Acupuncture Treatment: Root Causes and Symptom Management in Illness

When a disease manifests first, followed by Jue Ni (厥逆, jué nì), the condition should first be treated at its root, focusing on the primary illness. However, if Jue Ni appears initially and is followed by other symptoms, treatment should begin with addressing the Jue Ni. If a cold-related condition (Han Xing Bing, 寒性病, hán xìng bìng) develops first, and other diseases follow, the treatment should target the cold first. When an illness presents before cold symptoms, but cold symptoms arise later, the primary disease should be treated first. If heat signs (Re Zheng, 热证, rè zhèng) appear initially, followed by other complications, the heat should be addressed first. If diarrhea (Xie Xie, 泄泻, xiè xiè) occurs after the onset of another disease, the underlying disease should be treated first, and only after that should the diarrhea be addressed. If diarrhea appears first and is followed by other health issues, the primary treatment should focus on the diarrhea; once it is resolved, other conditions can then be treated.

If a specific illness arises first and is followed by bloating or abdominal distension (Zhong Man, 中满, zhōng mǎn), the bloating should be treated as the primary concern. If abdominal fullness occurs first and then leads to irritability or discomfort (Xin Fan, 心烦, xīn fán), treatment should focus on the abdominal fullness as the root cause.

Diseases may involve either external pathogenic factors (Wai Xie, 外邪, wài xié) or internal ones (Nei Xie, 内邪, nèi xié). In cases where there are issues with bowel movements, such as constipation or diarrhea, treatment should first focus on these symptoms. When bowel movements are normal, the treatment should address the underlying condition.

When the disease shows signs of excess, with excessive pathogenic Qi, the focus should be on treating the excess first before addressing other symptoms. If the disease is characterized by deficiency in the body’s vital Qi (Zheng Qi, 正气, zhèng qì), treatment should first strengthen the body’s Qi and then expel the pathogenic factors. In summary, it is essential to carefully observe the illness, adjust treatment based on the severity and urgency, and tailor the approach accordingly. For milder conditions, a comprehensive approach should be used to treat both the symptoms and the root cause. For more urgent and severe cases, treatment should be staged, either starting with addressing the symptoms or the root cause, just as in the case where constipation or diarrhea precedes other health problems—the primary focus should first be on restoring normal bowel function.