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Impetigo

How Chinese medicine differentiates impetigo, the five patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Acupuncture only — no herbs; this is a contagious bacterial skin infection and topical/oral antibiotics remain standard care.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. Impetigo is contagious and needs medical diagnosis and antibiotic treatment — acupuncture here is supportive, not a substitute. Widespread lesions, fever, or a young child with symptoms need prompt medical evaluation.
General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for impetigo — 12 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

PointKey action
ST-40Resolves Dampness and Phlegm.
ST-36Strengthens Spleen to transform Dampness.
SP-10Cools Blood and relieves itching.
LR-2Clears Heat from the Liver channel.
DU-14Clears heat and expels toxins.
L.I.-11Cools blood and clears heat.
L.I.-4Disperses heat and relieves pain.
SP-6Strengthens Spleen, resolves Dampness.
SP-9Drains Dampness from the body.
BL-20Tonifies Spleen Qi to treat root deficiency.
LR-3Subdues Liver Yang and reduces fire.
G.B.-43Clears Gallbladder and Liver fire.
BL-17Influential point of Blood, moves blood stasis.
The Five Patterns

↑ reinforcing   ↓ reducing   ⊥ even method.

1. Summer Heat with Dampness

Clinical manifestations: Dense clusters of yellow, oozing pustules with red halos; worse during hot, humid weather; body heaviness and fatigue; stuffiness in chest and upper abdomen; thirst with little desire to drink.
Tongue: Red body with white greasy coating (may shift to yellow if Heat intensifies). Pulse: Soggy and rapid.
Treatment principle: Drain Dampness and clear Heat.
ST-40 ↓ ST-36 ⊥ SP-10 ↓ LR-2 ↓
Note: no moxa. No standalone Summer-Heat slide exists on this site, so no pattern link is given here.

2. Toxic-Heat

Clinical manifestations: Pus-filled blisters with thick yellow or honey-colored crusts; intense redness, heat, and swelling; fever and body heat sensation; intense thirst for cold drinks; dark, scanty urine or constipation.
Tongue: Red body with prickly thorns and dry yellow coating. Pulse: Rapid, forceful, and slippery.
Treatment principle: Clear Heat and resolve toxicity while cooling Blood.
DU-14 ↓ L.I.-11 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ SP-10 ↓
Note: no moxa. No standalone Toxic-Heat slide exists on this site, so no pattern link is given here.

3. Spleen Deficiency with Dampness

Clinical manifestations: Lesions ooze clear or slightly yellowish fluid and heal slowly; recurrent episodes especially after fatigue or dietary indiscretion; fatigue, drowsiness after meals; poor appetite, abdominal bloating, loose stools.
Tongue: Pale and swollen with teeth marks, white greasy coating, moist surface. Pulse: Soggy and slow, weak and slightly slippery.
Treatment principle: Strengthen Spleen Qi to transform fluids and drain internal Dampness.
ST-36 ↑ SP-6 ↑ SP-9 ↓ BL-20 ↑
Note: moxa applicable on the tonifying points. No deck on this site combines Spleen deficiency with Dampness in one slide, so no pattern link is given here.

4. Liver Qi Stagnation that Transforms into Heat View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Painful, hard, inflamed nodules; irritability and explosive anger; distending pain in ribcage; bitter taste in mouth; worse with anger, frustration, spicy food, alcohol, and hot weather.
Tongue: Red body with redder sides, thin yellow coating. Pulse: Wiry and rapid, especially at left Guan.
Treatment principle: Soothe the Liver, clear Heat, resolve fire.
LR-3 ↓ LR-2 ↓ G.B.-43 ↓ BL-17 ↓
Note: no moxa. Direct match with this site's own Stagnant-Liver-Qi-turning-into-Heat slide.

5. Qi and Blood Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Stabbing pain in lesions; hard, dark or purplish nodules; irritability or chest distension; worse with emotional stress and prolonged inactivity.
Tongue: Dark purple body with stasis spots, distended sublingual veins, thin white coat. Pulse: Wiry and choppy.
Treatment principle: Move Qi and Blood to resolve hard, dark lesions.
LR-3 ↓ SP-10 ↓ BL-17 ↓ L.I.-11 ↓
Note: no moxa. Matches this site's Liver-Blood stasis slide — dark/purplish discoloration and a stasis-spot tongue are the same core markers named there.
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Acupuncture-only reference — structure adapted (not text) from how other condition-lookup sites organize this kind of content. Let us know what to add or change.