I. Fire puncture (huozhen). In ancient literature this was called fanzhen or suizhen. A steel needle of no. 26-27 is inserted to the depth of 1 – 1,5 cun. The tip of the needle should not be too sharp. The spot is first disinfected with yodine tincture and then with 2% – 10% procain. After two minutes the needle, the tip of which burnt red in fire, is quickly inserted to two thirds of its length and quickly withdrawn. This method is sometimes used in curing serophulosis.
II. Finger puncture (zhizhen). This method is widespread among the common people. The needles are substituted by pressure of the fingers. Thus exerting pressure on the point hegu Li 4 can help to cure the pain in the throat, at the place of the point renzhong Gv 26 is supposed to revive the fainted. The thumb and forefinger form the right angle of 90 degrees. The first phalanx is slightly bent. The tips of the fingers are put on the respective place and stronger pressure is gradually exerted with the fingers rotating in all directions, till the patient gets the “necessary sensation”.
The following points are used:
- 1. Fainting: renzhong Gv 26, shixuarn EP 11, hegu Li 4. Most of the patients regain consciousness.
- 2. Headache: taiyang EP 1, fengchi G 20, hegu Li 4.
- 3. Toothache: upper teeth: taiyang EP 1; lower teeth: jiache S 6, hegu Li 4.
- 4. Pain in the throat: hegu Li 4.
- 5. Pain in the stomach: neiguan Cx 6, zusanli S 36.
- 6. Lumbago: shenshu B 23, dachangshu B 25, yaoshu Gv 2.
- 7. Pain in the legs: huantiao G 30, zusanli S 36.
III. Electropuncture (dianzhen-liaofa). This method has been developed recently and is being used abroad as well as in China. After the needle has been inserted to the proper depth, a ringlet which is attached to a lead is put on the handle of the needle. There exist different apparatures. That with the alternating current is suitable almost for all patients.
By means of the apparatus it is possible either to stimulate the points given in acupuncture or to stimulate the peripheral or cutaneous nerves of the affected place directly. At least two needles should be used at the same time. The current should be increased gradually. In rheumatism or nervous collapse 20-40 minutes are prescribed. More obstinate diseases need even more than one hour. For sensitive patients sometimes several minutes are sufficient. Electropuncture can be used every other or every third day. Then the patient must take a fortnight’s rest and undergo another treatment-course afterwards.
Electropuncture is suitable for nervous diseases, stomach diseases due to some nervous cause, chronic laryngitis, chronic bronchitis, enuresis, impotence, sex pollution, painful menstruation, angina pectoris, high blood pressure, rheumatism, arthritis, lymphadenitis, nettle-rack, eczem, consequences after polio, influenza and acute conjunctivitis. Today it is in China mostly used to bring about anesthesia.
IV. Ear-acupuncture (erhen-liaofa). The inventor of this method is Nogier, whose article on this topic in 1957 attracted the attention of the world. According to him certain individual points on the external ear are connected with the organs. If any part of the body becomes sick, a painful spot appears on the ear. The physician can locate the painful spot by using the needle haozhen no. 30 with a slightly rounded tip and pressing it slowly on the surface of the ear. If he finds more painful spots than one, insertion is either performed on all the painful spots or on the most painful one.
The needle is inserted 5 fens – 1 cun and the insertions are made on both ears in such a manner so that the needle reaches the cartillage. It is left on the spot for 20-60 minutes, and at 10-20 minutes intervals it may be turned to the right or to the 1eft in order to increase the intensity of stimulation. After this treatment most patients are given shell-like intracutaneous needle (pineizhen) which after having been inserted has to be covered with a plaster. After three or five days the spot must be examined again. This method is suitab1e for asthma, enuresis and other long lasting diseases.
Sometimes during ear-acupuncture insertions into other points are recommended. Ear-acupuncture is suitable for all painful diseases.