Prostatitis

How Chinese medicine differentiates prostatitis, the three 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. Fever, severe pain, or an inability to urinate needs urgent medical evaluation before acupuncture is considered.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for prostatitis — 8 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
Ren-3	Resolves Dampness from the Lower Burner. Promotes the Bladder function of Qi transformation.
SP-9	Regulates the Spleen, resolves Dampness.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen, resolves Dampness, nourishes Blood and Yin.
LR-3	Subdues Liver-Yang, promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi, invigorates Blood.
G.B.-34	Promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi. Resolves Damp-Heat in Liver and Gall Bladder.
ST-36	Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
Du-20	Raises sinking Qi. Benefits the Brain.
Ren-6	Tonifies Qi and Yang, raises sinking Qi.

The Three Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Damp-Heat in the Lower Burner View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Turbid, dark yellow urine that may burn or sting; a heavy, dragging sensation in the perineum and lower abdomen; scrotal dampness or itching; an afternoon heat sensation in the lower body.

Tongue: Red, slightly swollen, thick yellow greasy coating, heaviest at the root. Pulse: Slippery, Rapid, more pronounced at the rear position.

Treatment principle: Separate the clear from the turbid by draining Damp-Heat from the Lower Burner.

Ren-3 ↓ SP-9 ↓ SP-6 ↓

Note: no moxa. Matches Damp-Heat in the Liver — scrotal swelling/itching and urinary difficulty are named symptoms there.

2. Liver and Gallbladder Damp-Heat View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: A bitter taste in the mouth; irritability and restlessness; fullness or pain under the ribs; dark yellow, turbid urine; nausea or an aversion to greasy foods.

Tongue: Red, redder sides, thick yellow greasy coating. Pulse: Wiry, Slippery, Rapid.

Treatment principle: Drain excess Heat from the Liver and Gallbladder while clearing Damp-Heat from the Lower Burner via the Liver channel.

LR-3 ↓ G.B.-34 ↓ Ren-3 ↓

Note: no moxa. Direct match with Damp-Heat in the Gall Bladder and Liver — even the pattern name matches, and it explicitly lists burning urination and scrotal swelling/heat too.

3. Spleen-Qi Sinking View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Turbid urine like rice water, worse after rich food; a bearing-down, heavy sensation in the lower abdomen, worse after overwork or standing; profound fatigue and weakness; a poor appetite and loose stools.

Tongue: Pale, puffy, tender, teeth marks, thin white coating. Pulse: Weak, especially at the right Guan position, often Deep.

Treatment principle: Tonify Spleen-Qi and lift sinking Qi to restore the body's holding function.

ST-36 ↑ Du-20 ↑ Ren-6 ↑ SP-6 ↑

Note: moxa applicable. Direct match with Spleen-Qi sinking — the same match already confirmed for Stress Urinary Incontinence.

Related conditions

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