TCM health-preserving smart acupuncture

Smart acupuncture is not a new metaphysical therapy. It is essentially a health-preserving acupuncture technique based on the meridian theory of traditional Chinese medicine, with the core of "selecting acupuncture points, skillfully applying needles, and moving according to the symptoms." The core logic is to use the smallest amount of stimulation to awaken the circulation of qi and blood. It is suitable for more daily health-preserving scenarios than conventional acupuncture, and is also supported by clear clinical effects.

Last week, a little girl who works in Internet operations came to my clinic. She started to gasp in pain when she raised her right shoulder halfway. She applied half a dozen plasters and massage for almost two weeks but it still didn’t feel any better. She had received conventional acupuncture in other places before. After leaving the needle in place for half an hour, her shoulder became even more stiff. I touched her hand, and there was an obvious hard knot near the Zhongzhu point, and there was also a tender point in the shoulder well on the opposite side. I quickly inserted the needle and twisted it to get some energy, and then asked her to stand up and raise her arms and turn her shoulders. In less than 15 seconds, I pulled out the needle. She moved twice on her own, and her eyes widened: "Huh? Doesn’t it really hurt anymore? ”

Speaking of which, there is actually no unified view on the positioning of smart acupuncture in the industry. The old doctors of the ancient method think that this is not a new thing at all. It has been said in "Lingshu" that "the needle is needed and the Qi is there to be effective." In ancient times, there was no need to retain needles to treat acute pain. The needles can be removed when the patient feels soreness and swelling and the symptoms are relieved. The so-called "smartness" now is just taking back the rules of the ancestors. But young doctors who practice integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine prefer that its "movement" combines the concept of modern rehabilitation. Injecting acupuncture and allowing the patient to move the affected area actually combines the neural regulation of acupuncture with the proprioceptive input of muscle activity, which is equivalent to creating a step for the stuck qi and blood circulation, and the effect is natural and fast. Both statements are supported by clinical data. No one can convince anyone, as long as patients find it useful.

Many people's inherent impression of acupuncture is still "lying flat and pricking needles for half an hour without moving". When they encounter smart acupuncture, they feel that the doctor is perfunctory. Don’t think that it’s just a matter of pricking twice casually. On the contrary, the requirements for doctors are higher - you can’t just rely on the textbook to select acupoints. It’s the same as low back pain. Some people’s reaction points are in the center of the waist, some in the low back pain points on the hands, and some even in the small points on the insteps. In this position, you have to pinpoint the point where the patient's soreness and pain are most obvious when pressing. The angle and depth of the needle should be just right to get stuck on that nodule. The twisting force should be just right so that the patient feels soreness and swelling but not stinging pain. If not, the effect will be compromised. A while ago, I had a consultation with an old traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. He treated patients with acute lumbar sprains without even touching them. He asked for the location of the pain, inserted a needle into the Renzhong point, and asked the patient to cough while twisting his waist. If he was quick, he could walk straight in three to five minutes. The accuracy of his hands cannot be improved after ten or eight years of practice.

Of course, not all situations are suitable for smart acupuncture. Some colleagues think that the amount of stimulation is too shallow and is not suitable for people with chronic qi and blood deficiency. For example, a mother who has just given birth to a baby six months ago often breaks out in sweats and cannot sleep all night long. If you give her a quick injection, the stimulation amount is not enough to replenish qi and blood. You still have to use the Zusanli and Sanyinjiao acupoints to retain the needles for 20 minutes to achieve a stable effect. I am also flexible in clinical practice. When I meet an office worker who sneaks out from his lunch break to do some conditioning, I only have 20 minutes to use smart acupuncture to solve his shoulder and neck pain and headache problems. After the acupuncture, he can go back to work directly without having to wait for a while with pinholes all over his body. ； When encountering a patient who spends an entire afternoon trying to adjust his long-term sleep problems, he still retains needles and combines moxibustion with a steady approach.

To be honest, whether it is called smart acupuncture or traditional acupuncture, the core is to help people open up blocked areas and fill up weak areas. If next time you encounter an acute stiff neck, shoulder and neck pain that makes you unable to lift, and you are afraid of being delayed by lying down for too long due to acupuncture, you might as well ask the treating doctor if you can try this smart method of acupuncture. You might get some unexpected surprises.