dysfunctions ending place has manifested in the
head. So really that headache isn’t from the head per say, it is from another
pathology that is manifesting as a headache. That is where you will get caught if you
don’t have diagnostic abilities.
How else could you know this? If you treated the head and it didn’t get better? Then
you know it is coming from somewhere else, minus the Chiari Malformation or low
spinal fluid.
How many times have I see headaches due to liver, spleen, stomach, hormones,
etc., etc., etc.? Be able to diagnosis, not energetically, but bio-medically. That’s
what this medicine is, a real medicine with real diseases with real pathologies.
What size of needles do you use?
I free hand all needles and 30-36 gauge .5 cun to 2cun.
What about painful points such as KD 1?
I merely tell the patients, “This is the best therapeutic point for you and I need to do
it, I am sorry it will be uncomfortable, but I promise you that you will heal.” That’s
it, no stress. I find acupuncturists cause more stress on themselves thinking the point
will hurt the patient. Just relax and needle them. You are there to help them. It’s
okay, it’s acupuncture.
How do I treat/talk to people?
Just keep it simple. I ask all patients to do 3-4 treatments then we sit down and
have a chat. Are they healing? Do they like the clinic? Do they like me? What is
better? What is NOT better? How much has changed? Is the pain coming back the
same? Is it coming back differently? How is your sleep, stress, fatigue the rest of
your health? I don’t want you to “think” you feel better, either you are responding?
And let’s continue treatment or you are NOT responding and let’s get you the
appropriate referral.
You will find most of you patients to really fix them, and I mean not just a band aid,
they will need 1-30 treatments. Usually 4-15 treatments does the trick. I have had
chronic long term patient with years of a disease get better by some miracle in 1
treatment, yes it happens (about 1-60) But this is the expectation, not the rule. I have
also had super easy “no problem issues” NOT respond. So, this is why we need to
do a few treatments
You will NOT help everybody. It’s ok! Do your best and don’t quit!
Don’t think that just because you and I treat somebody 1-2-3-4 times and they don’t
come back they must be healed. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but they are not healed.
They just didn’t find value in you and I. YES! People will and should have
INSTANT relief of 90% or more but to keep it away it will take time.
I just had a patient with sciatica. I felt she was improving, I thought she was happy
and If you asked me, I would have told you, “yeah, it’s going great”. But guess
what? She cancelled her 4th appointment and her reason was, “she felt great”. I will
bet you dollars to donuts that she was NOT healed! I can almost guarantee it, based
on her medical history, intake, and problem; I would have need a miracle to fix her
in 3 treatments; and last I heard God wasn’t handing me out any more miracles. So
what happened?
Obviously I wasn’t doing a great job, pure and simple. I failed her. Not only must
we critically think of the medicine, we must critically think of ourselves. Don’t
blame the patient, don’t blame insurance, don’t blame the president and by all
means don’t blame the needles. It’s me, It’s you. If people are not showing up at our
clinic? It’s not the economy, it’s us. People don’t want to be sick, they don’t want to
be in pain. People do want to heal.
What does it mean to “expand, overlap, be redundant”?
EXPAND
This means the goal is to the fix the patient, not be a Dr. Jesus. So use more than
one point, if you think it’s the right eye headache? Treat the eye, above the eye,
below the eye, to the right and left of the eye.
OVERLAP
This means doesn’t use just one image. Use points on the knee (images the face),
use the foot (images the face), use the elbow (images the face), use the hand
(images the face). Don’t just use one knee and foot.
REDUNDANT
If you think it’s a Foot Yang Ming ST channel problem? Don’t use JUST the LI to
fix the ST. Use the PC, LI, SP and ST to fix the ST
The goal is to FIX THE PATIENT! Right here, right now, today! Not in 9 months of
me working on your Spleen Qi Xu and your headache never gets better. Who cares
if my spleen isn’t as damp, my head hurts! ☺
If you want to be successful, every day with every treatment you will have to think
that the pain is bigger than what the patient says. You will need to think that the
channel that is involved is more than what you think. You will need to image, re
image, and layer an image over that.
As you get better? Can we just palpate an ashi spot at HT 3 and fix of the head?
YES, you sure can, but that will come with time.
If I was going to put in a bunch of needles and after the first few needles the
headache is gone?
Well, then; I’d stop.
What the longest you have treated somebody for headaches?
I had one girl it took 28 treatments to get it hold. She was 17 she also had a thyroid
and hormone issue. Their family didn’t want to take herbs because of all the
Western drugs she was on for her headaches. She was getting headaches 1-7 times a
week, in the ER 1-3 times a week, she was a mess.
Each time I treated her, if she had a headache? Here headache would be taken away
by 85-100% every time. But her issue would come back. At the same treatment I
would treat the root and branch. Eventually, she had enough treatment, 18-22 she
wasn’t getting headaches ever. Then we treated just 1 time a month for about
another 6-10 treatments. She’s off all medicines, no headaches, her hormones are
stabilized and her thyroid is great. Finally, after 6 months of amazing acupuncture
and healing, they allowed me to give her iodine to support her thyroid. That was it.
But that shows you it can take a while.
I just had a patient get 3 treatments and his neck and headaches are fixed. He had no
pain 21 days post the 3 treatment and was in for a follow up.
A good rule of thumb, how do you know they are healed? If their issue, pathology,
pain whatever has been better and NOT come back for 14 days? They are most
likely healed from that issue.
Brad I just want to treat the TCM channels forget this other channel system
idea.
That’s fine you can do that. Obviously just balancing the TCM channels work and it
works amazing well. Look at what and who Dr Tan treated. But when you are
ready, there is another system that will elevate your results.
Much of this is a moot point. Do you know why? When you balance a sick channel
and if you balance that channel with 2 channels? You will most definitely cover,
treat, fix, heal all possible channel relationships.
You say the rhomboids are the SI and I say it’s the LI. Ok no problem.
You treat the rhomboids with SI, HT, ST and LV. Do you see how the ST and LV
pick up the LI anyways? You already doing it and you don’t even realize it. So,
don’t get confused. Chances are you are already balancing all these channels
anyways.
Take for example the “traps”. TCM says it’s the GB, two different authors say it’s
the BL and the other the LI. How can the “trap” be the GB, LI and the BL? Which is
it?
Well clinically its seems it’s both the BL and LI and usually mostly the BL.
But if we treat the GB with the HT, TW, LV, GB we are still balancing the BL and
LI. HT will treat the BL via system 7, the LI is treated via the LV system 3.
I think there are better ways to treat the Traps. I usually see it as the BL and LI.
Hence why are Master Tung points for the traps on the BL, LU and PC channels?
The BL, LU, PC will treat the BL and LI will they not?
BL treats BL and LU. LU treats LI and BL. PC treats the LI.
See this system is already plugged into the Master Tung system. Why does Master
Tung have ZERO points that’s the traps as the GB? Because Master Tung knew that
the traps are not the GB.
Master Tung does have points that treat the GB but they are for scalene/SCM
issues. Usually the scalene and SCM muscles are involved in trap pain and this is
why I think using the HT to fix the GB is effective because it picks up the KD deep
neck muscles, the SI levator scap and GB which treats the SCM and part of the
scalene. It also treats the traps as HT fixes BL (additional systems beyond what Dr.
Tan taught)
We can argue till we are blue in face, at the end of day, who cares. I just want
clinically effective material.
Do I do ASHI points?
Yes, and no. It just depends on how busy I am, on the patient, and on the day.
CHAPTER 12
Headache Conclusion and Next Steps
 n summary: Keep it simple. Treat more than your patients says, treat a larger
I area than they are aware of, use more than one channel to fix your diseased
channel, use more than one magical point to affect an area. Don’t try to treat
them just once, treat at least 4 times and look at a “trend.” How are things? Are they
improving? What is improving? What is not? We don’t practice magic, we practice
medicine, and medical outcomes can take time. And, by all means, get out and treat!
The books? The classroom? Your seminars? They are a starting point! It’s the first
step! Get out, go treat, get busy, fail, and fail beautifully! Fail wonderfully! Get in
knee deep, get your sleeves turned up, and get your hands dirty! You have to treat!
And you have to treat a lot! I don’t mean 10 people a week, I mean 10 people
before 10 am on Monday! I mean, get busy! Get passionate! Get lit up! There’s
nothing better than helping those in need, not 50 treatments from now! Not 6 months
from now! Not next month when their spleen damp dries out! Does it ever? I mean
healing people by the hour! It’s exciting! It’s amazing! And people will be so
thankful for it.
And as you get better? Sure, you do use fewer points and less images because you
will know, “this point or this channel gets this headache.” How will you know?
EXPERIENCE.
When things don’t work and your patient is not getting better you know obviously
the headache is not coming from the head otherwise it would have improved. I have
found 10% or less are headaches that are caused by non-head/non-neck issues. This
is true in our Western modern clinics. Diseases are certainly very connected to the
society the patient lives in and other cultures will not present at the same ratio as
our modern day clinics do. Certainly when I treat overseas in India, Vietnam or
Honduras, the manifestation and root causes were different than in America.
If your patient has a headache all over? Don’t stress. Just try to find the worst spot,
and start there. If you cannot tell that spot or the patient doesn’t know? Just pick 2
spots to focus on. Treat them, let the patient sit for 5 minutes and then go back and
check. It will have shifted, and then you will be able to pick it apart.
There are thousands of images, but just keep it simple. Focus on the elbow/knee as
the eyes. If the pain is above the eyes? Go above the elbow or knees. If the pain is
below the eyes, go below the knee or elbow. You can reverse that as well, but then
we are getting away from simple. The other image is the webbing of the hands or
feet as the eyes. If the headache is above the eyes? Then move your needles distally
from the web spaces. If the pain is below the eyes, then move your needles
proximally from the web margins.
With all the channels and choice? It can confuse a person. It’s okay, just breathe,
relax and just choose. I prefer system 1,2,4, but they all work. Lean in to the fact
that the human body knows more than we do and it will typically adjust itself if you
choose a channel. And think about it mathematically, if one channel clears 5-6
channels, if you choose 2 channels? Even if you guessed wrong, you still have a
huge chance of being successful.
I think it is of vast importance to be good at treating headaches, head pain, face
issues, jaw, nose, cheek and upper neck pain. You will see a ton of patients like
this. These patients will grow your practice beyond belief. These patients will be
so happy that you are able to help, because they have very few choices or options.
Remember, no matter what the scans says, or what the MD’s say, what the patient's
thinks or what you think? You are able to fix 90+% of all headaches instantly.
Those few you can’t fix, with a little luck, some herbs, and some lifestyle
modification you can assist with the rest. The great secret is not that acupuncture is
magic, the great secret is that the body can heal itself. We just have to modulate that
correct spot to induce healing. It might be with a light wave, or hammer, or a knife,
or touch. It just so happens we are stimulating the nerves of the body with a fine
needle. The magic is the body; the needle is the conduit to health.
I wish you all the best of treatments. Wait, we don’t need to wish, what we are
doing is repeatable, predictable and consistent. Get out there, have fun, get
immersed in it, don’t listen to all the naysayers, don’t listen to the haters or those
who wish nothing but to tear you down or stop you. You will be successful; you
can’t help but be amazing. It’s impossible to stop.
 This is his first eBook for the public, “I wanted people to be able to access
this book, not just in America but from anywhere in the World.” This was the
motivation behind Dr. Whisnant releasing this eBook series
You can find all
these books on
amazon.com
 Copyright © 2016 by Brad Whisnant
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or
other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the
publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and
certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. All images are
sketched and drawn by employed artists from previous attended seminars. For
permission requests, write to the author at 36200 SW Pittsburg Rd, St Helen’s
Oregon 97051. Send all emails to bradwhisnant@gmamil.com