Insect Bites

How Chinese medicine differentiates a problematic insect bite reaction into the four patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Distinct from this site's Skin Rashes and Urticaria pages. 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. An insect bite with spreading redness, fever, difficulty breathing, or facial or throat swelling is a medical emergency — seek immediate care.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for a problematic insect bite reaction — 3 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
L.I.-4	Expels exterior Wind and releases the Exterior. Promotes the diffusing of Lung-Qi, regulates the Defensive Qi and sweating. Stops pain.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen. Resolves Dampness. Promotes the function of the Liver and the smooth flow of Liver-Qi.
SP-10	Cools Blood. Invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis. Blood SP-10 SP-9 10 Xuehai

The Four Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Toxic-Heat

Clinical manifestations: Burning, stinging pain; a bright red, hot, swollen bite; possible systemic fever, thirst and dark urine.

Tongue: Red with dry yellow coating, prickly raised papillae. Pulse: Rapid and forceful, sometimes slippery.

Treatment principle: Clears Heat and resolves toxicity; cools the Blood; disperses swelling.

L.I.-4 ↓ L.I.-11 ↓ SP-10 ↓

Note: no moxa. This site's decks have no standalone Toxic-Heat slide — no pattern link is given here.

2. Damp-Heat View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Yellow oozing fluid or crusting; a heavy, boggy, weepy swelling; body sluggishness; a low-grade fever worsening in the afternoon.

Tongue: Red with thick, greasy yellow coating, swollen with teeth marks. Pulse: Soggy and rapid.

Treatment principle: Drains Damp-Heat, clears Heat and reduces swelling.

SP-10 ↓ ST-36 ⊥ G.B.-34 ↓

Note: no moxa. Linked to this site's own Damp-Heat-in-the-Bladder slide, its established Lower-Burner Damp-Heat convention.

3. Blood Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Fixed, stabbing pain; a dark purple or bruised discoloration; a hard, palpable lump; pain worsens at night and with pressure.

Tongue: Dark purple or dusky, possible stasis spots, engorged sublingual veins. Pulse: Choppy.

Treatment principle: Invigorates Blood, dispels stasis and alleviates pain.

SP-10 ↓ SP-6 ↓ BL-17 ↓

Note: no moxa. Linked to this site's own Liver-Blood-stasis slide per the discoloration-marker rule.

4. Empty-Heat from Yin Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: A dry, itchy bite with minimal swelling; itching worse in the evening or at night; afternoon or evening tidal warmth; dry mouth, five-palm heat, night sweats.

Tongue: Red, thin, dry with cracks, little to no coating. Pulse: Fine and rapid, weak on deeper pressure.

Treatment principle: Nourishes Yin, clears deficiency Heat and anchors empty Heat.

KI-3 ↑ KI-6 ↑

Note: no moxa. Linked to this site's own Kidney-Yin-deficiency-Empty-Heat-blazing slide.

Related conditions

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