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Hypertension

How Chinese medicine differentiates hypertension, 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. Hypertension needs proper diagnosis and monitoring by a medical doctor; acupuncture is a complementary, not a replacement, approach. A very high reading with severe headache, chest pain, vision changes, or confusion needs emergency medical care.
General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for hypertension — 14 key points, used across most of the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

PointKey action
LIV-3Subdues Liver-Yang, promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi.
G.B.-20Expels exterior Wind, subdues Liver-Yang, clears Heat, benefits the head.
KI-3Tonifies the Kidneys (Yin and Yang), strengthens Essence.
Du-20Extinguishes interior Wind, subdues Liver-Yang, raises Yang, benefits the Brain.
LIV-2Drains Liver-Fire, subdues Liver-Yang, cools Blood.
ST-40Resolves Phlegm and Dampness, opens the chest, subdues rebellious Qi.
Ren-12Tonifies Stomach and Spleen, resolves Dampness and Phlegm, calms the Mind.
SP-3Strengthens the Spleen, resolves Dampness, regulates the Intestines.
P-6Opens the chest, moves Qi and Blood, calms the Mind.
BL-17Invigorates Blood, cools Blood, opens the chest and diaphragm.
SP-10Cools Blood, invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis.
Ren-4Strengthens the Kidneys, benefits Original Qi, nourishes Blood and Yin.
ST-36Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
SP-6Strengthens the Spleen, resolves Dampness, nourishes Blood and Yin.
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. Liver-Yang Rising View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: A throbbing or distending headache at the temples; dizziness with a heavy head and light, unsteady feet; irritability and a quick temper; soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees; ringing in the ears; a flushed face and red eyes; brought on by anger and frustration, stress, lack of sleep, or overwork; eased by a calm environment, avoiding stress and stimulants, rest, or gentle exercise.
Tongue: Red body, redder at the sides, thin dry yellow or scanty coating, possibly trembling. Pulse: Wiry, often forceful at the left middle position, may be Fine and Rapid.
Treatment principle: Calm the Liver, subdue Yang, nourish Yin and Blood, extinguish Wind.
Subdue Liver-Yang
Nourish Kidney-Yin (root)
Note: no moxa.

2. Liver Fire Blazing View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: A throbbing headache at the temples or crown; a bitter taste in the mouth; red, painful or burning eyes; a flushed red face; intense irritability and a quick temper; constipation and dark yellow urine; brought on by anger and frustration, alcohol, spicy or greasy food, or overwork and lack of sleep; eased by cooling food and drinks, a calm environment, avoiding alcohol, or deep breathing.
Tongue: Red body, redder at the sides, dry yellow coating, possible red prickles. Pulse: Wiry, Rapid, Full, forceful, especially at the left Guan (Liver) position.
Treatment principle: Drain excess Fire from the Liver and Gall Bladder, clear Damp-Heat from the Lower Burner, clear Heat from the Liver channel.
Note: no moxa.

3. Phlegm-Dampness in the Middle-Burner

Clinical manifestations: A heavy sensation in the head, as if wrapped in cloth; dizziness or lightheadedness; chest tightness or oppression; nausea or queasiness; bloating and fullness after eating; loose, sticky stools; excessive drowsiness and sluggishness; a greasy, sticky taste in the mouth with no thirst; brought on by a diet heavy in greasy or sweet food, damp weather, a sedentary lifestyle, or chronic Spleen weakness; eased by warm, plainly-cooked food, staying active, a dry warm environment, or moxibustion.
Tongue: Pale, swollen body with tooth marks, thick white greasy coating, especially in the centre. Pulse: Slippery or Soggy, often Slow or Moderate.
Treatment principle: Transform Wind-Phlegm, strengthen the Spleen and resolve Dampness, calm the Liver to stop dizziness.
Transform Phlegm, calm Liver
Strengthen Spleen, resolve Dampness
Note: moxa applicable on the Strengthen-Spleen points; no deck slide matches this combined Phlegm-Dampness-in-the-head picture, so no pattern link is given here.

4. Blood Stagnation

Clinical manifestations: A stabbing, fixed headache; chest tightness or stabbing chest pain; pain worse at night; dark or purplish lips and nails; numbness in the hands or feet; brought on by an old injury, chronic untreated stagnation, cold exposure constricting circulation, or overexertion; eased by gentle movement, warmth, avoiding prolonged sitting, or gentle massage once the acute pain settles.
Tongue: Purple or dusky body with stasis spots, distended dark sublingual veins, thin white coating. Pulse: Choppy or Wiry.
Treatment principle: Invigorate Blood, dispel stasis, move Qi, alleviate pain, open the chest, disperse stagnation.
Note: no moxa. This site's "Liver-Blood stasis" slide is a gynecological/hypochondrial pattern with no headache, chest pain or limb numbness, so it isn't a close enough match to link here.

5. Deficiency of Both Kidney Yin and Yang

Clinical manifestations: Deep fatigue and a lack of vitality; alternating chills and hot flushes; soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees; dizziness and ringing in the ears; frequent urination at night; a feeling of cold in the limbs; brought on by ageing, chronic overwork, a long illness, or excessive strain on the Kidneys; eased by rest, warmth on the lower back, warm nourishing food, or moxibustion.
Tongue: Pale, puffy-tender body with tooth marks and cracks, thin white coating that may be partially peeled. Pulse: Deep, Fine, Weak, weakest at the Chi (rear) position, may be slightly Rapid or Slow.
Treatment principle: Tonify Kidney-Yang, tonify Kidney-Essence, drain Ministerial Fire.
Note: moxa applicable; no deck slide combines both Kidney-Yin and Kidney-Yang deficiency in one pattern, so no pattern link is given here.
Related conditions

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