Ankylosing Spondylitis

How Chinese medicine differentiates ankylosing spondylitis, the two patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Acupuncture only — no herbs.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. Ankylosing spondylitis needs a rheumatologist's diagnosis and ongoing management; acupuncture is complementary, not a replacement, approach.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for ankylosing spondylitis — 8 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
BL-23	Tonifies Kidney-Yang.
Du-4	Tonifies Kidney-Yang and warms the Gate of Life. Expels Cold.
ST-36	Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen, resolves Dampness, nourishes Blood and Yin.
Du-14	Clears Heat. Releases the Exterior and expels exterior Wind.
Du-3	Strengthens the lower back and legs. Tonifies Yang.
BL-40	Clears Heat and cools Blood. Removes obstructions from the channel.
SP-9	Regulates the Spleen, resolves Dampness, opens the Water passages.

The Two Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Yang Deficiency with Cold-Damp View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Deep, aching spinal pain and stiffness worsening with cold; aversion to cold along the back; cold extremities; no thirst or a preference for warm drinks; fatigue; loose stools; clear, copious urination. The joints are not red or swollen.

Tongue: Pale, swollen with tooth marks, white greasy moist coating. Pulse: Deep, Slow, possibly Minute or Soggy.

Treatment principle: Warm and restore Kidney-Yang, dispel Cold-Damp obstruction and unblock the Governing Vessel.

BL-23 ↑ Du-4 ↑ ST-36 ↑ SP-6 ↑

Note: moxa applicable. Direct match with Kidney-Yang deficiency — the same aversion-to-cold, clear-urination, Pale-Deep-pulse picture, applied here to the spine.

2. Painful Obstruction due to Damp-Heat in the Channels

Clinical manifestations: Joints are red, swollen and hot to the touch; a heavy, aching sensation in the spine and limbs; pain relieved by cold, worsened by warmth; night sweats; irritability; a bitter taste.

Tongue: Red with a greasy yellow coating. Pulse: Slippery, Rapid.

Treatment principle: Clear Heat and drain Dampness from the channels, unblocking the collaterals along the spine.

Du-14 ↓ Du-3 ↓ BL-40 ↓ SP-9 ↓

Note: no moxa. No deck on this site has a joint/limb Painful Obstruction category, so no pattern link is given here.

Related conditions

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