NBCE Acupuncture flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Jing-Well points

The most distal points on each channel, located at the tips of the fingers or toes; used for loss of consciousness, heat, and fullness below the heart.

Ying-Spring points

The second five-shu point on each channel, located near the metacarpophalangeal or metatarsophalangeal joints; used for febrile disease and heat in the body.

Shu-Stream points

The third five-shu point on each channel, located near the wrist or ankle; used for heaviness of the body and painful joints.

He-Sea points

The fifth five-shu point on each channel, located near the elbow or knee; used for disorders of the fu organs and rebellious qi.

Yuan-Source points

Points where the yuan qi surfaces on the channel; used to tonify the zang and treat chronic deficiency, often combined with the luo point.

Luo-Connecting points

Points where the luo vessel separates from the primary channel; used for disorders of the paired channel and for blood and qi stagnation.

Xi-Cleft points

Points where qi and blood collect deeply; used primarily for acute pain and acute flare-ups of chronic conditions.

Front-Mu points

Points on the chest or abdomen that treat the corresponding zang-fu; used for acute and excess conditions, often combined with back-shu points.

Back-Shu points

Points on the inner bladder line, 1.5 cun lateral to the midline, at the level of the corresponding vertebra; used for chronic deficiency of the zang-fu.

Hui-Meeting points

Eight points that influence specific tissues: GB-34 sinews, BL-17 blood, BL-11 bone, CV-17 qi, LV-13 zang, CV-12 fu, LU-1 vessels, GB-39 marrow.

Eight confluence points

Eight points that open the extraordinary vessels: GV-3, LU-7, SP-4, GB-41, BL-62, KI-6, TB-5, and PC-6, paired by vessel.

Deqi

The needle sensation of soreness, numbness, distention, or heaviness that indicates the arrival of qi; it is not the same as sharp pain.

Needle shock

A vasovagal reaction with pallor, sweating, dizziness, and falling blood pressure; managed by removing needles and placing the patient supine.

Pneumothorax risk

Needling too deeply or obliquely over the lung field, such as BL-13 or BL-42, can puncture the pleura and cause a collapsed lung.

Pregnancy contraindications

Points such as LI-4, SP-6, BL-60, BL-67, GB-21, and LU-7 are avoided in pregnancy, as are the lower abdomen and lumbosacral area.

Proportional cun

A measurement system based on body landmarks: anterior to posterior hairline is 12 cun, sternocostal angle to umbilicus is 8 cun, umbilicus to pubic symphysis is 5 cun.

ST-36 location

Three cun below ST-35 and one finger-breadth lateral to the tibial crest, on the anterior tibialis muscle; a major point for digestive and qi deficiency patterns.

LI-4 location

On the dorsum of the hand between the first and second metacarpals, at the midpoint of the second metacarpal on the radial side; a command point for the face.

GV-20 location

On the midline of the vertex, 5 cun posterior to the anterior hairline, or at the intersection of a line from the ear apex to the vertex.

CV-17 location

On the anterior midline at the level of the fourth intercostal space, at the midpoint between the nipples; the hui-meeting point for qi.

Eight principles

Yin-yang, interior-exterior, cold-heat, and deficiency-excess; they frame every pattern before channel or organ differentiation is applied.

Tongue diagnosis

Body color reflects yin-yang and blood status; coating reflects the stomach and the pathogen's nature, with a thin white coating being normal.

Pulse qualities

Wiry suggests liver or pain, slippery suggests damp or phlegm, rapid suggests heat, deep suggests interior, and floating suggests exterior.

Qi deficiency pattern

Presents with fatigue, shortness of breath, spontaneous sweating, and a weak pulse; treatment principle is to tonify qi.

Damp-heat pattern

Presents with a greasy yellow coating and a slippery rapid pulse; treatment principle is to clear heat and drain dampness.

Six stages

Taiyang, Yangming, Shaoyang, Taiyin, Shaoyin, and Jueyin describe progressive invasion by cold pathogens in shang han theory.

Four levels

Wei, qi, ying, and xue describe progressive invasion by warm pathogens in wen bing theory, from exterior to blood.

Five phases

Wood, fire, earth, metal, and water map to the zang organs, the five shu points, the emotions, tissues, and sense organs.

Generating cycle

Wood generates fire, fire generates earth, earth generates metal, metal generates water, and water generates wood in the five-phase system.

Circadian channel clock

Qi flows through the channels in a fixed order over 24 hours, beginning with the lung at 3-5 a.m. and ending with the liver at 1-3 a.m.

Du vessel

The extraordinary vessel running up the midline of the back to GV-20 and the upper lip; it governs the yang of the whole body.

Ren vessel

The extraordinary vessel running up the anterior midline to CV-24; it governs the yin of the whole body and is used for reproductive disorders.