Neck Lumps

How Chinese medicine differentiates neck lumps in general — broader than the thyroid-specific Thyroid Nodules already covered — 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. Any new neck lump needs medical evaluation (ultrasound, blood tests, and biopsy if indicated) to rule out infection, thyroid disease, or malignancy before assuming it is a simple TCM pattern.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for neck lumps — 10 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
REN-22	Stimulates the descending of Lung-Qi. Resolves Phlegm. Benefits the throat and voice.
L.I.-4	Removes obstructions from the channel. Regulates Qi. Stops pain.
LR-3	Subdues Liver-Yang. Promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi. Invigorates Blood.
LR-2	Drains Liver-Fire and subdues Liver-Yang. Cools Blood.
G.B.-20	Expels exterior Wind. Extinguishes interior Wind. Subdues Liver-Yang. Clears Heat.
ST-40	Resolves Phlegm and Dampness.
SP-10	Cools Blood. Invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen. Nourishes Blood and Yin. Resolves Dampness.
KI-3	Tonifies the Kidneys (both Yin and Yang). Benefits Essence.
HE-7	Calms the Mind and opens the Mind's orifices. Nourishes Heart-Blood.

The Four Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Qi-Phlegm

Clinical manifestations: Soft, movable neck lump, sensation of a lump in the throat, symptoms worsen with emotional stress, frequent sighing, chest stuffiness.

Tongue: Pink-red body, possibly slightly swollen, white greasy or slippery coating. Pulse: Wiry and slippery.

Treatment principle: Soothe the Liver and transform Phlegm to resolve stagnant Qi and accumulated fluids congealing in the neck.

REN-22 ⊥ L.I.-4 ↓ LR-3 ↓

Note: no moxa. This site has no organ-nonspecific Phlegm slide and no Liver-Qi-stagnation-with-Phlegm combination slide (same gap noted for Thyroid Nodules), so no pattern link is given — points still link fine individually.

2. Liver Fire Blazing View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Tender, warm, swollen neck lump, worsens with anger, bitter taste, red painful eyes, intense irritability, throbbing temple headache.

Tongue: Red body with redder sides, dry yellow coating. Pulse: Wiry and rapid, forceful.

Treatment principle: Clear Heat and nourish Yin to drain excess Fire and cool inflammation in the neck mass.

LR-3 ↓ LR-2 ↓ REN-22 ⊥ G.B.-20 ↓

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

3. Phlegm in the Channels View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Hard, fixed nodular lump, purple tongue with stasis spots, heaviness or pressure in the neck, chest tightness, no heat signs.

Tongue: Purple body with stasis spots, white greasy coating, distended sublingual veins. Pulse: Wiry and choppy or wiry and slippery.

Treatment principle: Invigorate Blood and resolve stagnation to dissolve Phlegm-Blood binding and soften chronic masses.

REN-22 ⊥ ST-40 ↓ SP-10 ↓ SP-6 ↓ LR-3 ↓

Note: no moxa. Despite the \"Phlegm in the Channels\" name, the content itself (purple tongue with stasis spots, hard fixed lump, treatment centred on invigorating Blood) is genuinely Blood-Stasis in nature, so this is linked to this site's Liver-Blood-stasis slide on content rather than declined on name — the same content-over-name discipline used throughout this project.

4. Liver-Yin Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Soft, movable lump, night sweats, five-center heat, dry gritty eyes, palpitations, insomnia, dizziness, irritability.

Tongue: Red, thin, dry with little or no coating, red sides especially. Pulse: Wiry, fine, rapid.

Treatment principle: Nourish Liver and Kidney Yin to replenish fluids and clear Empty-Heat, allowing tissues to moisten.

KI-3 ↑ SP-6 ↑ HE-7 ↑

Note: no moxa given the Yin deficiency. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Liver-Yin-deficiency slide.

Related conditions

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