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Orthostatic Hypotension

How Chinese medicine differentiates orthostatic hypotension — a failure of clear Yang to rise upward on standing — into the five patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Distinct from this site's own Hypotension 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. Fainting or near-fainting on standing needs medical evaluation to rule out a cardiac, neurological, or medication-related cause before assuming a simple pattern.
General Acupuncture Points

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

PointKey action
DU-20Extinguishes interior Wind. Subdues Liver-Yang. Raises Yang.
ST-36Tonifies Qi and Blood. Tonifies the Stomach and Spleen.
REN-6Tonifies Qi and Yang. Raises sinking Qi.
P-6Opens the chest and moves Qi and Blood. Calms the Mind.
BL-23Tonifies the Kidneys and nourishes Kidney-Essence. Strengthens the lower back.
KI-3Tonifies the Kidneys (both Yin and Yang). Strengthens the lower back and knees.
ST-40Resolves Phlegm and Dampness. Calms the Mind and opens the Mind's orifices.
REN-12Tonifies Stomach and Spleen. Resolves Dampness and Phlegm.
BL-15Calms the Mind. Nourishes the Heart. Clears Heat.
HE-7Calms the Mind and opens the Mind's orifices. Nourishes Heart-Blood.
The Five Patterns

↑ reinforcing   ↓ reducing   ⊥ even method.

1. Qi and Blood Deficiency

Clinical manifestations: Dizziness upon standing, pale/sallow complexion, heart palpitations, fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath on exertion, poor appetite.
Tongue: Pale body with thin white coating. Pulse: Fine, weak, possibly empty.
Treatment principle: Tonify both Qi and Blood, strengthen Spleen function, lift clear Yang to the head.
Note: moxa applicable throughout. This site has no combined Qi-and-Blood-deficiency slide, a gap confirmed absent many times over — no pattern link is given here; points still link fine individually.

2. Qi Collapsing or Qi Sinking View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Dizziness worsening with prolonged standing, bearing-down or heaviness in the abdomen, fatigue, weakness, sensation of organs dropping or prolapse.
Tongue: Pale, puffy body with teeth marks and thin white coat. Pulse: Empty, weak, especially at the right Guan.
Treatment principle: Tonify Spleen Qi, raise sunken Yang, lift collapsed Qi.
Note: moxa applicable throughout. Matched to this site's own Spleen-Qi-sinking slide via the source's own name.

3. Kidney Essence Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Dizziness upon standing, lower back and knee soreness/weakness, frequent nighttime urination, poor memory, difficulty concentrating, premature greying/hair loss.
Tongue: Pale, thin body with little/no coating, possible fine cracks. Pulse: Deep, thready, weak, especially at the rear positions.
Treatment principle: Nourish Kidney Essence, fill the Marrow.
Note: moxa applicable throughout. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Kidney-Essence-deficiency slide.

4. Phlegm-Dampness in the Middle-Burner

Clinical manifestations: Heavy, foggy head sensation (as if wrapped), nausea, greasy sticky tongue coating, chest/abdominal fullness, heavy limbs, sluggish body.
Tongue: Pale, swollen with teeth marks, thick white greasy coating. Pulse: Slippery, often soggy or moderate.
Treatment principle: Transform Wind-Phlegm, dry Dampness, strengthen the Spleen.
Note: no moxa. This site has no plain Phlegm-Dampness-in-the-Middle-Burner slide, the same gap confirmed on Cushing's Syndrome and BPPV — no pattern link is given here; points still link fine individually.

5. Heart Yang Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Orthostatic dizziness with palpitations worsened by exertion, cold hands/feet, bright pale/bluish complexion, chest stuffiness or mild pain, spontaneous sweating, fatigue.
Tongue: Pale, puffy, tender with teeth marks and white slippery coating. Pulse: Deep, weak, slow, weak at the left Cun position.
Treatment principle: Tonify Kidney Yang, warm and propel Heart Yang.
Note: moxa applicable on BL-15. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Heart-Yang-deficiency slide.
Related conditions

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