Cirrhosis

How Chinese medicine differentiates cirrhosis — distinct from Fatty Liver Disease, Hepatitis and Jaundice already covered — the six patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Acupuncture only — no herbs, used as supportive care alongside ongoing hepatology management, never as a substitute for it.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. Cirrhosis is a serious, potentially life-threatening liver disease that requires ongoing medical management; acupuncture here is supportive only, alongside that care, and any new confusion, bleeding, worsening abdominal swelling, or jaundice needs prompt medical attention.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for cirrhosis — 16 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
LR-3	Dredges Liver-Qi stagnation and calms emotional frustration.
REN-12	Regulates the middle burner, resolves Dampness, relieves distension.
ST-36	Strengthens the Spleen to transform Dampness and boosts energy.
SP-9	Key point to drain Dampness from the lower burner and reduce heaviness.
LR-14	Regulates Liver-Qi and alleviates hypochondriac distension and pain.
G.B.-34	Clears Liver and Gallbladder Damp-Heat, eases rib pain and distension.
SP-6	Regulates the Spleen and resolves Dampness, crucial for fluid metabolism.
BL-20	Back-Shu point of Spleen; directly strengthens the organ to transform Dampness.
BL-17	Influential point for Blood; dispels stasis and nourishes Blood.
SP-10	Activates circulation and dissolves stasis, especially in the lower abdomen.
KI-3	Source point of the Kidney channel; nourishes Kidney-Yin and clears deficiency Heat.
BL-18	Back-Shu point of Liver; benefits Liver-Yin and soothes Liver-Qi.
BL-23	Warms Kidney-Yang to promote vaporization and drainage of water.
REN-4	Warms the lower burner and supports the Kidneys in controlling the water passages.
DU-4	Directly warms the life-gate fire to combat deep Yang deficiency.
ST-40	Helps drain the heavy, water-logged sensation. Transforms Phlegm and Dampness.

The Six Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Obstruction of the Spleen by Dampness With Liver-Qi Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Abdominal bloating worse after eating, sticky incomplete bowel movements, low mood or irritability, heavy sluggish limbs, rib-side distension or discomfort.

Tongue: Pale, swollen with teeth marks, white greasy coating, excessively moist. Pulse: Slippery and wiry, right Guan soggy, left Guan wiry.

Treatment principle: Harmonize the Liver and Spleen.

LR-3 ↓ REN-12 ⊥ ST-36 ↑ SP-9 ↓

Note: moxa applicable on the tonifying points. Direct match with this site's own Obstruction-of-Spleen-by-Dampness-with-stagnation-of-Liver-Qi slide.

2. Damp-Heat in the Liver View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Bitter taste in the mouth, dark yellow or reddish urine, distension and pain along the ribs, aversion to greasy food, feeling of heaviness in the body.

Tongue: Red body with redder sides, yellow greasy coating. Pulse: Wiry, slippery, and rapid.

Treatment principle: Clear Heat and Dampness from the Liver and Gallbladder.

LR-14 ⊥ LR-3 ↓ G.B.-34 ↓ SP-9 ↓

Note: no moxa. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Damp-Heat-in-the-Liver slide.

3. Spleen Deficiency With Dampness

Clinical manifestations: Abdominal distension feeling heavy and water-filled, loose stools or watery diarrhea, heaviness of body and limbs, poor appetite or lack of taste, fatigue and lack of energy, sticky or greasy sensation in the mouth.

Tongue: Pale, swollen body with teeth marks, white greasy coating, moist surface. Pulse: Soggy and slowed, soft and weak, especially at the right Guan position.

Treatment principle: Strengthen the Spleen and leach out Dampness.

ST-36 ↑ SP-6 ↑ REN-12 ⊥ BL-20 ⊥ ST-40 ↓

Note: moxa applicable on the tonifying points. This site has no combined Spleen-deficiency-with-Dampness slide and this pattern's own presentation has no Cold marker, so it is not forced onto the Cold-Dampness-invading-the-Spleen slide, consistent with the established precedent from Dark Circles Under Eyes. No pattern link is given here; points still link fine individually.

4. Liver-Blood Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Fixed stabbing pain below the ribs, palpable hard masses or lumps in the abdomen, distended tortuous veins on the abdominal wall, dark or purplish complexion/lips/nails.

Tongue: Dark purple body with stasis spots especially along the sides, distended sublingual veins, thin white coat. Pulse: Wiry and choppy, like a knife scraping bamboo.

Treatment principle: Move Blood and dissolve stasis below the diaphragm.

LR-3 ↓ LR-14 ⊥ BL-17 ↓ SP-10 ↓ SP-6 ↑

Note: no moxa. Direct match with this site's own Liver-Blood-stasis slide via the well-established stasis-spot-tongue marker.

5. Kidney and Liver Yin Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Distended abdomen with visible veins, emaciation or wasting of the body, dry mouth and throat, night sweats, heat in palms/soles/chest, flushed cheekbones especially in the afternoon, dull aching pain along the ribs, dizziness/tinnitus/dry eyes.

Tongue: Red, thin body with cracks, little or no coating, dry surface. Pulse: Fine, rapid, and wiry, left Chi weak.

Treatment principle: Nourish Liver and Kidney Yin while gently moving Liver-Qi.

KI-3 ↑ ST-36 ↑ BL-18 ↑

Note: no moxa given the Yin deficiency. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Kidney-and-Liver-Yin-deficiency slide.

6. Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Frog-like distended abdomen worse in the evening, cold hands and feet especially below the knees, early-morning diarrhea around 5 AM, sore cold lower back and weak knees.

Tongue: Pale, swollen, puffy with clear teeth marks on the edges, white slippery coating. Pulse: Deep, weak, and slow, both rear positions especially feeble.

Treatment principle: Warm the Spleen and dispel Dampness; warm Kidney-Yang and promote water metabolism.

BL-20 ↑ BL-23 ↑ ST-36 ↑ REN-4 ↑ DU-4 ↑

Note: moxa applicable throughout. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Kidney-and-Spleen-Yang-deficiency slide.

Related conditions

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