Acupuncture Treatment for Jaundice

Jaundice

Western medicine – acute or chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, pancreatitis, gallbladder problems (stones, inflammation)

TCM – Damp/Heat in the Liver Gallbladder pushes bile out of it’s regular tract causing *yellowing of the eyes, skin, and sclera. Often caused by poor diet or alcohol which damages the Spleen Stomach then finally reaches the Liver Gallbladder.



Damp/Heat

bright yellow Yang jaundice, fever, abdominal distension, thirst, bitter taste, nausea, vomiting, constipation, tenesmus, scanty urine, T- red with yellow greasy coat, P- wiry slippery

P/T – induce diuresis, clear Heat, soothe Liver Gallbladder

Acupuncture – foot jueyin and shaoyang, BL 19, GB 34, LR 3, SI 4 (Yuan, separate clear from turbid, induce diuresis)

- heat, fever – Du 14

- constipation – BL 25

Dampness in low Jiao

dull yellow Yin jaundice, Spleen deficiency and mid Jiao Damp symptoms, T- swollen with greasy coat, P- soft slow or wiry slippery

P/T – strengthen Spleen Stomach, induce diuresis

Acupuncture – neutral, moxa, foot taiyin, yangming, *Du 9 (below T9- level with inferior scapular border), Ren 12 & ST 36 & BL 20 (damp), BL 19 & SP 6 (soothe Gallbladder, induce diuresis)

- mid Jiao symptoms – Ren 4, ST 25

Toxic Heat

acute rapid severe dark orange-golden jaundice, Ying Xue level Heat, high fever, thirst, bleeding (from anywhere), T- deep red with yellow dry coat, P- wiry slippery rapid

P/T – clear Heat, detoxify, cool blood, clear Ying Xue Heat

Acupuncture – Du, foot jueyin, Du 14, 26, BL 18, 19 & GB 34 (purge Liver Gallbladder toxic heat),

LI 4 & LR 3 (4 gates- purge heat, severe), HT 9 (bleed)

Yang deficient Cold

dull yellow jaundice, poor appetite, bloating, soft stool, sticky tasteless or sweet taste in mouth,

no thirst, cold symptoms, T- pale with white greasy coat, P- soft slow or deep retarded

P/T – warm mid Jiao, expel cold, transform Damp, strengthen Spleen

Acupuncture – foot taiyin and yangming, LR 13 & BL 20, Ren 12 & ST 36,(warm and transform), SP 6,

*SI 4 (empirical for jaundice)

- more Yang deficiency – Ren 4, Du 4





Alternative treatment methods

auricular – GB, LR, SP, ST, mid ear, medium stimulation

injection – Ban Lan Gen (antiviral), vitamin B1, Dan Shen, LR 14, GB 24, BL 18, 19, SJ 3

- 0.5-1.0 ml daily