The choice of Acupuncture points for AP therapy
(IVAS ST08=TouWei, on temple)
IVAS 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
Other 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01
These differences should be noted and adjusted by the student on the first comparison of his/her "new" text with the reference text.
Thus, studying four texts, such as the Beijing text (2), Hongkong text (3), Taipei text (4) and Barefoot Doctor's Manual (5), the student would prepare a therapeutic index in the same way as above. Then, on checking the points listed for gastritis/gastric ulcer; toothache; sciatica/lumbosacral pain, sprain, etc (for example) he/she would find:
Gastritis/Gastric ulcer
(Pek)ST20,21,25; SP05; CV12,13 (plus Earpoints and other points)
(Hkx)ST21,28,36; SP05; NL20,21; CV12,13 (plus earpoints and other points)
(TX)ST36,44; SP04; BL21; CV12; local points
(Bdm)ST25,36; BL20,21; PC06; CV06,08,12,13
Toothache
(Pek)LI02,03,04,05; ST03,05,06,07,42,44; SI18; Kl03; TH09,20; GB03,05,06,10,12,17; CV24; GV27 (plus earpoints and other points)
(Hkx)LU02; LI01,02,04,05; ST03,05,06,07,42,44,45; SI18; TH09,20,21; GB02,03,05,06,10,12,17; CV24; GV27,28 (plus earpoints and other points)
(TX)LI04,11; ST06,44; TH17
(Bdm)LU09; LI04; ST06,07; SI03; TH17,20
Sciatica, lumbosacral pain, sprain etc
(Pek) BL22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,37,39,40,52,53,54,55, 57,59,60,63,64; GB30,31,34,39; GV02,03,04; AhShi, (plus earpoints and other points)
(Hkx)BL27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,37,39,40,52,54,58,60; GB30,31,32,34,35,40; GV02,03 (plus earpoints and other points)
(TX)BL23,30,40,60; GB34; AhShi
(Bdm)BL23,37,40,52,60; GB30,34; AhShi (plus other points)
In the above examples (Pek), (Hkx), (TX) and (Bdm) refer to the Beijing, Hongkong, Taipei and Barefoot Doctor's Manual Sources respectively.
Glancing down through the points listed under each condition, one could see some agreement and some alternative point combinations. In choosing points for therapy, the student could pick those which showed the greatest measure of agreement, for example:
Gastritis/gastric ulcer: Choose from CV12,13; ST36; BL21 (listed in 3-4/4 of the texts)
Toothache: Choose from LI04; ST06,07,44; TH20 (listed in 3-4/4 of the texts)
Sciatica/lumbosacral pain: Choose from AhShi; BL23,30,40,60; GB30,34 (listed in 3-4/4 of the texts)
The therapeutic index is obviously a dynamic system, which is extended each time new references are studied. Also, one may add data from the clinical experience of colleagues, articles in the journals etc, as it becomes available.
The above approach is often called "Cookbook AP" by the purists and is regarded (especially by classically trained members) as inferior AP. However, Cookbook AP works very well in clinical situations with only one or a small number of signs or symptoms. Many recent textbooks from China, Taiwan, Hongkong etc make no mention of classic AP in the old sense and they rely very heavily on the Cookbook approach themselves. The Laws of the Five Phases, the classic use of the Phase Points, Yuan-Source, Luo-Passage, Hour Points, the Chinese Pulse Diagnosis etc are not mentioned in detail (if at all) in most of the modern texts from China and its neighbouring countries.
Even if one has access to a comprehensive therapeutic index, one still needs a way to reduce the number of points to a minimum. This is because many comprehensive prescriptions list far more points than are needed to treat the case. In the final choice of points, one usually relies on a few ancient Laws, choosing combinations from the following:
1. Sensitive points
2.TianYing points
3. Local points along affected and nearby Channels
4. Points along the affected Channels
5. Distant points on Channels through the affected area
6. Points on related Channels
7. Master points, including the Five Phase points, Mu/Shu points, Yuan/Luo points and Xi-Cleft points
8. Combination of local and distant points
9. Selection of points according to the symptoms
10. Selection of points according to the innervation
11. Fore and Aft points
12. Earpoints
Cookbook AP can be improved greatly by choosing points from an extensive list (based on many, if not dozens of, authoritative texts) so that at least 2 of the basic Laws of choosing points are fulfilled (see example re elbow pain etc later in this paper).