Classical Acupuncture Needling Techniques

What is Classical Acupuncture?

In our Flatiron, NYC clinic, I practice classical acupuncture, which is different from most modern acupuncture practices. Classical acupuncture differs from modern acupuncture i.e. traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in theory, diagnosis, and treatment methods.

One of the main differences between classical and TCM acupuncture is that classical practice utilizes channel theory and diagnosis as opposed to point function. This means it can resolve any pathology within the five tissue planes of the body i.e. skin, fat, vessel, muscle, and bone. Each tissue plane has a corresponding technique to treat that level.

Classical Acupuncture vs. Traditional Chinese Medicine

In contrast, TCM utilizes point theory to treat different patterns based on signs and symptoms. In my experience as a New York City acupuncturist, I find classical acupuncture more effective clinically for any condition, but it is especially effective in treating musculoskeletal pain because the acupuncture techniques are much more precise.

For example, in TCM if someone has a common complaint of knee pain the treatment is very similar no matter how the pain is presenting. TCM practitioners may choose local points such as xiyan, heding, st-36, sp-10 in combination with distal points including st 41, st 44, gb 40, gb 41, etc to alleviate the pain. They may also find areas that feel tender or painful to touch known as ashi points or trigger points. These treatments can be effective but do not take into consideration the condition of the tissue planes itself.

In classical acupuncture, I would be employing techniques based on the location of illness. In this case it would be muscle, fascia and connective tissue. These involves treating the specific muscles, tendons and ligaments around the knee itself. The techniques also take into consideration whether the pain is in a fixed or unfixed location. Some people have pain that moves from place to place around the knee joint. There is a specific technique called Bao Ci, which is used to treat this condition.

In chapter 7 of the Ling Shu, 25 different techniques are first mentioned to resolve pathology in any tissue plane. It states, that Bao Ci is “applied when the pain points are not fixed. In this case, when the pain moves up and down, one should insert the needle into the spot where the pain first occurred and leave it in position, after that locate the spot where the pain moved, apply massage over the spot, withdraw the needle which is left in the first position, and puncture the newly located pain point.”

This technique can be utilized for any painful condition that is not fixed and moves proximal or distal to the original pain site. Often times when I use this technique, patients have difficulty pin pointing the exact area of pain or they may tell me that the pain has a tendency to move up or down. In these cases I will apply the Bao Ci technique to regulate the entire area and decrease inflammation. Please see the video for a demonstration of the technique.