Recommended resources

[Sydney Asselstine]

I will be applying acupuncture largely to my sports medicine / MSK practice; do you have any recommended texts for acupuncture applications in musculoskeletal medicine specifically? Thank you! Anything related to concussion or post-concussive sequelae would also be welcomed.

[Allison Bailey]

Hi! I’ll look into this. Sam says he knows of a good Sports medicine acupuncture text. But, also, I would wait a bit. We will show you a lot of techniques as the course progresses that treat almost all the common sports injuries. So, maybe hold off on spending a lot on extra textbooks right now.

[Bambi Mathay]

Hi Allison,

I have 2 questions.
1-What is the difference between Mu points and Shu points.
My understanding is that Mu points are alarm points for the organs/meridian system, usually found in the front of the body (except for KD) Are Shu points similar? Or more like supporting points?

2-When using EOV points as a treatment? Based on back, lateral or front categories. Do we treat the ipsilateral side of where we palpate a tenderness or where the patient is symptomatic.
Ex. If the L ITB is tight and I want to use Dai Mai, will I treat L GB41/TW5? Vs treating contralateral side when using this combo as a Shaoyang Tx?
I often play with the EOVs because as you know I can not needle and often use acupressure instead.

Thank you,
Bambi

[Joseph Audette]

What is the difference between Mu points and Shu points.
My understanding is that Mu points are alarm points for the organs/meridian system, usually found in the front of the body (except for KD) Are Shu points similar? Or more like supporting points?

Answer: Mu points are usually considered more diagnostic of related organ dysfunction but the reality is that the shu points are also diagnostic. Someone with spleen issues will be just as likely to have LV13 mu and BL20 shu points active. In fact, I would say that the shu points are sometimes more accurate diagnostically.

However, it is the case that the shu points are more often used as supporting treatment points, so if liver dysfunctional, in addition to what you do on the front of the body to treat, when you flip them over, add in LV shu (BL18) to support.

2-When using EOV points as a treatment? Based on back, lateral or front categories. Do we treat the ipsilateral side of where we palpate a tenderness or where the patient is symptomatic.
Ex. If the L ITB is tight and I want to use Dai Mai, will I treat L GB41/TW5? Vs treating contralateral side when using this combo as a Shaoyang Tx?
I often play with the EOVs because as you know I can not needle and often use acupressure instead.

Answer: Usually we do use the command point ipsilateral to palpatory reflex that is pointing us in that direction. For example tight painful ST30 – use ipsilateral SP4 (command of Chong Mai) to release. However there is the major exception of using the contralateral TW5 (Command point for Yang Wei Mai) for tightness in mid belly of SCM. So given that tendency of the Dai Mai/Yang Wei Mai combo (GB41/TW5) to be contralateral, we often may find that L ITB pain will release better with contralateral GB41, but not always so you have to check both to see what works

[Joseph Audette]

What is the difference between Mu points and Shu points.
My understanding is that Mu points are alarm points for the organs/meridian system, usually found in the front of the body (except for KD) Are Shu points similar? Or more like supporting points?

Answer: Mu points are usually considered more diagnostic of related organ dysfunction but the reality is that the shu points are also diagnostic. Someone with spleen issues will be just as likely to have LV13 mu and BL20 shu points active. In fact, I would say that the shu points are sometimes more accurate diagnostically.

However, it is the case that the shu points are more often used as supporting treatment points, so if liver dysfunctional, in addition to what you do on the front of the body to treat, when you flip them over, add in LV shu (BL18) to support.

2-When using EOV points as a treatment? Based on back, lateral or front categories. Do we treat the ipsilateral side of where we palpate a tenderness or where the patient is symptomatic.
Ex. If the L ITB is tight and I want to use Dai Mai, will I treat L GB41/TW5? Vs treating contralateral side when using this combo as a Shaoyang Tx?
I often play with the EOVs because as you know I can not needle and often use acupressure instead.

Answer: Usually we do use the command point ipsilateral to palpatory reflex that is pointing us in that direction. For example tight painful ST30 – use ipsilateral SP4 (command of Chong Mai) to release. However there is the major exception of using the contralateral TW5 (Command point for Yang Wei Mai) for tightness in mid belly of SCM. So given that tendency of the Dai Mai/Yang Wei Mai combo (GB41/TW5) to be contralateral, we often may find that L ITB pain will release better with contralateral GB41, but not always so you have to check both to see what works

[Joseph Audette]

What is the difference between Mu points and Shu points.
My understanding is that Mu points are alarm points for the organs/meridian system, usually found in the front of the body (except for KD) Are Shu points similar? Or more like supporting points?

Answer: Mu points are usually considered more diagnostic of related organ dysfunction but the reality is that the shu points are also diagnostic. Someone with spleen issues will be just as likely to have LV13 mu and BL20 shu points active. In fact, I would say that the shu points are sometimes more accurate diagnostically.

However, it is the case that the shu points are more often used as supporting treatment points, so if liver dysfunctional, in addition to what you do on the front of the body to treat, when you flip them over, add in LV shu (BL18) to support.

2-When using EOV points as a treatment? Based on back, lateral or front categories. Do we treat the ipsilateral side of where we palpate a tenderness or where the patient is symptomatic.
Ex. If the L ITB is tight and I want to use Dai Mai, will I treat L GB41/TW5? Vs treating contralateral side when using this combo as a Shaoyang Tx?
I often play with the EOVs because as you know I can not needle and often use acupressure instead.

Answer: Usually we do use the command point ipsilateral to palpatory reflex that is pointing us in that direction. For example tight painful ST30 – use ipsilateral SP4 (command of Chong Mai) to release. However there is the major exception of using the contralateral TW5 (Command point for Yang Wei Mai) for tightness in mid belly of SCM. So given that tendency of the Dai Mai/Yang Wei Mai combo (GB41/TW5) to be contralateral, we often may find that L ITB pain will release better with contralateral GB41, but not always so you have to check both to see what works

[Bambi Mathay]

Thank you Dr. Audette-very helpful.
Bambi

[Bambi Mathay]

More questions:
1-Finding where to needle PSIS-
Is it correct to say that once you palpate the PSIS/see dimples of Venus that you go 1cun superior and 1cun lateral and needle at that location towards the greater trochanter?
2-If using EOV as acupressure points, is there any timeframe guidelines to use for creating effective stimulation of these points?
Are lasers effective? Shorter stimulation time? Contraindications?

Thank you as always for your guidance.
Bambi

[Joseph Audette]

Hi
1. PSIS question:

Yes the PSIS anatomically is just a landmark (bony prominence where the ilium comes into the sacrum). So once you find that landmark, you then slide your finger about 1 cun superior and 1 cun lateral to that landmark, making sure you are superior to the ilium, and then find a deep fascial hole. then needle towards the ipsilateral greater trochanter.

2. EOV question:
I think the best would be magnets with the north pole on the command point and the south pole on the couple point. So if you are treating someone’s back, the SI3 (command of Du Mai) would be north pole and the BL62 (couple point) would be south pole. Lhasa-OMS sells magnets. The duration is typically 15 minutes. I would not leave them on. Laser would also be a good way, but the affordable lasers have low energy so you would have to point the laser on the point for a long time.

[Joseph Audette]

Hi
1. PSIS question:

Yes the PSIS anatomically is just a landmark (bony prominence where the ilium comes into the sacrum). So once you find that landmark, you then slide your finger about 1 cun superior and 1 cun lateral to that landmark, making sure you are superior to the ilium, and then find a deep fascial hole. then needle towards the ipsilateral greater trochanter.

2. EOV question:
I think the best would be magnets with the north pole on the command point and the south pole on the couple point. So if you are treating someone’s back, the SI3 (command of Du Mai) would be north pole and the BL62 (couple point) would be south pole. Lhasa-OMS sells magnets. The duration is typically 15 minutes. I would not leave them on. Laser would also be a good way, but the affordable lasers have low energy so you would have to point the laser on the point for a long time.

[Bambi Mathay]

Thank you Dr. Audette! Bambi

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