Morning Sickness (Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy)

How Chinese medicine differentiates morning sickness, the four patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Acupuncture only — no herbs, and only from a practitioner experienced with pregnancy-safe point selection.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. Several classically-taught points are avoided or used cautiously in pregnancy; treatment should only be given by a practitioner trained in pregnancy care. Severe, persistent vomiting with weight loss or dehydration (hyperemesis gravidarum) needs urgent medical evaluation.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for morning sickness — 9 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
ST-36	Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
P-6	Harmonizes the Stomach, moves Qi and Blood, calms the Mind.
Ren-12	Tonifies Stomach and Spleen, regulates Stomach-Qi.
BL-20	Tonifies Spleen and Stomach, resolves Dampness.
LR-3	Subdues Liver-Yang, promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi.
ST-40	Resolves Phlegm and Dampness, subdues rebellious Qi.
SP-9	Regulates the Spleen, resolves Dampness.
KI-3	Tonifies the Kidneys (Yin and Yang), benefits Essence.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen, nourishes Blood and Yin.

The Four Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Spleen and Stomach Qi Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Vomiting of clear watery fluids or undigested food; poor appetite and bloating after eating; deep fatigue and physical weakness; sallow or pale complexion.

Tongue: Pale, puffy body with tooth marks, thin white coating. Pulse: Weak and soft, especially empty at the right Guan position.

Treatment principle: Tonify Qi, strengthen the Spleen, harmonize the Stomach, descend rebellious Stomach-Qi.

Tonify Spleen

ST-36 ↑ Ren-12 ↑ BL-20 ↑

Harmonize Stomach

P-6 ⊥

Note: moxa applicable on the Tonify-Spleen points. Direct match with Stomach- and Spleen-Qi deficiency.

2. Liver Qi Stagnation Invading the Stomach View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Vomiting of sour or bitter fluids; rib-side distension and chest tightness; frequent belching; irritability and moodiness, worse with emotional stress.

Tongue: Normal or slightly red body, redder sides, thin white coat. Pulse: Wiry at the left middle position.

Treatment principle: Regulate Qi, harmonize the Stomach, descend rebellious Qi.

P-6 ↓ LR-3 ↓ Ren-12 ↓ ST-36 ⊥

Note: no moxa. Matches Rebellious Liver-Qi invading the Stomach — epigastric distension, sour regurgitation and belching are shared.

3. Phlegm-Dampness in the Middle-Burner

Clinical manifestations: Vomiting of sticky, phlegm-like fluids; a heavy, sluggish sensation in the body and limbs; chest tightness and upper abdominal bloating; a greasy, sticky feeling in the mouth.

Tongue: Pale, swollen with teeth marks, thick white greasy coating, excessively moist. Pulse: Slippery, slow, soggy at the right Guan position.

Treatment principle: Dry Dampness, transform Phlegm, harmonize the Middle Burner, descend rebellious Qi.

Resolve Phlegm

P-6 ↓ ST-40 ↓ SP-9 ↓

Support Spleen

ST-36 ⊥

Note: no moxa. No deck on this site has a Phlegm-Dampness-in-the-Middle-Burner category, so no pattern link is given here.

4. Qi and Yin Deficiency

Clinical manifestations: Intense dry retching with little or no vomit; severe fatigue and exhaustion; dry mouth and throat with thirst but little desire to drink; a warm sensation in the palms, soles and chest; shortness of breath on mild exertion.

Tongue: Red or pale-red body, thin or absent coating, dry surface, possibly cracked. Pulse: Fine, weak, often rapid.

Treatment principle: Tonify Qi, nourish Yin, generate fluids, stabilize the pregnancy.

P-6 ⊥ ST-36 ↑ Ren-12 ↑ KI-3 ↑ SP-6 ↑

Note: no moxa (Yin deficiency present). No deck on this site combines Qi and Yin deficiency into one slide, so no pattern link is given here.

Related conditions

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