Class 6 Notes

Course: Advanced Needle Technique/Theory 2
Class #: 6
Date:
May 20, 2009
Handout is Dr. Tans Balance Method.

Imaging Format
This method images the sick area onto a different area of the body. It targets problems on the head/trunk
area, but images these sick parts onto the 4 limbs of the body. The corresponding area on the needled
meridian often manifests with tenderness, weakness and/or tightness from the affected meridian on the
sick part of the body. The limbs can balance the head/trunk or vice versabut often is not clinically
expedient.
Remember joints to joints. Neck joint below = hip joint. Use the navel or the Lumbar 2 as the pivot
point corresponds to knee and elbow.
1. Locate the diseased channel (sick area in literature above)

2. Pick one of the five balance methods to choose the balance meridian
3. Use mirror/image to pick the points.
Advanced Needling 2 Spring 2009

www.CatsTCMNotes.com
Page 1 of 8
For the test: System 2 and 4 (evens) can be needled on either side. 1, 3, and 5 are contralateral.

Page 2 of 8
Master Tongs Extra Points

Tongs Orthodox Acupuncture
Reported to be the best traditional Chinese physician likeever. One of the 4 best known docs in
Taiwan. Known for immediate results and very few needles. The points used are unique because they
are located opposite from affected area and because of immediate effect.
Came from a very long line of docs (11 generations I think). Traditionally the information was only
passed down to family members and then only to men.
Mostly these points are experience points. There are 12 principle areas in the Master Tong system rather
than 12 regular meridians. Note from the handout, that there are a ton of points on the hand/finger area.
Grand total of 38 of them. Points are named by area. For instance, the fingers are Area 11 and points are
named 11.01 11.27.
Know the area numbers so that on the test when he asks what area 22.01 is you know that is the
palm/dorsal area of the hand.
There are a grand total of over 700 points, but only about 40-100 are used. (Even in TCM with 361
points, we commonly use about 60.)
Characteristics of Tongs Extra Points
1. Points along the edge of the bone.
These points are for bone membrane stimulation. Very strong stimulation. Also used the like-like
theory from Neijing bone treats bone, muscle treats muscle.

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2. Points are combined for outstanding efficacy.

Some points are actually a combination of a couple of spots. Wood anger, four flower, lower 3
emperors, etc. You combine these when you needle, rather like ranked needling in the beginning
of the course.
3. 7 lines on the back:
a. 2 ub lines
b. 2 jia ji lines
c. 1 du line
4. Some points in this system overlap with TCM, but have different names. LV 2 and 3 for
instance. Also, some points are shifted slightly.
Tongs Special Techniques

1. Simple Techniques
Pay attention to needling depth, most insertions are perp/oblique/trans. Different depths,
however, give different effects. Kidney gate (77.18) for instance, cun depth for SP, 1 cun
depth for KI. ST 36 use cun for local area problems while 1+ cun is to treat ST, 2+ cun goes to
HT. Also with stronger stimulation.
Does not focus on the reduce/tonifying techniques. Dr. Liu emphasizes this is on the next test.
Master Tong did it this way, but successive students of his methods (Susan Johnson for instance)
have modified to include reduce/tonify.
2. Parallel needle techniques using 2-3 needles. This is also called Dao Ma Needling and is very
popular in Master Tongs methods. This is because one named point might require needling of 24 spots. The stimulation is stronger.
3. Activating Qi technique De Qi Method which is contralateral insertion combined with
movement by the patient of the diseased area. Very common technique in Master Tongs
method. This moves the Qi or activates it.
4. Inducing Qi technique (Chien Yin method). Contralateral insertion with ipsilateral distal needle
to induce Qi. This uses the Shu Stream point to guide the Qithis is called the Guiding Point.
Example: use ST38 for a shoulder problem on the LI line and also needle LI 4.
Shu Stream point always helps with joint pain.
Blood Letting Technique
1. Distal blood letting.
Often used on the extremities, but M. Tongs method can use it anywhere on the body. Treats
may disorders with good results. Even Dr. Liu says the results can be magic.
Example: bleeding on the back of the knee to treat the backor the back to treat the knee!

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You can totally combine this with cupping.

2. Can be anywhere on the body.
Can even bleed at Ht/LU on the back, Liver, Spleen, Kidney areas on the back.
3. Treats many disorders easily, safely with wonderful results.
4. Insert needle to abnormal pathologic morphologies of the body such as abnormal
color/sensation/morphology.
Tongs Diagnostic Methods

1. Read the palm
Tongs Palm Diagnosis.
2. Inspect face
Tongs Face Diagnosis
3. Diagnose from Qi and colors change.
Tongs Back Diagnosis
4. Pick up points to treat it. This refers to treatment schedule.
5. If patients chief complaint is sciatica, read the palm, inspect the face and color change. You
might discover the reason for the sciatica is Lu xu. So you needle Ling gu and Da bai.
Tongs Theories
1. Holographic correspondence.
Imaging the body onto a small area. Example: image a body like a sitting Buddha onto the
facekidneys are around the sides of the chin as are the kidney points.
2. Analagous Correspondence
Example: bone points for bone disease, skin points for skin disease. This is a Neijing theory.
3. Zang fu Collateral Way
Lung/Bladder, Spleen/SI, Heart/GB, KI/SJ, PC/St. This isnt exactly TCM meridian system.
4. Vascular Pathology
Blood stagnation causes a great many ailments, so blood letting is very important in this system.
Know in which situations you can use blood letting!!!!

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Most Common Tongs Acupoints

The beauty of these points on the hand is that you can self-needle. You can send those you trust not to
hurt themselves with Seirin needles and teach them how to find/needle. Retain 30-45 minutes.
This is also called return to nest. A fen is 0.1 cun.

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Combination of 2 points. Separate the 1st phalanx of the thumb into 3 equal partslies on the 2
dividing lines along the edge of the bone, usually right on the margin where the skin changes
colors.
11.17 is the Mu or Wood point and is the reflex area of the Liver.
On the proximal phalanx of the ulnar aspect of the inedex finger and
is 2 points at the 1/3 and 2/3 points. Draw a tic tac toe board and
insert 2-3 fen in depth. Generally use the left side because Liver is
on the right.
This is for hyperactivity of the Liver fire and irritability. Can be
used for any emotional instability though.

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11.27 is the Wu Hu (five tigers). Reflex area of the spleen. Five

points located on the radial border of the proximal phalanx of the
thumb. 2 fen insertion depth. This is for bone swelling all over the
body.

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Course: Advanced Needle Technique/Theory 2

May 20, 2009

Handout is Dr. Tans Balance Method.

1. Locate the diseased channel (sick area in literature above)

Advanced Needling 2 Spring 2009

Advanced Needling 2 Spring 2009

Master Tongs Extra Points

Advanced Needling 2 Spring 2009

2. Points are combined for outstanding efficacy.

Tongs Special Techniques

Advanced Needling 2 Spring 2009

You can totally combine this with cupping.

Tongs Diagnostic Methods

Know in which situations you can use blood letting!!!!

Advanced Needling 2 Spring 2009

Most Common Tongs Acupoints

This is also called return to nest. A fen is 0.1 cun.

Advanced Needling 2 Spring 2009

Advanced Needling 2 Spring 2009

11.27 is the Wu Hu (five tigers). Reflex area of the spleen. Five

Advanced Needling 2 Spring 2009

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