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Edema

How Chinese medicine differentiates edema, the five 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. New or worsening edema needs medical evaluation to rule out cardiac, renal, or hepatic causes; acupuncture is a complementary, not a replacement, approach.
General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for edema — 13 key points, used across most of the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

PointKey action
ST-36Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
SP-6Strengthens the Spleen, resolves Dampness, nourishes Blood.
BL-20Tonifies Spleen and Stomach, resolves Dampness, nourishes Blood.
Ren-12Harmonizes Stomach-Qi, resolves Dampness and Phlegm.
BL-23Tonifies the Kidneys, nourishes Kidney-Essence and Kidney-Yin.
Du-4Tonifies Kidney-Yang, warms the Gate of Life. Benefits Essence.
Ren-4Strengthens the Kidneys, benefits Original Qi, warms foundational Yang.
KI-3Tonifies the Kidneys (Yin and Yang), strengthens Essence.
SP-9Regulates the Spleen, resolves Dampness, opens the Water passages.
ST-40Resolves Phlegm and Dampness throughout the body.
L.I.-11Clears Heat from the Yangming channels. Cools Blood.
BL-13Stimulates the diffusing and descending of Lung-Qi. Regulates Nutritive and Defensive Qi.
L.I.-4Expels exterior Wind, stops pain, removes obstructions from the channel.
The Five Patterns

reinforcing   reducing   even method — technique below follows standard Excess/Deficiency treatment principle for each pattern, not tied to a specific point-by-point source.

1. Spleen-Yang Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Pitting edema of the legs and abdomen; cold hands and feet; poor appetite with bloating after eating; loose stools with undigested food; fatigue and heaviness in the limbs; brought on by chronic illness, long-standing Cold exposure, or untreated Spleen-Qi deficiency progressing further; eased by warmth and rest.
Tongue: Pale, puffy, tender, tooth-marked, white slippery coating. Pulse: Deep, Slow, Weak, especially at the right Guan position.
Treatment principle: Warm Yang and disperse Cold, strengthen the Spleen, move Qi.
Note: moxa applicable.

2. Kidney-Yang Deficiency with Water Overflowing View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Coldness and soreness in the lower back; scanty or difficult urination; swelling that is worse below the waist; cold extremities; palpitations or breathlessness on exertion; brought on by ageing, chronic illness, or long-standing Kidney-Yang deficiency allowing water to overflow; eased by warmth and rest.
Tongue: Pale, puffy, tooth-marked, white slippery coating, an excessively wet surface. Pulse: Deep, Slow, Weak, especially at the Chi positions.
Treatment principle: Warm Yang and disperse Cold, promote urination and drain Dampness, transform water-Dampness.
Note: moxa applicable.

3. Damp-Heat

Clinical manifestations: Whole-body edema with tight skin; a heavy, sluggish sensation in the limbs; thirst with little desire to drink; dark yellow or scanty urine; a bitter taste in the mouth; stuffiness in the chest and upper abdomen; brought on by a diet heavy in greasy, spicy, or sweet food, or damp-heat weather; eased by cooling foods and a drier environment.
Tongue: Red, yellow greasy coating, may be swollen with tooth marks. Pulse: Soggy-Rapid or Slippery-Rapid.
Treatment principle: Drain Damp-Heat through urine and bowels, promote urination and drain Dampness.
Drain Damp-Heat
Support
Note: no moxa. This site's Damp-Heat slides (Bladder and Spleen decks) are genitourinary or epigastric-framed without whole-body edema content, so no pattern link is given here.

4. Wind-Water Invading the Lungs View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Sudden facial and eyelid puffiness that gradually spreads to the whole body; a sudden onset after cold or wind exposure; chills and an aversion to cold; no sweating; a cough with thin, white, frothy sputum; wheezing or shortness of breath; brought on by an external Wind-Cold invasion disrupting the Lung's control over water passages; eased by warmth and rest.
Tongue: Pale, puffy, tooth-marked, white slippery coating with a watery sheen. Pulse: Floating, Tight, especially at the right Cun position, may be Wiry.
Treatment principle: Disseminate Lung-Qi and promote water movement, induce sweating to release the exterior.
Expel exterior, open Water passages
Support
Note: moxa applicable on the Expel points.

5. Spleen Deficiency with Dampness

Clinical manifestations: Gradual pitting edema, especially in the legs and ankles; heaviness through the body and limbs; abdominal bloating and loose stools; poor appetite with post-meal fatigue and drowsiness; brought on by irregular meals, cold raw food and drinks, overthinking and worry, or damp weather; eased by warm cooked food and rest after meals.
Tongue: Pale, swollen, tooth-marked, thick white greasy coating, moist surface. Pulse: Soggy, Slow, soft and lacking force.
Treatment principle: Promote urination and reduce edema, transform Dampness and move Qi, strengthen the Spleen.
Tonify Spleen
Drain Dampness
Note: moxa applicable on the Tonify-Spleen points. No deck slide combines a deficiency presentation with these Dampness signs into one pattern, so no pattern link is given here.
Related conditions

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