Mouth Deviation

How Chinese medicine differentiates mouth deviation into the six patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Distinct from this site's own Bell's Palsy page. 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. Sudden mouth deviation alongside limb weakness, slurred speech, or confusion is a stroke warning sign and needs emergency care, not a pattern-based approach.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for mouth deviation — 11 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. Benefits the eyes, nose, ears and mouth.
ST-4	Expels Wind. Removes obstructions from the channel.
G.B.-20	Expels exterior and interior Wind. Subdues Liver-Yang.
L.I.-20	Expels exterior Wind. Opens the nose. Removes obstructions from the channel.
L.I.-11	Clears Heat and cools Blood. Resolves Dampness.
ST-6	Expels Wind. Removes obstructions from the channel.
ST-40	Resolves Phlegm and Dampness. Opens the chest and subdues rebellious Qi.
LR-3	Subdues Liver-Yang. Extinguishes interior Wind. Promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi.
DU-20	Extinguishes interior Wind. Subdues Liver-Yang. Raises Yang.
ST-36	Benefits Stomach and Spleen. Tonifies Qi and Blood.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen. Nourishes Blood and Yin.

The Six Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Wind-Cold View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Sudden onset after exposure to cold wind, facial tightness and stiffness, chills and aversion to cold.

Tongue: Normal or slightly pale body with thin white moist coating. Pulse: Floating and tight.

Treatment principle: Releases the Exterior, disperses Wind-Cold, relaxes the sinews to restore facial muscle function.

L.I.-4 ↓ ST-4 ↓ G.B.-20 ↓

Note: moxa applicable given the Cold signs. Linked to this site's own Invasion-of-Lungs-by-Wind-Cold slide via the established exterior-invasion convention, regardless of body location.

2. Wind-Heat View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Sudden onset after exposure to wind and heat, fever and mild chills, sore red throat, thirst with desire to drink, thick yellow nasal discharge.

Tongue: Red tip and edges with thin yellow or white-to-yellow coating. Pulse: Floating and rapid.

Treatment principle: Disperses Wind-Heat and clears Heat.

G.B.-20 ⊥ L.I.-4 ↓ L.I.-20 ↓ L.I.-11 ↓

Note: no moxa. Linked to this site's own Invasion-of-Lungs-by-Wind-Heat slide via the established exterior-invasion convention, regardless of body location.

3. Wind-Phlegm

Clinical manifestations: Numbness or tingling in the face, copious white frothy sputum, dizziness or vertigo, heaviness in the body or limbs, chest stuffiness or nausea.

Tongue: Normal or slightly pale, swollen with teeth marks, white greasy coating. Pulse: Wiry and slippery.

Treatment principle: Dispels Wind-Phlegm and unblocks the facial channels.

ST-4 ↓ ST-6 ↓ L.I.-4 ⊥ ST-40 ↓ LR-3 ⊥

Note: no moxa. This site has no plain excess Wind-Phlegm slide on any deck, a gap confirmed absent many times over this session — no pattern link is given here; points still link fine individually.

4. Liver Qi Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Mouth deviation triggered or worsened by emotional stress, chest tightness or rib-side distension, frequent sighing, irritability or mood swings, poor appetite.

Tongue: Normal or slightly dark body, red or slightly purple sides, thin white coat. Pulse: Wiry.

Treatment principle: Soothes the Liver, moves Qi, restores smooth flow to the facial channels.

LR-3 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ ST-4 ⊥

Note: no moxa. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Liver-Qi-stagnation slide.

5. Liver-Yang Rising View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Throbbing or distending headache especially at the temples, dizziness and vertigo, flushed face and red eyes, irritability and quick temper, tinnitus, dry mouth and throat.

Tongue: Red body with redder sides, thin dry yellow or scanty coating. Pulse: Wiry, may be fine and rapid if Yin deficiency is prominent.

Treatment principle: Calms Liver-Yang and extinguishes internal Wind.

LR-3 ↓ G.B.-20 ⊥ DU-20 ⊥

Note: no moxa. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Liver-Yang-rising slide.

6. Qi and Blood Deficiency

Clinical manifestations: Mouth deviation persisting weeks or months without full recovery, facial muscles feel weak and flabby rather than tight, pale or sallow complexion and pale lips, deep persistent fatigue and reluctance to speak, dizziness or lightheadedness especially standing.

Tongue: Pale body, may be thin or show teeth marks, thin white coating. Pulse: Fine and weak, lacking force.

Treatment principle: Tonifies Qi and nourishes Blood.

ST-36 ↑ SP-6 ⊥ ST-4 ⊥ L.I.-4 ⊥

Note: moxa applicable on ST-36. This site has no combined Qi-and-Blood-deficiency slide, a gap confirmed absent many times over this session — no pattern link is given here; points still link fine individually.

Related conditions

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