Arm Numbness

How Chinese medicine differentiates arm numbness into the five patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Distinct from this site's Hand Numbness, Limb Numbness and Arm Pain pages. 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. Sudden arm numbness, especially one-sided or with facial droop, speech change or weakness, is a possible stroke and needs emergency assessment.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for arm numbness — 3 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
L.I.-4	Expels exterior Wind and releases the Exterior. Promotes the diffusing of Lung-Qi, regulates the Defensive Qi and sweating. Stops pain.
L.I.-11	Clears Heat and cools Blood. Removes obstructions and Heat from the channel. Resolves Dampness.
ST-36	Benefits Stomach and Spleen. Tonifies Qi and Blood. Tonifies the Original Qi.

The Five Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Qi and Blood Deficiency

Clinical manifestations: Dull numbness worse with fatigue; pale complexion; poor appetite; weakness; dizziness; palpitations.

Tongue: Pale, thin coat. Pulse: Fine and weak.

Treatment principle: Tonifies Qi and Blood to nourish the arm channels.

ST-36 ↑ SP-6 ↑ REN-6 ↑ L.I.-4 ⊥

Note: moxa is appropriate. No combined Qi-and-Blood-deficiency slide exists on this site's decks — no pattern link is given here.

2. Painful Obstruction with Wind-Cold-Damp

Clinical manifestations: Cold, aching numbness with heaviness; worse in damp, cold weather; stiffness limiting movement; relief from warmth and gentle motion.

Tongue: Pale, swollen, tooth-marked, white greasy coat. Pulse: Wiry and tight.

Treatment principle: Dispels Wind-Cold-Damp and warms the channels to restore Qi and Blood flow.

G.B.-20 ↓ L.I.-11 ↓ G.B.-34 ↓

Note: moxa is appropriate. This site's decks have no Bi-syndrome slide, confirmed absent many times — no pattern link is given here.

3. Phlegm in the Channels, Joints and Muscles

Clinical manifestations: A crawling sensation; heavy, swollen arm; hard nodules near the joints; purplish skin discoloration; fixed stabbing pain.

Tongue: Purple, stasis spots, white greasy coat, distended sublingual veins. Pulse: Wiry and choppy.

Treatment principle: Transforms Phlegm, invigorates Blood and unblocks the collaterals.

ST-40 ↓ SP-9 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ L.I.-11 ↓ BL-17 ↓

Note: Mixed Deficiency/Excess. This site's decks have no Phlegm-in-the-channels slide, confirmed absent many times — no pattern link is given here.

4. Blood Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Fixed stabbing pain in one location; numbness in a fixed spot, not moving; worse at night; history of injury or repetitive strain.

Tongue: Purple or dusky, stasis spots, dark distended sublingual veins. Pulse: Choppy and rough.

Treatment principle: Invigorates Blood, dispels stasis and opens the channels.

SP-10 ↓ BL-17 ↓ L.I.-11 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓

Note: no moxa. Linked to this site's own Liver-Blood-stasis slide per the discoloration-marker rule.

5. Liver Wind from Liver Yang Rising View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Numbness with dizziness or hand tremor; flushed face and red eyes; irritability; worse with stress or anger.

Tongue: Red, stiff body, thin yellow coat. Pulse: Wiry, fine and rapid.

Treatment principle: Calms the Liver, subdues Yang and extinguishes internal Wind.

LIV-3 ↓ G.B.-20 ↓ L.I.-11 ⊥

Note: no moxa.

Related conditions

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