Maciocia's acupoints recommendations for MS

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Since the Maciocia info is the most basic and the Flaws info goes

into often-seen accompanying patterns, I'm starting with the

Maciocia info.

 

For those new to TCM and the beginning TCM students on the list:

The first step is to make the correct TCM diagnosis/ diagnoses.

Don't assume that just because the client has a Western diagnosis of

multiple sclerosis that Damp-Phlegm With Spleen Deficiency and/or

Liver And Kidney Deficiency are present. There are two reasons for

this: 1. One can miss other patterns which also are present (see

Flaws material) and patterns which are aggravating these main two

patterns. I'll be going into more detail on aggravating patterns for

the students on the list when I get to the Flaws material.

Understanding the concept of aggravating problems is particularly

important when it comes to understanding and successfully treating

any Phlegm conditions and " knotty " (complex) cases.

 

2. Sometimes Western diagnoses - like TCM diagnoses - can be

incorrect. The person may not have MS after all. The person may or

may not have underlying imbalances of Damp-Phlegm With Spleen

Deficiency and/or Liver And Kidney Deficiency.

 

It's recommended that the beginning students on the list who are

interested in MS review the symptoms and signs of Spleen Deficiency,

Damp Phlegm, and Liver Yin and Blood Deficiency and Kidney Yin

Deficiency. There are posts in the message base on the symptoms and

signs of some of these. If the search function doesn't work too

well, ask, and I'll repost what you can't find. Readers also can

Google for additional info on these imbalances.

 

The second step is to formulate the treatment principles. In the

case of Damp-Phlegm With Spleen Deficiency, the treatment principles

are to strengthen the Spleen and resolve Dampness and Phlegm.

 

Next, choose the acupoints and/or herbs to accomplish this. In the

case of Damp-Phlegm With Spleen Deficiency, Maciocia recommends Ren-

12 and Bladder-20 to tonify the Spleen, Spleen-9 and Spleen-6 to

resolve Dampness, and Stomach-40 to resolve Phlegm. (Giovanni

Maciocia, The Practive of , pp. 702-703.) There are

other points that experienced acupuncturists may choose to

accomphlish the same treatment principles. These are just a

beginning guideline.

 

Maciocia believes that acupuncture is the " treatment of choice " for

MS. (p. 702.) But he also lists an herbal formula. It's a variation

of Si Miao San (Four Wonderful Powder). Si Miao San " resolves Damp-

Heat from the Lower Burner and legs " . (p. 703.) Bi Xie is added to

this basic formula to remove Dampness from the legs. Bai Zhu is

added to tonify the Spleen Qi and resolve Dampness. Du Huo is added

to expel " Wind-Dampness from the Lower Burner and invigorate the

Connecting channels " . (p. 703.) Obviously this would not be a

formula to use as is if Damp-Heat is not also present.

 

In the case of Liver and Kidney Deficiency, the treatment principles

are to tonify Kidneys and Liver and strengthen bone and tendons. (p.

704.) Maciocia recommends Kidney-3, Ren-4, Bladder-23, and Spleen-6

to tonify the Kidneys, Liver-8 and Bladder-18 to tonify the Kidneys,

Small Intestine-3 and Bladder-62 to strengthen the Governing Vessel

and spine, and Liver-3 and Gall Bladder-20 to subdue Liver Wind. He

also mentions that GB-20 is good for the eyes in cases of blurred

and/or double vision. (p. 704.)

 

Maciocia also recommends 4 formulas for Liver And Kidney Deficiency.

Even though Maciocia says that acupuncture is the treatment of

choice for the TCM imbalances underlying MS, I can forsee cases in

which herbal treatment would make a critical difference in the case

of Liver and Kidney imbalance. For the beginning TCM students on

the list, what is meant by Liver and Kidney Deficiency is Liver And

Kidney Yin Deficiency. And Liver Blood Deficieny may also be

present. (When we get to the Flaws material we'll go into some

detail on how Blood Deficiency can play a critical role in MS.)

Acupuncture does not directly add Yin to the body. Nor does it

directly improve Blood or add Qi. Yang can be directly increased

with acupuncture when moxa is used. Acupuncture indirectly

supplements Yin, Blood, and Qi by improving the balance of the

Organs msot responsible for these. There may be cases where the

direct supplementation via herbs is called for - provided the person

is strong enough to take tonification.

 

The first is a variation of Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill (Liu Wei

Di Huang Wan). The Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill directly nourishes

both Kidney and Liver Yin. Du Huo is added to expel Wind-Damp from

the Lower Burner and invigorate Connecting channels. Sang Ji Sheng

nourishes Liver-Blood and tendons. Ji Xue Teng and Wu Jia Pi are

added to " invigorate the Connecting channels, move Blood and

strengthen tendons and bones " . Finally, a little bit of Du Zhong is

added " even though it is a Yang tonic, to tonify the lower back and

legs and strengthen the spine " . (pp. 704-705) Not to mention that if

Kidney Yin Deficiency is present, Kidney Yang Deficiency is almost

sure to also be present though to a lesser degree.

 

Maciocia recommends some other variations to this basic formula, but

I want to mention one in case the person also has severe Kidney Yang

Deficient that has gone on for sometime in addition to having Kidney

Yin Deficiency. This is the addition of Lu Jiao (Cornu Cervi)

to " tonify Yang and strengthen the spine " . (p. 705.) (He recommends

this addition if the Yang Deficiency signs and symptoms appear later

in treatment while the tongue is still Red.)

 

He recommends Du Huo Ji Sheng Wang (Angelica pubescens-Loranthus

Pill) in cases where Kidney Yang Deficiency predominates over Kideny

and Liver Yin Deficiency. In cases where Kidney Yang Deficiency

predominates, the color of the tongue body will be pale.

 

Maciocia recommends Du Zhong Bu Tian Su (Eucommia Benefiting Heaven

Pill) in cases where the Kidney Yin and Kidney Yang Deficiency are

both strong and more or less equal. In addition, there are marked

signs and symptoms of Liver Deficiency. The tongue body will be

slightly Red with " a rootless coating " in these cases. Maciocia

cautions that if the tongue body color is very Red and the tongue is

completely without coating, this formula should NOT be used. (p.

705.)

 

He recommends Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill)

for just nourishing Liver and Kidney Yin (without any " direct effect

on the channels and sinews " . (The variation of Lui Wei Di Huan Wan

in a previous paragraph contained additions for specifically acting

on the channels.) In cases where this is called for the tongue will

be Red with " a rootless coating or without coating " . (pp. 705-706.)