Acupuncture In Neck Pain

Acupuncture Points Present In Head and Neck

• Jingbailao (EX-HN 15 )• Yiming(EX-HN14 )• Yuye(EX-HN13 )• Jinjin (EX-HN 12)• Haiquan (EX-HN11)• Juquan(EX-HN10)• Shangyingxiang (EX-HN 8 )• Neiyingxiang ( EX-HN9)• Qiuhou (EX-HN7)• Erjian(EX-HN6)• Taiyang(EX-HN5)• Yuyao (EX-HN4)• Yintang(EX-HN3)• Dangyang(EX-HN2)

Jingbailao (EX-HN 15 )

Location2 cm superior to the lower border of the spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra (C7) and 1 cm lateral to the midline.

Jingbailao (EX-HN 15 )Regional Anatomy:In the superficial layer, there are the cutaneous branches of the 4th and 5th cervical nerves. In the deep layer, there are the branches of the posterior branches of the 4th and 5th cervical nerve.

Function: Nourishing the lungs, relieving spasm of the tendons and dredging the collaterals.Indications: Cough, asthma, pulmonary tuberculosis, stiff-neck, and whooping cough.How to findFor locating C7, see 3.4.1. ➞ ➞Du-14 (dazhui) is located below the spinous process of C7. From there, measure 2 cm in a superior and 1 cm in a lateral direction.NeedlingVertically 0.5–0.8 cm for 5-10 min.

Yiming(EX-HN14 )Regional Anatomy:• In the superficial layer, there are the branches

of the great auricular nerve. In the deep layer, there are the deep cervical artery and vein.

Location:• Sit upright with one's head inclined slightly

forword; firstly, locate YifengTE17 (Yifeng (TE17)), 1 cm posterior to YifengTE17 (TE17), on the anteroinferior side of mastoid process.

Function: • Improving eyesight and tranquilizing the mind.Indications: • Eye diseases, tinnitus, vertigo, and insomnia.

NeedlingDepth:0.5 - 1 cm.Technique:Puncture Perpendicularly

Yiming(EX-HN14 )

Others Acupuncture Points ( Not Related To The Neck Problems )

• Yuye(EX-HN13 )• Location: In the mouth,

on the vein in the right side of the frenulum of the tongue.

• Indications: Swelling of tongue, intractable vomiting, stiff tongue.

• Jinjin (EX-HN 12)• Location: In the mouth,

on the vein in the left side of the frenulum of the tongue.

• Indications: Swelling of tongue, intractable vomiting, stiff tongue.

• Haiquan (EX-HN11)• Location: In the mouth,

at the midpoint of the frenulum of the tongue.

• Indications: Diabetes, double tongue with swelling pain, vomiting, diarrhea.

• Juquan(EX-HN10)• Location: In the mouth,

at the midpoint of the dorsal midline of the tongue.

• Indications: Stiff tongue, flaccid tongue, with aphasia, diabetes, asthma, cough, hypogeusestbesia.

Others Acupuncture Points ( Not Related To The Neck Problems )

• Shangyingxiang (EX-HN 8 )

• Location: On the face, at the junction of the alar cartilage of the nose and the nasal concha, near the upper end of the nasolabial groove.

• Indications: rhinorrhea with turbid discharge, stuffy nose, boil of nose.

• Neiyingxiang ( EX-HN9)• Location: In the nostril, at the

junction between the mucosa of the alar cartilage of the nose and the nasal con cha.

• Indications: Conjunct ival congestion and swelling of the eye(s), rhinopathy, inflammation of the throat, fever,heatstroke, dizziness.

• Prick to cause bleeding. Prohibited on cases with hemorrhagic diathesis.

Others Acupuncture Points ( Not Related To The Neck Problems )

• Qiuhou (EX-HN7)• Location: On the face, at the junction of

of the lateral fourth and medial three fourth of the infraorbital margin.

• Indications: Ophthalmic disorders.• Push gently the eyeball upward and

then puncture perpendicularly and slowly 0.5-1.2 cm along the infraorbital margin. Strong twirling or lifting and thrusting the needle is not advisable.

• Method:Push the eyeball upward gently ,then puncture perpendicaularly 0.5-1.2 inches along the orbital margin slowly without movements of lifting,thrusting,twisting and rotating.

• Erjian(EX-HN6)• Location:above the apex of

the ear auricle,at the tip of the auricle when the ear is folded forward.

• Indications:Conjunctival congestion and swelling of the eye(s),fever,nebula.

• Method:Puncture perpendicularly 0.1-0.2 inch or prick to cause bleeding.Moxibustion is applicable.

Others Acupuncture Points ( Not Related To The Neck Problems )

• Taiyang(EX-HN5)• Location:At the temporal part

of the head,between the lateral end of the eyebrow and the outer canthus,in the depression one finger breadth behind them.

• Indications:Headache,ophthalmic disorders,hemiparalysis of face.

• Method:Puncture perpendicularly 0.3-0.5 inch,or prick to cause bleeding.

• Yuyao (EX-HN4)• Location: On the forehead,

at the midpoint between the eyebrows.

• Indications: Pain in the supraorbitai bone, twitching of eyelid(s), blepharoptosis,nebula, conjunctival congestion and swelling of the eye(s).

• Method:Puncture subcutaneously 0.3-0.5 inch.

Others Acupuncture Points ( Not Related To The Neck Problems )

• Yintang(EX-HN3)• Location: On the forehead, at

the midpoint between the eyebrows.

• Indications: Headache, heaviness sensation of the head, epistaxis, rhinorrhea with discharge, infantile convulsion, pain in the forehead, insomnia.

• Method:Puncture subcutaneously 0.3-0.5 inch.Moxbibustion is applicable.

• Dangyang(EX-HN2)• Location : At the frontal

part of the head, directly above the pupil, 1 cm above the pupil, 1 cm above the anterior or hairline.

• Indications: Dizziness, ophthalmalgia, stuffy nose, common cough, headache, conjunctivitis, apoplectic stroke.

Others Acupuncture Points ( Not Related To The Neck Problems )

Causes of Chronic Neck Pain

• Muscle strain:

• Overuse of the neck creates strain in the soft tissues. It creates acute pain in the neck and back. Poor posture and work habits sustain the pain for long periods. Repeated overuse of muscles creates pain particularly in the back side of the neck.

• Cervical Foraminal Stenosis:

• Pain which develops very slowly over the years and occurs after particular neck positions might be due to Cervical Foraminal Stenosis. Wear and aging of the vertebral joints in the neck or at the disc margins creates this kind of pain. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish this type of pain from muscle pain by depending on Xray and CT scans. In such cases, an injection called a medial branch block (MBB) is performed. The injection confirms that the cause of pain is facet joint.

Causes of Chronic Neck Pain

• Cervical herniated disc:

• Cervical herniated disc is the main cause of neck pain radiating down the arm in some cases to the hands and fingers. Herniated disc or bone spur compresses the spinal cord to cause the pain. Symptoms of this type of pain can develop both suddenly and slowly. If the pain is not responding to conservative treatments (medication, physical therapy or manipulations), surgery may be needed.

Causes of Chronic Neck Pain

• Disk injury:

• Discs control the motion of the neck. When discs are stressed beyond their limits pain is experienced which extends to the annulus (outer wall of the disc). An example of this is whiplash injury. Muscles and ligaments are inflamed or stressed by an accident. Neck pain sometimes flares or gets worse. Pain is increased by certain postures. In most cases it is healed but for some people it creates pain in normal activities. About one quarter of patients develop neck pain due to disc injury.

Causes of Chronic Neck Pain

The Use of Acupuncture to Treat Neck Pain

• Acupuncture is part of the 2500 year old science of natural healing called traditional Chinese medicine. It also includes Asian bodywork therapy as well as Chinese Herbal therapy. The practice of acupuncture has turned out to be an accepted treatment for neck pain worldwide. Acupuncture needles are inserted into empirically exact points, called an acupuncture point, which are located along organ meridians, to stimulate the smooth flow of Qi energy. Qi energy is believed to be part of every living thing that exists, as a kind of life force or spiritual energy.

The Use of Acupuncture to Treat Neck Pain

• Acupuncture aims to affect the central nervous system, including the spinal cord, mid-brain and hypothalamus-pituitary intricate. Studies have also shown that acupuncture promotes vasodilation and increases blood flow. Concentrations of triglycerides, cholesterol and phospholipids in the blood can decrease following acupuncture treatments . Acupuncture' is also reported to positively affect the immune system. It is thought that this is due to endprphins acting as mediators between the central nervous system and the immune system.

The Use of Acupuncture to Treat Neck Pain

• In twice blind scientific trails, acupuncture was proven successful in treating chronic pain, 55% to 85% of patients reported positive benefits. This compares positively with the effectiveness of potent drugs, like morphine, which helped in 70% of cases.

• Acupuncture is currently being used worldwide as part of court-ordered drug withdrawal and detoxification programs. In a remarkable study, 42% of alcoholics remained alcohol free for three months following acupuncture treatment, and an additional 28% drank much less. These are extraordinary numbers when compared with any other type of drug therapy.

Neck Stiffness• [Introduction]• Stiffness of neck is a commonly encountered damage of

cervical soft tissues due to high or low pillow or inva-sion of wind-cold into the back that prevents the smooth circulation of qi and blood in the meridians. The clinical manifestations are unilateral or bilateral stiffness and pain in the neck as well as restricted movement of the neck due to worsened pain.

• [Syndrome differentiation]• Stiffness and pain in the neck, aggravation in move-ment,

restricted movement, deviation of the head to the affected side, pain involving the shoulder, back or head, and evident local tenderness.

Treatment Of Neck Stiffness

• 1. Body acupuncture• Prescription: Ashi, Fengchi (GB 20) and Houxi (SI 3).• Performance: Reducing needling technique is used and local

acupoints also can be moxibusted. When the needle is inserted into Houxi (SI ,3), the patient is asked to move the neck. After withdrawal of the needle, cupping is applied to local acupoints.

• 2. Ear acupuncture• Prescription: Neck ( AHlz ), Cervical Vertebra (AH13) and

Tenderness points.• Performance: Strong stimulation is used and the patient is asked

to move the neck during the treatment. The needles are retained for 15 - 20 minutes.

Fengchi Point• Location: On the nape, below the occipital

bone, on the level of Fengfu(DU16), in the depression between the upper ends of the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles.

• Indications: Headache, dizziness, insomnia, stiffness of the neck and nape, blurring of vision, optic atrophy,conjunctivitis, tinnitns, convulsion, infantile convulsion, epilepsy, fever, common cold, stuffy nose, rbinorrhea withturbid discharge.

• Method: Puncture 0.5-0.8 inch to wards the tip of the nose. Moxibustion is applicable.

• Regional anatomy• Vasculature: The branches of the occipital

artery and vein.• Innervation: The branch of the lesser occipital

nerve.

• Location: At the junction of the red and white skin along the ulnar border of the hand. sit the ulnar end of the distal paimar crease, proximal to the 5th metacarpophalangeal joint when a hollow fist is made.

• Indications: Stiffness of the nape, tinnitus and deafness, sore-throax, manic-depressive psychosis, malarial disease. sudden sprain in the lumbar region, fever with night sweat, numbness and contraction of the fingers, pain in the shoulder andarm.

• Method:Puncture perpendicularly0.5-0.7 inch.Moxibustion is applicable.

• Regional anatomy • Vaxculature:The dorsal digital artery and

vein,the dorsal venous network of the hand.

• Innervation;The dorsal branch derived from the ulnar nerve.

Houxi Point

Acupressure of The Head and Neck• Acupressure practitioners use their fingers, palms, elbows or feet,

or special devices to apply pressure to acupoints on the body's meridians. Sometimes, acupressure also involves stretching or acupressure massage as well as other methods.

• During an acupressure session, you lie fully clothed on a soft massage table. The practitioner gently presses on acupressure points on your body. A session typically lasts about one hour. You may need several sessions for the best results.

• The goal of acupressure or other types of Asian bodywork is to restore health and balance to the body's channels of energy and to regulate opposing forces of yin (negative energy) and yang (positive energy). Some proponents claim acupressure not only treats the energy fields and body but also the mind, emotions, and spirit. Some even believe that therapists can transmit the vital energy (external qi) to another person.

Acupressure Points• Points (A)-- Drilling Bamboo• Location: In the indentations on

either side of where the bridge of the nose meets the ridge of the eyebrows.

• Benefits: Relieves neck pain, headaches, hay fever, eye fatigue, and sinus pain.

• Points (B)-- Wind Mansion• Location: In the center of the back of

the head in a large hollow under the base of the skull.

• Benefits: Relieves stiff neck, shoulder and neckn pain; pain in the eyes, ears, nose, and throat, as well as mental problems, headaches, and vertigo.

Acupressure Points• Points (C) -- Gates of Consciousness

Location: Below the base of the skull, in the hollow between the two vertical neck muscles. Benefits: Relieves arthritis, headaches (including migraines), dizziness, stiff neck, neck pain, neuromotor coordination problems, eyestrain, and irritability .

Points (D) -- Window of HeavenLocation: In the indentation at the base of the Skull, one to two inches in back of the earlobe, depending on the side of the head. Benefits: Relieves stiff necks, neck and shoulder pain , and headaches. .

Acupressure PointsPoints (E)-- Heavenly PillarLocation: One-half inch below the base of the skull, on the ropy muscles one-half inch outward from the spine. Benefits: Relieves stress, burnout, exhaustion, insomnia, heaviness in the head, eyestrain, stiff necks, and sore throats. 

Points (F) -- Shoulder WellCaution: Pregnant women should press lightly on this point. Location: On the muscle at the highest point of the shoulder, one to two inches out from the side of the lower neck. Benefits: Relieves shoulder tension, nervousness, irritability, and fatigue.