Ding De-zheng's acupuncture treatment of psychiatric disorders

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Oct, 2004 by Honora Lee Wolfe

As is usually true in Western medicine, psychiatric disorders are often categorized as difficult to treat diseases in Chinese medicine. And, while the main modality and standard of care in professional Chinese medicine for the treatment of psychiatric disorders is the internal administration of Chinese medicinals, the combination of acupuncture with such internally administered medicinals is often able to achieve an even better effect than internally administered Chinese medicinals alone. In his article titled "Knowledge Based on Experience of the Acupuncture Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders," Dr. Ding De-zheng suggests the use of six acupoint combinations for specific psychiatric conditions. (1) For more information on the treatment of psychiatric diseases with acupuncture and Chinese medicine, please see Bob Flaws & James Lake's Chinese Medical Psychiatry. The following is a precis of Dr. Ding's main points. I hope practitioners of acupuncture will find this information about these points to be useful.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

1. Shen Ting (GV 24) & Shang Xing (GV 23)

Shen Ting and Shang Xing are both points on the governing vessel, and the governing vessel is the sum and governor of all the yang channels of the body. The governing vessel moves within the interior of the spine and enters the brain above. Dr. Ding needles Shen Ting through to Shang Xing for the treatment of phlegm obstruction-yang blockage, feeble-mindedness and inertia and stiff reversal with extremely good results, including cataleptic schizophrenia. In that case, Dr. Ding combines strong draining technique of these points with Feng Long (St 40) to flush phlegm and downbear turbidity and Nei Guan (Per 6) to rectify the qi and extend the spirit. After needling, Dr. Ding applies moxibustion with a moxa roll for three minutes per point. Each day he needles one time, retaining the needles for 2-3 hours, twisting the needles one time each 30 minutes. According to Dr. Ding, when this acupuncture protocol is combined with appropriate Chinese medicinals for the patient's pattern, after 30 days, the feeble-mindedness and torpidity markedly improve. After 60 days, the feeble-mindedness is gone and the spirit is clear. For cataleptic schizophrenia due to insufficient qi mixed with phlegm and dampness confounding above, Dr. Ding combines Sheng Ting and Shang Xing with draining Ren Zhong (GV 26) and Zu San Li (St 36) and Guan Yuan (CV 4) with supplementing method. After needling, he adds moxibustion for six minutes per point. For this condition, he needles two times per day. Typically, stiff reversal is resolved after 2-3 days.

2. Yi Feng (TB 17) & Feng Long (St 40)

According to Dr. Ding, auditory hallucinations are mostly due to phlegm and stasis binding in and confounding the orifices of the heart-brain, thus resulting in bewilderment and chaos of the spirit brilliance. Needling Feng Long below downbears and discharges phlegm, stasis, and turbidity, while needling Yi Feng above courses and regulates the channel qi in the area of the ears. Using this technique, Dr. Ding has achieved very satisfactory results in schizophrenic auditory hallucinations. In this case, Dr. Ding drains these first two points with strong stimulation. He combines this with draining technique at Ting Gong (SI 19) and Shen Men (Ht 7) and with even supplementing-even draining technique at Xin Shu (Bl 15) and Gong Sun (Sp 4). After needling, he adds moxibustion for four minutes at each point. In one case of a 31 year-old schizophrenic woman, auditory hallucinations somewhat decreased after 32 days, greatly decreased after 55 days, and were eliminated after 71 days. The patient was also administered a suitable Chinese medicinal formula based on her pattern discrimination throughout this time. After continuous acupuncture and Chinese medicinals prescribed according to her pattern, the woman was judged cured and discharged from the hospital after 127 days.

3. Tong Li (Ht 5) & Xian Gu (St 43)

According to Dr. Ding, adolescent schizophrenia is mostly due to phlegm fire harassing and causing chaos to the spirit brilliance, thus leading to manic and chaotic behavior. For patients with phlegm fire pattern mania and chaotic behavior, besides internally administering appropriate Chinese medicinals to transform phlegm, drain fire, open the orifices, and quiet the spirt, Dr. Ding needles

Tong Li and Xian Gu as well as Xin Shu (Bl 15), Wei Shu (Bl 21), Feng Long (St 40), Shao Chong (Ht 9), and Li Dui (St 45), all with draining technique and strong stimulation. Dr. Ding needles one time every day, and, typically, after 15 days, the mania and chaotic behavior can mostly be brought under control. This combination of points for this condition seems to be a traditional Ding family protocol, since Dr. Ding quotes two other Dings regarding this combination's ability to treat phlegm fire manic conditions.

4. Tai Chong (Liv 3) & Feng Fu (GV 16)

Dr. Ding recommends the combination of Tai Chong and Feng Fu for the treatment of manic anger, cursing, vexation, agitation, and impetuosity due to liver fire. Tai Chong is the source point on the foot jue yin liver channel. Needling it can repress the liver and drain fire, while needling Feng Fu can settle the spirit and stabilize mania. Dr. Ding commonly combines these two main points with Da Dun (Liv 1), Gan Shu (Bl 18), Li Gou (Liv 5), and Qu Quan (Liv 8), all with draining technique and strong stimulation, along with internally administered Chinese medicinals, giving one acupuncture treatment per day. According to Dr. Ding, typically, after 20 days, the mania and anger can be greatly reduced and eliminated in approximately 30 days.