Acupuncture Points for Orofacial Dystonia

🗺️ Meridian: Kidney Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 太谿 (tài xī)

🎯 Location: In the depression the between tip of the medial malleolus and achilles tendon.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Shortness of Breath, Heat Deficiency, Asthma

🗺️ Meridian: Kidney Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 照海 (zhào hǎi)

🎯 Location: In the depression the below tip of the medial malleolus.

⚠️ Cautions: Traditionally forbidden in pregnancy – these are the points used to bring on labour at term. Controlled data show no excess of preterm birth or stillbirth (Carr 2015), but in pregnancy needle only on a clear obstetric indication.

🛡️ Treats: Heat Deficiency, Dizziness, Constipation, Chest Fullness, Abdominal Bloating

🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 筋縮 (jīn suō)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 9th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Jaundice, Common Cold, Vomiting, Wind

🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 至陽 (zhì yáng)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 7th thoracic vertebra approximately at the level with inferior angle of the scapula.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Jaundice, Qi Deficiency

🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 身柱 (shēn zhù)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 3rd thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Heat Chest, Cough, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Sweating

🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大椎 (dà zhuī)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra approximately at the level of the shoulders.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with C7 vertebra.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Shortness of Breath, Weakness, Heat, Chest Fullness

🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 百會 (bǎi huì)

🎯 Location: On the midline of the head 5 thumb widths directly above the midpoint of the anterior hairline approximately on the midpoint of the line connecting apex of the ears.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Palpitations, Jaundice, Qi Deficiency

🗺️ Meridian: Lung Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 少商 (shào shāng)

🎯 Location: On the radial side of the thumb about 0.1 thumb width posterior to the corner of the nail.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in patients with bleeding disorders; caution with depth.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Shortness of Breath, Sweating, Common Cold, Heat

🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 三間 (sān jiān)

🎯 Location: When loose fist is made point is on the radial side of the index finger in the depression the proximal to the head of the 2nd metacarpal bone.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Tinnitus, Common Cold, Heat

🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 四白 (sì bái)

🎯 Location: Directly below pupil in the depression the at the infraorbital foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with infraorbital nerve.

🛡️ Treats: Heat, Wind, Deviation Eye, Facial Droop, Headache

🗺️ Meridian: Triple Burner Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 翳風 (yì fēng)

🎯 Location: Posterior to the lobule of the ear in the depression the between mandible and mastoid process.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution near facial nerve.

🛡️ Treats: Heat, Wind, Pain, Deviation Eye, Facial Droop

🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 風池 (fēng chí)

🎯 Location: In the depression the between upper portion of the scm and trapezius on the same level with GV16.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with vertebral artery; avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Stress, Fever, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Wind

🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 足臨泣 (zú lín qì)

🎯 Location: Posterior to the 4th metatarsophalangeal joint in the depression the lateral to the tendon of the extensor digiti minimi of the foot.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Phlegm, Sweating, Kidney Deficiency, Dizziness

🗺️ Meridian: Liver Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大敦 (dà dūn)

🎯 Location: On the lateral side of the terminal phalanx of the great the toe 0.1 thumb width from corner of the nail.

⚠️ Cautions: Anticoagulant therapy or a coagulopathy raises the risk of haematoma at the needling site – apply prolonged pressure on withdrawal. The precaution governs technique; bleeding disorders remain a treatable indication.

🛡️ Treats: Anxiety, Weakness, Constipation, Depression, Abdominal Bloating

🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Head

🇨🇳 Chinese: 魚腰 (yú yāo)

🎯 Location: In the centre of the eyebrow, in the depression the directly above the pupil when the eyes are looking straight forward.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Redness, Swelling, Pain, Eye Pain, Benefit Eyes