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De Quervain's Tenosynovitis

How Chinese medicine differentiates De Quervain's tenosynovitis, the four 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. A firm, growing nodule or catching/locking of the thumb tendon needs medical evaluation before acupuncture is considered.
General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for De Quervain's tenosynovitis — 11 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

PointKey action
L.I.-4Expels exterior Wind, stops pain, removes obstructions from the channel.
LU-5Clears Lung-Heat. Promotes the descending of Lung-Qi. Resolves Phlegm.
SP-10Cools Blood, invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis.
L.I.-11Clears Heat, resolves Dampness, cools Blood.
T.B.-5Expels Wind-Heat. Benefits the ears. Clears Heat in the head.
SP-9Regulates the Spleen, resolves Dampness, opens the Water passages.
BL-23Tonifies Kidney-Yang.
BL-18Nourishes Liver-Blood. Moves Liver-Qi. Benefits the sinews.
ST-36Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
SP-6Strengthens the Spleen, resolves Dampness, nourishes Blood and Yin.
L.I.-10Removes obstructions from the channel. Regulates the Intestines. Tonifies Qi.
The Four Patterns

reinforcing   reducing   even method.

1. Qi and Blood Stagnation

Clinical manifestations: Fixed, stabbing pain at the wrist with a palpable nodule or swelling that worsens with pressure and movement; irritability or emotional tension.
Tongue: Dark purple with stasis spots, distended sublingual veins. Pulse: Wiry, Choppy.
Treatment principle: Invigorate Blood and dispel stasis, move Qi, and alleviate pain at the wrist.
Note: no moxa. This site's \"Liver-Blood stasis\" slide is gynecological/hepatic-framed with no wrist-injury content, so no pattern link is given here.

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

Clinical manifestations: Redness and heat around the wrist; swelling that feels hot; heavy aching in the arm, relieved by cold, worsened by warmth; irritability, thirst and dark urine.
Tongue: Red, possibly slightly swollen, yellow greasy coating. Pulse: Slippery, Rapid, possibly Soggy or Wiry.
Treatment principle: Clear Heat, drain Dampness, unblock the channel and relieve the painful obstruction.
Note: no moxa. No deck on this site has a joint/limb Painful Obstruction category, so no pattern link is given here.

3. Damp-Wind

Clinical manifestations: Wandering wrist pain that shifts to other joints; a heavy, swollen sensation in the wrist and arm; worse in damp or windy weather and with prolonged inactivity.
Tongue: Normal or slightly swollen, white greasy coating, moist. Pulse: Floating, Slippery or Moderate.
Treatment principle: Disperse Wind, drain Dampness and alleviate pain along the wandering joint pain.
Note: no moxa. No deck on this site has a generic Damp-Wind joint pattern, so no pattern link is given here.

4. Painful Obstruction with Liver and Kidney Deficiency

Clinical manifestations: A chronic dull ache with stiffness, limited range of motion, and weak grip strength with muscle atrophy around the wrist; worse with cold, damp weather, fatigue and overwork; lower back and knee soreness.
Tongue: Pale, thin, thin white coating. Pulse: Fine, weak, Slow, especially weak at the rear (Kidney) position.
Treatment principle: Dispel Wind-Dampness and relieve the obstruction while supplementing the Liver and Kidneys, addressing the underlying weakness behind a chronic, non-healing wrist.
Note: moxa applicable. This site's closest candidate, \"Kidney-Essence deficiency,\" is framed around bone development, hair and memory rather than a joint-specific Bi-syndrome picture, so no pattern link is given here.
Related conditions

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