Golden Needle Practitioner Library

Keywords: Chinese medicine, acupuncture, auriculotherapy, obesity, weight loss

On page 18 of issue #3, 2006 of Fu Jian Zhong Yi Yao (Fujian Chinese Medicine & Medicinals), Wang Feng-yin et al. published an article titled, “The Treatment of 580 Cases of Simple Obesity with Acupuncture Combined with Ear Point Pressure.” A summary of this article is presented below.

Cohort description:

All 580 patients in this study were female, and their age ranged from 16-50 years, with an average age of 38.5. Their course of disease had lasted from 0.5-15 years, with an average disease duration of six years. One hundred sixty-two women were unmarried and 418 were married. The 1987 National Symposium on Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine criteria for obesity were used. Slight obesity meant that the patient was 20% above her ideal body mass index (BMI), moderate obesity meant she was 30% over her ideal BMI, and gross obesity meant that she was 50% over her ideal BMI. Therefore, 105 of these women were slightly obese, 432 were moderately obese, and 43 were grossly obese. Patients with organic disease of the heart, liver, and kidneys were excluded from this study.

Treatment method:

The main acupoints chosen on the abdomen included:

Tian Shu (St 25)
Da Heng (Sp 15)
Qi Hai (CV 6)
Hua Rou Men (St 24)
Shang Wan (CV 13)
Zhong Wan (CV 12)

The main points on the upper extremities included:

Qu Chi (LI 11)
Zhi Gou (TB 6)

The main points on the lower extremities included:

Liang Qiu (St 34)
Feng Shi (GB 31)

If there was spleen vacuity with damp obstruction, Zu San Li (St 36), San Yin Jiao (Sp 6), Yin Ling Quan (Sp 9), and Gong Sun (Sp 4) were added.

If there was stomach heat with damp obstruction, He Gu (LI 4), Qu Chi (LI 11), Feng Long (St 40), and Nei Ting (St 44) were added.

If there was spleen-kidney dual vacuity, Guan Yuan (CV 4), Zu San Li (St 36), and San Yin Jiao (Sp 6) were added.

If there was yin vacuity with internal heat, Nei Guan (Per 6), San Yin Jiao (Sp 6), and Tai Xi (Ki 3) were added.

Thirty-five gauge needles were used. After obtaining the qi, draining hand technique was used and the needles were retained for 30 minutes. During this time, the needles were stimulated 2-3 times. One treatment was given per day for three days and then a one day rest was allowed. Fifteen treatments equaled one course, and a one week rest was allowed between successive courses.

Ear points stimulated included:

Shen Men (Spirit Gate or Neurogate)
Endocrine
Triple Burner
Stomach
Large Intestine
Kidney
Hunger Point
Thirst Point

Seeds of Wang Bu Liu Xing (Semen Vaccariae) were affixed to each point and pressed until the patient felt soreness, distention, and/or a hot feeling. The points were pressed for 3-5 minutes once each day. Points were only stimulated on one ear at a time. Every three days the ears were switched one time. Ten time or switches equaled one course of treatment.

Study outcomes:

Cure meant that, after a single course of treatment, the patient’s weight and waist circumference were within normal parameters. Marked effect meant that the patient lost five kilograms or more. Some effect meant that she lost three kilograms or more, and no effect meant that she did not lose three kilograms. Based on these criteria, 328 women (56.6%) were cured, 179 (30.9%) got a marked effect, 60 (10.3%) got some effect, and 13 (2.2%) got no effect. Therefore, the total effectiveness rate was stated as 97.8%. Further, the best results (100%) were achieved in those who were only slightly obese, while the worst results (76.4%) were seen in those who were grossly obese.

Copyright © Blue Poppy Press, 2006. All rights reserved.