Formulas & Needles
The Four Essential Elements of an Acupuncture Prescription
The Four Essential Elements of an acupuncture prescription constitute a complete clinical process: pattern differentiation based on TCM and acupuncture theory to establish the diagnosis; determining the treatment principle such as clearing heat and draining dampness or warming and tonifying the spleen and kidney; selecting and combining acupoints according to the pattern for synergistic effect; and specifying the concrete implementation — needling or moxibustion, supplementation or drainage method. These four interlocking, indispensable steps are the core guarantee of safe and effective acupuncture treatment.
(1) TCM and Acupuncture Pattern Differentiation: Based on the theories and diagnostic and therapeutic methods of Chinese medicine and acupuncture, a comprehensive examination and analysis of the disease is conducted to formulate principles and methods for diagnosis, treatment, observation, and so forth.
(2) Treatment Principle: Based on the above pattern differentiation, the corresponding therapeutic method can be established. For example, if the TCM pattern differentiation identifies "bladder damp-heat," the acupuncturist applies the "clear heat and drain dampness" method; for "spleen-kidney yang deficiency," the "warm and tonify spleen and kidney" method is applied.
(3) Acupoint Selection and Combination: Acupuncture treatment is implemented by applying various stimulation methods to acupoints. Having only a treatment principle is not sufficient. The physician must select acupoints according to a specific plan and combine different acupoints to achieve the optimal therapeutic effect.
(4) Concrete Implementation Plan: After accurately locating the acupoints, the physician determines whether to use needling or moxibustion, and whether to apply the supplementation (tonifying) method or the drainage (reducing) method, and so forth. Only with these specific methods can the therapeutic effect truly be realized.
These four elements are interrelated and none can be omitted. In the process of treating patients, whether or not there is a visible written prescription, a professional acupuncturist will invariably follow the above principles — that is, the Four Essential Elements of an Acupuncture Prescription.