Reply To: Acupuncture Bootcamp
These are great questions and not basic at all. I’ll answer in order:
1. The Chinese 3-Needle is also called Chinese Reinforcing and Reducing Methods. The source? From an MD / OB/gyn, R.Ac (Canada) and L.Ac (USA) from China who was a principle instructor that taught me everything I know about TCM-style acupuncture. He was there was the first exams in Alberta were being developed. I wish I had an actual source for you, like a textbook, but I don’t. When I was brought on to help develop this bootcamp, I got his full permission to reproduce some of his works I still have.
2. Bilaterally.
3. Correct. You wouldn’t delineate whether it was excess due to Blood Stasis, or excess due to Damp, or an excess due to Heat. It’s just in excess and then you choose those points. After the initial hurdle of memorizing the chart, it’s an easy system to use or incorporate into a treatment.
4. After adding the three points (total of six needles), you are free to add in other more specific acupoints (or not!). Korean Four-Needle technique has really had a resurgence due to a certain podcast and those practitioners use only four points/eight needles and don’t add anything else. I will say, I’ve seen acupuncturists who’ve used only a few needles and charged me going rate, and I’ve seen others who take a bit more time and use a few more points. So: make it yours. Try it. Get good at it. Modify it.
5. This is totally fine as well, but I should comment that Mu/Shu points aren’t just for deficiency. They are regulators. Also, Front-Shu are often used for Yang-organ problems, where Back-Shu are often used for Yin-organ problems. (Example: REN12 is great for Stomach issues, while UB13 is great for Lung concerns.)