Thyroid Nodules

How Chinese medicine differentiates thyroid nodules — distinct from Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism already covered, which are function-based rather than mass-based — 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. Any new neck lump needs medical evaluation (ultrasound, thyroid function tests, and biopsy if indicated) to rule out malignancy before assuming it is a simple TCM pattern.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for thyroid nodules — 14 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.
G.B.-20	Expels exterior Wind. Extinguishes interior Wind. Subdues Liver-Yang. Clears Heat.
L.I.-4	Expels exterior Wind, removes obstructions from the channel, calms the Mind.
LR-3	Subdues Liver-Yang. Promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi. Invigorates Blood.
P-6	Opens the chest and moves Qi and Blood. Calms the Mind. Moves Liver-Qi.
SP-10	Cools Blood. Invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis.
BL-17	Invigorates Blood. Cools Blood. Stops bleeding. Opens the chest and diaphragm.
LR-2	Drains Liver-Fire and subdues Liver-Yang. Cools Blood and stops bleeding.
KI-3	Tonifies the Kidneys (both Yin and Yang). Calms the Mind. Benefits Essence.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen. Nourishes Blood and Yin. Calms the Mind.
HE-7	Calms the Mind and opens the Mind's orifices. Nourishes Heart-Blood.
ST-36	Benefits Stomach and Spleen. Tonifies Qi and Blood. Tonifies the Original Qi.
REN-6	Tonifies Qi and Yang. Raises sinking Qi. Tonifies Original Qi.
BL-20	Tonifies Spleen and Stomach. Resolves Dampness. Nourishes Blood.

The Five Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Qi-Phlegm

Clinical manifestations: Soft neck nodule that fluctuates with mood, sensation of a lump in the throat, chest oppression, frequent sighing, worsens with emotional stress.

Tongue: Normal pink-red, slightly swollen with a white greasy coating. Pulse: Wiry and slippery.

Treatment principle: Move stagnant Liver-Qi and transform Phlegm.

REN-22 ⊥ G.B.-20 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓ LR-3 ↓ P-6 ⊥

Note: no moxa. This site has no organ-nonspecific Phlegm slide and no Liver-Qi-stagnation-with-Phlegm combination slide, so no pattern link is given — points still link fine individually.

2. Blood Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Hard, fixed neck nodule, stabbing pain worse at night, dark purple tongue with stasis spots, dusky facial complexion.

Tongue: Purple/dusky body with stasis spots, distended dark sublingual veins. Pulse: Choppy or wiry.

Treatment principle: Invigorate Blood, break stasis, soften hardness.

LR-3 ↓ SP-10 ↓ BL-17 ↓

Note: no moxa. Direct match with this site's own Liver-Blood-stasis slide via the well-established dark/purple stasis-spot-tongue marker.

3. Liver Fire Blazing View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Tender, inflamed soft nodule, intense irritability, bitter taste, throbbing temple headache, red painful eyes, flushed face, constipation with dark urine.

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

Treatment principle: Clear Liver-Fire, transform Phlegm, cool Blood.

LR-3 ↓ LR-2 ↓ G.B.-20 ↓

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

4. Empty-Heat from Yin Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Low-grade afternoon/evening heat, night sweats, dry mouth and throat worse in the evening, palpitations, restlessness, flushed cheekbones, small soft nodule.

Tongue: Red, thin, dry with cracks, little or no coating. Pulse: Fine and rapid.

Treatment principle: Nourish Yin, clear Empty-Heat, dissolve Phlegm.

KI-3 ↑ SP-6 ↑ HE-7 ↑ G.B.-20 ⊥

Note: moxa contraindicated given the Empty-Heat. Direct match with this site's own Kidney-Yin-deficiency-Empty-Heat-blazing slide.

5. Qi and Blood Deficiency

Clinical manifestations: Soft, medium-sized lump not responsive to mood, persistent fatigue, pale or sallow complexion, dizziness, heart palpitations, poor appetite.

Tongue: Pale body, may be thin with teeth marks, thin white coating. Pulse: Fine and weak.

Treatment principle: Tonify Spleen-Qi and Blood, provide a foundation for healing.

ST-36 ↑ SP-6 ↑ REN-6 ↑ BL-20 ↑

Note: moxa applicable throughout. This site's decks have no combined Qi-and-Blood-deficiency slide (confirmed absent many times before), so no pattern link is given — points still link fine individually.

Related conditions

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