Choice of Acupuncture points for particular conditions

SUMMARY

1. Veterinary acupuncture (AP) is based primarily on human AP principles and the choice of points for particular conditions is very similar to the choice for similar human conditions.

2. Using a Hewlett-Packard Minicomputer, data from over 55 textbooks and clinical articles were stored. Frequency-ranked prescriptions for >1100 clinical conditions were generated from the computer database.

3. The Top Twenty Points from each prescription were extracted from the database summary. From this list, the most important points for major body regions (head, neck, thoracic limb, thorax, nose, throat, shoulder, elbow, lung, stomach, etc) and common symptoms (shock, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, etc) were extracted.

4. Appendix 1 comments on the use of the point Index, the structure of the Index and the code and name of each point. Appendices 2 and 3 list the points. Examples of methods of point selection for specific conditions and for more complex syndromes (combinations of symptoms) are given in the text.

5. Advantages and disadvantages of the COOKBOOK METHOD of point selection are discussed in relation to holistic (traditional) AP.