The review of clinical application of X-shaped balance acupuncture therapy for joint pain and activity disorder

Cheng-Li Sun,Wen Lu,Li-Qun He,Jian-Dong Gao,Jing Xiao

1Department of General Medicine,Shanghai Baoshan Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine,Shanghai,China.2Department of Nephrology,Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Shanghai,China.3Department of Rehabilitation,Longhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Shanghai,China.

Introduction

Musculoskeletal diseases such as neck,shoulder,back and leg pain are common and frequently-occurring diseases in rehabilitation departments.Joint pain in the limbs,especially sputum,wrist sprain,and periarthritis of the shoulder,and even lumbar disc herniation,etc.although conventionalacupunctureand massage havea positive effect,but sometimes the effect is slow.The use of"X-shaped balance therapy"by Dr.Er-Jin Zhou has the advantages of quick effect and less pain.If acupuncture is used,there is an immediate and pain-relieving effect.

Corresponding acupoint selection acupuncture in Huang Di Nei Jing

Both the Miu Ci and Ju Ci are ancient acupuncture nouns.They mean cross acupuncture.Miu Ci and Ju Ci are ancient acupuncture method proposed in Huang Di Nei Jing,when the left limb has disorder because of pathogenic factors and then the right point is used.How to distinguish between two kinds of acupuncture methods?Qi Bo said:When pathogenic factors is in the meridians,when the pathogenic factors on the left side makes the right meridians sick,and vice versa.There are also cases of pathogenic factors transfer,the left side of the pain has not stopped,and the right side of the meridian has been sick,you must use the method of Ju Ci.When acupuncture,the needle must puncture into meridians and meridian acupoints.When the tiny collaterals are sick,their pain is different from the meridian parts,so this kind of needling method is called Miu Ci.

That is to say,Ju Ci is suitable for pathogenic factors from outside,and the condition is very serious.It is used for diseases of meridians.Miu Ci is suitable for the mild or shallow condition of the disease,or the lesion is mostly in the skin of the collateral disease.

The development of corresponding acupoint selection acupuncture

Japanese acupuncturist Yukio Chiyu put forward in modern times the measurement of sensibility to heat and the phenomenon of acupuncture balance,which has attracted wide attention.The phenomenon of acupuncture balance is based on the theory of“Miu Ci”in Huang Di Nei Jing[1].

For local pain(including post-acupuncture pain,trauma,pain,etc.),Professor Jing-shan Peng developed local corresponding to acupoint therapy,left-right corresponding to acupoint therapy,parallel corresponding to acupoint therapy, front-back corresponding to acupointtherapy,upper-lower corresponding to acupoint therapy according to the characteristics of meridian qi and blood operation.Among them,localcorresponding to acupoint therapy can be widely used clinically.It’s suitable for pain limited to less than 1 cm in diameter.Find the pain point,draw a mark,acupuncture the same part on the opposite side,use the replenishment method according to the virtual reality,and the pain point disappears.Such as the top of the head pain,acupuncture under the armpit; left headache,acupuncture on the rightside;internalpain,acupuncture other external hemorrhoids.In short,the acupuncture in the opposite part of the pain,the more accurate the corresponding point,the better the effect[2].

The corresponding acupoint selection acupuncture proposed by Chinese scholars,mostly combined with exercise therapy [3-5]."Corresponding acupoint selection acupuncture"includes upper and lower corresponding acupuncture method,left and right corresponding acupuncture method and combined acupuncture method.In recent years,there have been many discussions about this method,and many advances have been made in clinical application and basic research.

For example,Dr.Chang-Sen Li used acupoints on the contralateral limbs(Ju Ci)to cooperate with exercise therapy to treat sports system diseases[6].Dr.Xiu-Ming Wang used the Miu Ci method to treat 2000 cases of acute soft tissue injuries.His acupoint method is similar to the acupoint method of the balance phenomenon.The injured parts include waist,cervical vertebra,hip,knee,ankle,shoulder,elbow joint and finger.99%of patients with soft tissue injury recovered by emergency treatment[7].

Dr.Ming-Fei Ma took the contralateral hand point to treat pain,and also had a good effect[8].Dr.Yun-Heng Bai had acupuncture the"corresponding point"method to treat 1000 cases of acute joint contusion and received satisfactory results.The"corresponding point" acupointmethod is the shoulder joint corresponding to the hip joint,the knee joint corresponds to the elbow joint,the wrist joint corresponding to the ankle joint,etc.

Taiwan's classical acupuncture and moxibustion Pro.Zuo-yu Zhou's ancient Bian Que contraposition method is also the use of contralateral acupoints to treat diseases,but generally chooses acupoints,and pays more attention to meridians theories,so there are some differences[9].

The X-shaped balance therapy summarized by Dr.Er-Jin Zhou,also known as“high and low medical science”,is the theory of studying the low and high points of the human body and how to achieve relative balance.

The upper limb has pain or activity disorder and the lower limb symmetry point(or holographic corresponding point)is used for treatment,and vice versa.The left limb has pain or activity disorder and the right limb symmetry point(or holographic corresponding point)is used.Moreover,when the limbs have pain or movementdisorder,the holographic corresponding symmetry points in the middle of the body are used for treatment,and the pain in the middle of the body is treated by the symmetry of the limb hologram.As long as the corresponding holographicsymmetry pointsare found,the balance of the body will automatically recover and the pain will be eliminated[10].

Symmetrical reaction points in the painful part of the body are easy to find,such as the thumb of the left thumb and the right foot are symmetrical,the left elbow is symmetrical with the right knee,and so on.After finding the symmetry point,press around to find the tender point,which is the disease reaction point,acupuncture or massage the affected area,the pain can be quickly relieved,and normal activities can be resumed.This can be seen as a further play of Miu Ci.In addition,this method can also be combined with the holographic embryo theory.For example,when the elbow pain needs to take the knee reaction point,the corresponding points of the hand point,the foot hole or the ear point can be taken,which further improves the selectivity of the clinical operation.

In general,this therapy should belong to the further development of the corresponding acupoint method,which is very similar to the“Yellow EmperorNeedle”advocated by ProfessorLiu Li-Hong in recent years.Dr.Wang Wenyuan's balanced needle therapy is similar to the“X-shaped balance therapy”,but the content varies greatly.Balanced needle therapy is an overall adjustment model of acupuncture and moxibustion,which is based on the theory of TCM and the theory of neuromodulation of Western medicine. It is compatible with psychology,physiology,society and nature.There are 38 common acupoints,and the acupoints are relatively fixed,while the"X-shaped balance therapy"has a targeted change with the different parts of the disease."X-shaped balance acupuncture therapy"is generally combined with exercise therapy,and the clinical effect is remarkable.Many of the acupoints in Professor Gao Shuzhong's book"One needle Therapy"can also be regarded as application examples of this therapy,such as the treatment of knee arthritis with the use of the Chize(LU5),and the"Elbow Point"near the Yanglingquan(GB34)to treat tennis elbow.

Typical diseases cured by X-shaped balance acupuncture therapy

Sequelae of joint and muscle traction

Mr.Sun,a 60years oldfarmer.Heworked excessively in the countryside five years ago,which made it difficult to straighten the right elbow joint.Later,he used strong compression and stretching methods,and the right elbow could be straightened,but the elbow joint could not be bent.When he bends his elbow at the doctor,the pain inside the elbow is unbearable.According to the X-shaped balance therapy,the doctor acupuncture the tender point near the center of the left armpit(Weizhong,BL40).When the needling reaction appeared,the needle is left.After about 1 minute,he slowly moved the affected arm.At that time,he had no pain in elbows and the activity returns to normal.His elbow joint pain and activity disorder are cured after this acupuncture.After several years of follow-up,his left elbow flexion and extension activity has been normal,no pain and other sequelae.

External epicondylitis of the humerus

External humeral epicondylitis,also known as tennis elbow,can also be treated according to X-shaped balance therapy,and the most obvious tenderness point can be found near the opposite side of Yanglingquan(GB34).If acupuncture is performed,it usually takes 1 or 2 times to be effective or cured.This acupoint is generally located at the head of the humerus above Yanglingquan(GB34).Professor Gao called it the"Elbow Point"[11].

A nurse in hospital had a tennis elbow attack.Her right side of the elbow joint was painful.The pain was aggravated when the towel was twisted,and the tenderness of the upper iliac crest was obvious.The doctor pressed her"Elbow Point"on the left side and ordered her to move the painful elbow.Her elbow pain wasmagically eliminated within about2 minutes.In recent years,we have used acupuncture or massage to treat more than 10 patients,which can be quickly effective within a few minutes,and their tennis elbows do not attack for a long time.Clinical comparison using balance symmetry therapy,taking the pain point of the contralateral elbow symmetry site also has the effect of relieving pain immediately after acupuncture and returning to normal exercise.

External humeral epicondylitis is due to acute and chronic injury,strain and other factors,leading to the fibrous tissue and collateral ligament of the tendon attachment of the extensor muscles of the forearm of the externaliliac crest.Tendon adhesion and degeneration,a localized pain caused by localized pain in the upper humerus and affecting the rotational function of the wrist and forearm.Tennis elbow usually has pain on the outside of the elbow joint,sometimes involving the forearm,clenching the fist,bending the wrist,twisting the towel,sweeping the floor and other actions can make the pain worse,and the holding can sometimes be lost.The disease is mainly characterized by pain and tenderness in the upper iliac crest.In recent years,a single or combined treatment of acupoint embedding,electroacupuncture, fire needle, needle knife,massage,acupoint injection,closure and drugs has been used.The general treatment is cumbersome[12].

Ankle sprain

The ankle joint is the joint whose body is closest to the ground and has the most weight loss.The ligament injury around the ankle joint belongs to the category of ankle sprain.Possible injuries caused by sprains oftheankle include the anterioriliac ligament,the medial deltoid ligament,and the transverse ligament of the lower jaw.

Asprain at the Shenmai(BL62)below the foot can find a significant tender point at the Yanglao(SI6)of the patient's contralateral wrist.Finding this point,using massage or acupuncture treatment has a very fast effect.If the sprain of the ankle joint is in the front lower part of the lateral malleolus,near the Qiuxu(GB40),or the injury of the patient's external hemorrhoid is partially relieved after the acupuncture in the Yanglao(SI6),but the pain is still in front of the lateral malleolus,it should be at the opposites Yanglao(SI6)wrist joint of the sprain.Look for tenderness points near Yangchi(SJ4).Then treat at the corresponding tender point.

If there is a patient's internal hemorrhoid injury,the tender point is not at the Yanglao(SI6)or the Yangchi(SJ4)，but should be near the Taiyuan(LU9)and Yangxi(LI5).Professor Gao Shuzhong has repeatedly used this method of acupoints to treat ankle sprains[13].

We have used this therapy to treat more than 20 cases of ankle sprain.When acupuncture,we should first massage the reaction point for a few seconds to see if the pain is relieved.If there is any relief,let the patient cough and acupuncture the reaction point.Then let the patient move to the affected area,and the general pain can be relieved immediately after a few minutes.This therapy sometimes has a special effect when the acupuncture treatment near the pain site is ineffective.In addition,we applied this therapy to other areas of sprain,contusion,muscle traction injury has also achieved good results[14].

In addition,massage X-shaped balance symmetry point treatment is also effective,but the general massage time is longer,the pain when pressing is much more obvious than acupuncture,or local redness may occur,so acupuncture treatment is more convenient.Massage therapy is limited to patients who are afraid of acupuncture.The treatment can also be combined with acupuncture at the Shousanli(LI10)to enhance the treatment effect.

Lumbar disc herniation

The use of X-shaped balance acupuncture therapy for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation is simple and effective,and can be combined with auricular compression to improve the curative effect.When there is pain or movement disorder in the middle of the body(such as the spine),according to the principle of X-shaped balance acupuncture therapy,the symmetry point treatment of limb holography should be used.For lumbar pain,take one point in each of the elbows(near Chize,LU5),one point in the middle of the armpits(near Weizhong,BL40),and press each point for 6-7 minutes with the finger.

For example,if the left leg hip joint activity disorder is combined,a symmetric sensitive point is taken on the lower side of the right shoulder;if the right leg hip joint is in motion,the hole is taken in the lower left side of the left shoulder,and then the acupoint is pressed with the finger for 6-7 minutes.

In the first 10 days,massage each morning and afternoon,and after 10 days,change to massage once a day.With chiropractic therapy,20 days is a course of treatment,and stubborn patients can treat two to three courses.This therapy is effective and consolidated for low back pain caused by various diseases,such as lumbar sprain,lumbar vertebrae,lumbar muscle strain,and bone hyperplasia.Dr.Zhou often used earacupointcompression to improve the curative effect.Each acupoint is pressed with a matchstick for 2 to 3 minutes,in which the lumbar vertebrae,kidney,and subcortical points can be repeatedly pressed once to enhance the therapeutic effect.

We have treated more than 20 patients with lumbar disc herniation,taking the tender point near the Quze(PC3)in the central part of the elbow fossa or the Chize(LU5)outside the iliac crest corresponding to the treatment of lumbar vertebrae,the Houxi(SI3)and Yuji(LU10)to adjust the Du meridian(spine),and the Shousanli(LI10)to relieve the muscle spasm.In most patients,significant pain relief occurs within a few minutes after acupuncture,and limited waist activity visible improvement.In most cases,pressing the tender points in the patient's elbow socket,their low back pain can be relieved to varying degrees.Clinical reports have also been effective in treating acute lumbar disc herniation with only acupoints[15].Some scholars have had relevant clinical reports on the use of this therapy to treat lumbar muscle strain and sciatica[16,17].

Acute gout attack

Modern medicine believes that gout is caused by excessive uric acid causing sediment to accumulate in the joints,resulting in severe pain,redness and swelling of the skin.The foot and toe joints,thumb and internal hemorrhoids are multiple sites,and some patients may have migratory sites.Patients with gout often cannot take uric acid-lowering drugs during acute attacks.Pain medications often have adverse effects on kidney function.Some doctors have used local bloodletting and leech blood-sucking treatments to achieve good results[18,19].However,for diabetic patients,there is often a risk of concurrent infection,or it is inconvenient and difficult for patients to accept.We often use X-shaped balance acupuncture therapy to related symmetry points to relieve acute pain of gout.A patient with gout who cannot walk because of pain can relieve pain after a few minutes of acupuncture,and can walk normally after the treatment.

Generally,different reaction points are selected according to the pain site,such as redness and heat pain in the first metatarsophalangeal joint,and the corresponding tenderness reaction point on the outer side of the contralateral palm,and so on.According to morethan 10 patients we treated,the average time for pain relief in gout patients was about 3 to 15 minutes,except that the activity could be initially restored,and some patients could clearly see the pain disappeared after acupuncture and the skin temperature decreased.If the patient has a painful site metastasis,the acupuncture at the corresponding reaction point should be added at any time according to the pain site.Dr.Shaokun Lou also has similar treatment experience,and the effect is more durable than other acupuncture methods[20].

Knee arthritis and knee injury

There are many knee joint injuries and knee arthritis patients in mountainous areas such as Yunnan Province.If you are engaged in heavy physical labor and vigorous bouncing for a long time,it is easy to damage the knee joint.The main symptoms are synovitis,cruciate ligament tear,meniscus injury,cartilage damage and so on.People with frequent knee irritation are prone to chronic knee disease,such as pigmented villonodular synovitis,chronic synovitis, etc. These diseases are clinically intractable diseases.Modern medicine often uses closed therapy,surgery and other methods to treat such diseases.

We have a good effect in the treatment of knee pain in this department of knee joint disease in the People's Hospital of Nanjian Autonomous County.Acupuncture the elbow joint on the opposite side of the affected knee,take a tender point near the Xiaohai(SI8),Chize(LU5)，Quze(PC3)， or acupuncture at the Shousanli(LI10).Patients with general pain or mild mobility may have immediate pain relief after acupuncture.Many patients with chronic knee osteoarthritis or knee pain who have a long course of disease can significantly reduce or eliminate the pain after acupuncture,and there are fewer follow-up recurrences.

Such as Mrs.Shen,64 years old.She was suffering from knee pain when flexing her knees and squatting.After she fell,she needed some help from others to stand up.We used X-shaped balance therapy to acupuncture the reaction points near the Quze(PC3)on both sides of the elbow joints.When the needling reaction appeared,the needle were left for 5 minutes.At the same time,we let her sit on the bed,move the knees,and squat down after a few minutes,the pain has been significantly reduced.

Continued to leave the needle,and acupuncture the left Shousanli(LI10)to enhance the healing and analgesic effect.The patient continued to move her legs for a few minutes,the pain was basically eliminated,she could already squat and stand up.The needles were removed after about 15 minutes,then the patient's knees were free to move.Mrs.Zhang,74 years old,she had suffered from meniscus injury in her right knee for many years.She had been treated with surgery.Her curative effect was not good.Her right knee could not work hard.The upper and lower knees were painful and uncomfortable.She had to rely on crutches for walking.

Because the pain abovehercheekbonewas obvious,there was a reaction point above the olecranon of the left elbow joint.After pressing,the needle was inserted,and the left Shousanli(LI10)was added,and the needle were left after the needling reaction appeared.According to the doctor's instructions,she sat on the chair and flexed her knees.After about 2 minutes,she felt the pain relieved.The family members slowly lifted her to walk.The patient felt that the knees could bear gravity slightly when walking.According to the doctor's request,she continued to exercise the right knee,and the needle were guaranteed to maintain the needling reaction.The patient felt the pain gradually relieved and she was able to walk on her own after about half an hour.The patients and their families were very surprised.

As Academician Xuemin Shipointed out:corresponding acupoint selection acupuncture has the following characteristics:(1)easy to take acupoints,re-stimulation,and more exercise.Once the lesion is determined,its corresponding area iseasy to determine,as long as the method is mastered.The acupuncture method is often used the reducing techniques.The acupuncture must cooperate with the compulsive movement of the affected part of the affected part.(2)The effect is fast and the curative effect is high.The thorn method is used to treat painful and active dysfunction often once or several times.It can be cured,and the total effective rate is above 90%.(3)The indications are mainly limb muscle pain.[21]

Conclusion

We have applied this therapy in the clinic to treat local pain such as neck,shoulder,back and leg pain,and achieved good results.Most pain disorders are effective and lasting.However,for severe local adhesions,the effect is sometimes not ideal,and may require local treatment such as needle knife therapy.

In some patients,it is not convenient to take acupuncture at the leg in the upper limb pain.It is also very effective to take the point of symmetry of the contralateralupperlimb.Dr.Er-Jin Zhou sometimes combined with hand points,acupoints,auricular points and other flexible changes or with acupoints,can further improve the clinical effect.This requires us to further study and practice.

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