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Obesity

How Chinese medicine differentiates obesity, the five 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. Weight management usually needs a combined approach with diet and lifestyle changes; acupuncture is a complementary, not a replacement, approach.
General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for obesity — 11 key points, used across most of the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

PointKey action
ST-40Resolves Phlegm and Dampness throughout the body.
Ren-12Tonifies Stomach and Spleen, resolves Dampness and Phlegm.
ST-36Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
SP-6Strengthens the Spleen, resolves Dampness, nourishes Blood.
SP-9Regulates the Spleen, resolves Dampness, opens the Water passages.
ST-25Regulates the Intestines. Resolves Dampness. Clears Heat in the Stomach and Intestines.
ST-44Clears Heat. Regulates the Intestines and resolves Damp-Heat.
BL-23Tonifies the Kidneys, nourishes Kidney-Essence and Kidney-Yin.
BL-20Tonifies Spleen and Stomach, resolves Dampness, nourishes Blood.
LR-3Subdues Liver-Yang, promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi, invigorates Blood.
P-6Opens the chest, moves Qi and Blood, calms the Mind.
The Five Patterns

reinforcing   reducing   even method — technique below follows standard Excess/Deficiency treatment principle for each pattern, not tied to a specific point-by-point source.

1. Damp-Phlegm

Clinical manifestations: A heavy sensation in the body and limbs; brain fog; stuffiness in the chest and upper abdomen; copious white phlegm that is easy to cough up; loose, sticky stools; brought on by a diet heavy in greasy or sweet food, a sedentary lifestyle, or chronic Spleen weakness feeding Phlegm production; eased by warm, plainly-cooked food and staying active.
Tongue: Pale, swollen, tooth-marked, thick white greasy coating, wet surface. Pulse: Slippery, possibly Soggy at the right Guan position.
Treatment principle: Dry Dampness and transform Phlegm, regulate Qi and harmonize the middle burner, direct rebellious Qi downward.
Transform Phlegm-Dampness
Support Spleen
Note: moxa applicable on the Transform-Phlegm points. No deck slide anywhere on this site has a standalone "Damp-Phlegm" pattern, so no pattern link is given here.

2. Spleen Deficiency with Dampness

Clinical manifestations: Poor appetite despite weight gain; loose or unformed stools; abdominal bloating after eating; a heavy sensation through the body and limbs; brought on by irregular meals, cold raw food and drinks, overthinking and worry, or damp weather; eased by warm cooked food and rest after meals.
Tongue: Pale, swollen, tooth-marked, white greasy coating, moist surface. Pulse: Soggy, Slowed, soft and lacking force, possibly Slippery.
Treatment principle: Tonify Qi, strengthen the Spleen, drain Dampness.
Tonify Spleen
Drain Dampness
Note: moxa applicable on the Tonify-Spleen point. No deck slide combines a deficiency presentation with these Dampness signs into one pattern, so no pattern link is given here.

3. Damp-Heat in Stomach and Spleen

Clinical manifestations: A strong appetite with cravings for greasy or spicy food; a bitter, sticky taste in the mouth; bloating and fullness in the upper abdomen; sticky, incomplete bowel movements; heavy limbs and a foggy head; bad breath; brought on by a diet heavy in rich, greasy, or spicy food, or chronic overeating; eased by light, plainly-cooked food and moderate portions.
Tongue: Red, possibly swollen with tooth marks, thick yellow greasy coating, especially at the centre and root. Pulse: Soggy, Rapid, often Slippery.
Treatment principle: Clear Heat and transform Phlegm, clear Liver and Gall Bladder Heat, harmonize the Stomach.
Clear Damp-Heat
Harmonize Stomach
Note: no moxa. This site's Damp-Heat slides (Spleen and Stomach decks) describe an acute exterior-invasion presentation rather than this pattern's chronic appetite/craving-driven picture, so no pattern link is given here.

4. Kidney and Spleen Yang Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: A feeling of cold, especially in the lower back, knees, and limbs; chronic loose stools or early-morning diarrhoea around 5am; swelling of the legs and ankles; fatigue and a lack of energy that is worse with cold; brought on by ageing, chronic illness, or long-standing untreated Spleen and Kidney weakness; eased by warmth and rest.
Tongue: Pale, swollen, puffy, tooth-marked, white slippery coating. Pulse: Deep, Weak, Slow, especially feeble at the rear (Kidney) and right middle (Spleen) positions.
Treatment principle: Tonify Kidney-Yang, warm Yang and transform Qi, warm the Gate of Life (Ming Men) fire.
Note: moxa applicable — moxibustion is ideal for this pattern.

5. Qi-Phlegm

Clinical manifestations: A sensation of a lump in the throat (plum-pit Qi); distension in the chest and upper abdomen; symptoms that worsen with emotional stress; frequent sighing; irritability; brought on by suppressed emotion or chronic stress congealing Qi and fluids into Phlegm; eased by emotional release and gentle movement.
Tongue: Normal, possibly slightly swollen, white greasy or slippery coating. Pulse: Wiry, Slippery.
Treatment principle: Move Qi and dissipate nodules, descend Qi, resolve Phlegm.
Note: no moxa. No deck slide on this site has a standalone Qi-Phlegm/plum-pit-throat pattern, so no pattern link is given here.
Related conditions

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