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Hypothyroidism

How Chinese medicine differentiates hypothyroidism, 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. Hypothyroidism needs medical diagnosis and management; acupuncture is a complementary, not a replacement, approach.
General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for hypothyroidism — 11 key points, used across most of the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

PointKey action
BL-23Tonifies the Kidneys, nourishes Kidney-Essence and Kidney-Yin.
BL-20Tonifies Spleen and Stomach, resolves Dampness, nourishes Blood.
Du-4Tonifies Kidney-Yang, warms the Gate of Life. Benefits Essence.
ST-36Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
Ren-6Tonifies Qi and Original Qi. Regulates Qi in the Lower Burner.
Du-20Raises Yang. Lifts the Mind. Benefits the Brain.
SP-6Strengthens the Spleen, resolves Dampness, nourishes Blood.
HE-7Calms the Mind and opens the Mind's orifices. Nourishes Heart-Blood.
P-6Opens the chest, moves Qi and Blood, calms the Mind.
BL-15Calms the Mind, nourishes the Heart, regulates Heart-Qi and invigorates Blood.
SP-9Regulates the Spleen, resolves Dampness, opens the Water passages.
The Four 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. Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: A deep, bone-level coldness unrelieved by warmth; profound exhaustion; sluggish metabolism causing weight gain despite poor appetite; loose stools; a low backache; puffy swelling of the legs, ankles, and face, worse in the mornings; chronic diarrhoea with undigested food; brought on by ageing, chronic illness, or long-standing Spleen weakness exhausting Kidney-Yang; eased by warmth and rest.
Tongue: Pale, swollen, puffy, tooth-marked, white slippery coating. Pulse: Deep, Weak, Slow, especially feeble at the rear (Kidney) and right middle (Spleen) positions.
Treatment principle: Warm Yang and disperse Cold, tonify Qi and strengthen the Spleen, warm the middle burner.
Note: moxa applicable.

2. Qi Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Persistent fatigue that worsens with activity; shortness of breath on mild exertion; poor appetite; loose stools; spontaneous sweating without exertion; a mildly cold sensation; a susceptibility to infections, without the intense bone-level cold of the Yang-deficiency pattern; brought on by chronic illness, long-term overwork, or an underlying constitutional weakness; eased by rest and nourishing food.
Tongue: Pale, puffy, scalloped edges, thin white coating. Pulse: Empty or Weak, Soft, lacking force, especially weak at the right Guan position.
Treatment principle: Tonify the middle burner and augment Qi, raise sunken Yang, lift sinking Qi.
Note: moxa applicable.

3. Heart-Yang Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Palpitations that worsen with exertion; chest stuffiness or mild chest pain; cold hands and feet; a bright pale or white face; mental listlessness; a slow, weak pulse; a possible irregular heartbeat; anxiety or unease from compromised Heart warmth; brought on by ageing, chronic illness, or long-standing untreated Heart-Qi deficiency; eased by warmth and rest.
Tongue: Pale, puffy, tender, tooth-marked, white slippery coating. Pulse: Deep, Weak, often slowest at the left Cun (Heart), possibly Knotted and Slow.
Treatment principle: Harmonize Yin and Yang, calm the spirit and relieve restlessness, secure Essence and stop leakage.
Note: moxa applicable.

4. Yang Deficiency with Cold-Damp

Clinical manifestations: A deep chill, especially along the back; generalized body heaviness; aching joints; cold hands and feet resistant to warming; no thirst, or a preference for warm drinks; puffy face and limbs; loose stools; a pale complexion; a heavy sensation through the body; mental dullness and brain fog; brought on by ageing, chronic illness, or long-standing Yang deficiency allowing Dampness to accumulate; eased by warmth and a drier environment.
Tongue: Pale, swollen, tooth-marked, white greasy moist coating. Pulse: Deep, Slow, possibly Minute or Soggy if Dampness predominates.
Treatment principle: Warm Yang and disperse Cold, promote urination and drain Dampness, transform water-Dampness.
Warm Yang, disperse Cold
Drain Dampness
Note: moxa applicable on the Warm-Yang points. No deck slide on this site combines whole-body Yang deficiency with Cold-Damp into one distinct pattern separate from the organ-specific Kidney-Yang or Spleen-Yang deficiency slides, so no pattern link is given here.
Related conditions

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