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PCOS

How Chinese medicine differentiates polycystic ovary syndrome, 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. PCOS is a hormonal condition usually needing medical diagnosis and management; acupuncture is a complementary, not a replacement, approach. Blood-moving points below should be used with caution or avoided if pregnancy is possible.
General Acupuncture Points

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

PointKey action
Ren-4Strengthens the Kidneys, benefits Original Qi, nourishes Blood and Yin.
BL-23Tonifies the Kidneys, nourishes Kidney-Essence, strengthens the lower back.
KI-3Tonifies the Kidneys (Yin and Yang), strengthens Essence.
SP-6Strengthens the Spleen, resolves Dampness, regulates the uterus and menstruation.
SP-9Regulates the Spleen, resolves Dampness, opens the Water passages.
ST-36Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
Ren-12Tonifies Stomach and Spleen, resolves Dampness and Phlegm.
ST-40Resolves Phlegm and Dampness, opens the chest, subdues rebellious Qi.
SP-10Cools Blood, invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis.
LIV-3Subdues Liver-Yang, promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi, invigorates Blood.
L.I.-4Expels exterior Wind, stops pain, removes obstructions from the channel.
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. Kidney-Essence Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees; irregular, scanty, or absent periods; difficulty conceiving; fatigue and a lack of vitality; frequent urination at night; poor memory or brain fog; low libido; brought on by ageing, chronic overwork, excessive sexual activity, or a long illness; eased by rest, warm nourishing food, or gentle grounding movement.
Tongue: Pale, thin body, little or no coating, possible fine cracks. Pulse: Fine, Deep, Weak at the Chi positions.
Treatment principle: Nourish Kidney-Essence, replenish vital reserves, strengthen the Chong and Ren vessels to restore regular menstrual cycles.
Note: moxa applicable.

2. Spleen Deficiency with Dampness

Clinical manifestations: Abdominal bloating that is worse after eating; loose or soft stools; heaviness in the body and limbs; fatigue and drowsiness, especially after meals; poor appetite or a lack of taste; a sticky or greasy sensation in the mouth; being overweight; brought on by irregular meals or overeating, cold raw food and drinks, overthinking and worry, or damp weather; eased by warm cooked food, regular mealtimes, rest after meals, or gentle exercise.
Tongue: Pale, swollen body with tooth marks, white greasy coating, moist surface. Pulse: Soggy, Slowed, may be Slippery.
Treatment principle: Strengthen Spleen-Qi, drain excess Dampness, restore digestive transformation to clear fluid obstruction from the reproductive channels.
Tonify Spleen
Drain Dampness
Note: moxa applicable on the Tonify-Spleen point; no deck slide combines a deficiency presentation with these Dampness signs, so no pattern link is given here.

3. Damp-Phlegm in the Uterus

Clinical manifestations: Lower abdominal fullness and heaviness; thick vaginal discharge; being overweight, especially around the waist; chest stuffiness and nausea; fatigue and drowsiness with a heavy sensation; poor appetite and loose, sticky stools; scanty menstrual flow when periods occur; brought on by a diet heavy in greasy or sweet food, damp weather, a sedentary lifestyle, or chronic Spleen weakness feeding Phlegm production; eased by warm, plainly-cooked food, staying active, or a dry warm environment.
Tongue: Pale, swollen body with tooth marks, white greasy coating, thicker at the root. Pulse: Slippery, Deep, often Soft or Slow at the right Guan position.
Treatment principle: Dry Dampness, transform Phlegm, strengthen Spleen function, unblock the uterus and restore menstrual flow through the Chong and Ren vessels.
Transform Phlegm-Dampness
Support Spleen
Note: moxa applicable on the Transform-Phlegm points; no deck slide covers this uterine/reproductive Phlegm presentation, so no pattern link is given here.

4. Blood Stagnation and Phlegm in the Uterus

Clinical manifestations: Stabbing, fixed lower abdominal pain; dark, clotted menstrual blood; a palpable mass or lump in the lower abdomen; thick vaginal discharge; menstrual pain that worsens with pressure; lower abdominal fullness and heaviness; difficulty conceiving; brought on by long-standing untreated stagnation, a diet heavy in greasy or sweet food, or chronic Spleen weakness; eased by gentle movement, warmth, or a sustained course of treatment addressing both the stasis and the Dampness.
Tongue: Purple body with stasis spots, swollen with tooth marks, white greasy coating, distended sublingual veins. Pulse: Choppy, Slippery, often Wiry at the left Guan position.
Treatment principle: Invigorate Blood, dispel stasis, dissolve masses, dry Dampness, transform Phlegm, restore Qi circulation through the reproductive channels.
Invigorate Blood, transform Phlegm
Support, local
Note: no moxa. Blood-moving points should be used with caution or avoided if pregnancy is possible. This site's "Liver-Blood stasis" slide matches the Blood-stasis half of this pattern (masses, clotted periods, infertility) but has no Phlegm signs of its own, so it isn't a close enough match to link here.

5. Liver-Qi Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Irritability or mood swings; breast tenderness or swelling; frequent sighing; distension or bloating along the ribs; irregular periods that worsen with stress; brought on by stress and frustration, suppressed emotions, a sedentary lifestyle, or overwork; eased by gentle exercise, deep breathing, talking through emotions, or a calm environment.
Tongue: Normal or slightly dark body with red or purplish sides, thin white coating. Pulse: Wiry, like a taut guitar string, especially at the left middle position.
Treatment principle: Course the Liver-Qi, resolve constraint, nourish Blood and soften the Liver, smooth menstrual flow disrupted by emotional stagnation.
Soothe Liver
Support, local
Note: no moxa.
Related conditions

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