Table 5. Prescriptions of Acupuncture and Chinese medication.
| Function/Indication | Points/Formula | Location/Herbs |
|---|---|---|
| Acupuncture | ||
| Basic prescription (Scalp acupuncture) | MS-6 Motor area (Dingnieqianxiexian) | 0.5 cms posterior to the midpoint of the anterior-posterior line defines the upper limit of the motor area. The lower limit intersects the eyebrow-occiput line at the anterior border of the natural hairline on the temple. |
| MS-7 Sensory area (Dingniehouxiexian) | A line parallel to the motor area and 1.5 cms behind it. | |
| Basic prescription (Body acupuncture for the affected side of upper limb) | LI15 (Jianyu) | In the depression distal and anterior to the acromion, between the clavicular and acromial portions of the deltoid muscle. |
| LI11 (Quchi) | With the elbow flexed, on the lateral end of the elbow crease, in a depression between the end of the crease and the lateral epicondyle of the humerus, on the extensor carpi radialis longus muscle. | |
| LI10 (Shousanli) | 2 cun distal to LI11, on the extensor carpi radialis longus muscle. | |
| TE5 (Waiguan) | 2 cun proximal to the dorsal wrist joint space (‘dorsal wrist crease’), between the radius and the ulna. | |
| LI4 (Hegu) | On the radial aspect of the hand, between the 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones, closer to the 2nd metacarpal bone and approximately at its midpoint. | |
| Basic prescription (Body acupuncture for the affected side of lower limb.) | ST32 (Biguan) | Inferior to the anterior superior iliac spine and lateral to the sartorius muscle, at the level of the lower border of the pubic symphysis. |
| ST36 (Zusanli) | 3 cun distal to ST-35 (‘lateral eye of the knee’) and 1 fingerbreadth lateral to the anterior crest of the tibia, on the tibialis anterior muscle. | |
| GB34 (Yanglingquan) | In the depression anterior and inferior to the head of the fibula, between the peroneus longus and extensor digitorum longus muscles. | |
| GB39 (Xuanzhong) | 3 cun proximal to the highest prominence of the lateral malleolus, on the anterior border of the fibula. | |
| BL60 (Kunlun) | In the depression on the line connecting the Achilles tendon and the highest prominence of the lateral malleolus. | |
| For CI | GV20 (Baihui) | At the junction of a line connecting the apices of the ears and the midline, 5 cun from the anterior or 7 cun from the posterior hairline respectively. |
| GV24 (Shenting) | On the midline, 0.5 cun superior to the anterior hairline. | |
| GB13 (Benshen) | On the midline, 0.5 cun superior to the anterior hairline). | |
| EX-HN1 (Sishencong) | A group of four points, each located 1 cun from GV20 (anterior, posterior and lateral). | |
| Temple-Three-Needles (Niesanzhen) | In the temple area, on the opposite side of the hemiplaegia, the first needle is located in 2 cun straight above ear apex, then the second and third needles are separately located at the lateral 1 cun of the first needle. | |
| For PSD | LR3 (Taichong) | 1st and 2nd metatarsal bones, in the depression proximal to the metatarsophalangeal joints and the proximal angle between the two bones. |
| PC6 (Neiguan) | 2 cun proximal to the anterior wrist joint space (‘most distal wrist crease’), between the tendons of the palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis muscles. | |
| GV20 (Baihui) | At the junction of a line connecting the apices of the ears and the midline, 5 cun from the anterior or 7 cun from the posterior hairline respectively. | |
| Ex-HN-3 (Yintang) | On the anterior midline, between the eyebrows. | |
| GV24 (Shenting) | On the midline, 0.5 cun superior to the anterior hairline or 4.5 cun anterior to → Du-20. | |
| For Type 1 | LR2 (Xingjian) | Between the 1st and 2nd toes, proximal to the margin of the interdigital web. |
| LR3 (Taichong) | On the dorsum of the foot, between the 1st and 2nd metatarsal bones, in the depression proximal to the metatarsophalangeal joints and the proximal angle between the two bones. | |
| LR14 (Qimen) | In the 6th intercostal space, on the mamillary line or 4 cun lateral to the midline. | |
| For Type 2 | SP10 (Xuehai) | With the knee flexed, 2 cun proximal and slightly medial to the medial superior border of the patella, in a depression on the vastus medialis muscle. |
| ST40 (Fenglong) | At the midpoint of the line joining ST-35 and ST-41, 2 fingerbreadths lateral to the anterior crest of the tibia. | |
| For Type 3 | SP6 (Sanyinjiao) | 3 cun proximal to the highest prominence of the medial malleolus, on the posterior border of the medial crest of the tibia. |
| KI3 (Taixi) | In the depression between the highest prominence of the medial malleolus and the Achilles tendon. | |
| LR3 (Taichong) | On the dorsum of the foot, between the 1st and 2nd metatarsal bones, in the depression proximal to the metatarsophalangeal joints and the proximal angle between the two bones. | |
| For Type 4 | CV6 (Qihai) | On the anterior midline, 1.5 cun inferior to the umbilicus. |
| CV4 (Guanyuan) | On the anterior midline, 3 cun inferior to the umbilicus. | |
| BL17 (Geshu) | 1.5 cun lateral to the posterior midline, on the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 7th thoracic vertebra (T7). | |
| Chinese herbal medicine | ||
| Type 1 | Tian Ma Gou Teng decoction | Tian Ma 9 g, Gou Teng 15 g, Shi Jue Ming 15 g, Shan Zhi Zi 9 g, Huang Qin 9 g, Niu Xi 15 g, Du Zhong 12 g, Yi Mu Cao 15 g, Sang Ji Sheng 15 g,Ye JiaoTeng 9 g, Fu Sheng 9 g, raw Long Gu 30 g, raw Mu Li 30 g |
| Type 2 | Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma decoction and Tao Hong Si Wu decoction | Ban Xia 9 g, Bai Zhu 9 g, Tian Ma 9 g, Fu Ling 9 g, Ju Hong 6 g, Sheng Di 15 g, Dang Gui 15 g, Chuan Xiong 9 g, Tao Ren 9 g, Hong Hua 6 g |
| Type 3 | Zhen Gan Xi Feng decoction | raw Long Gu 15 g, raw Mu Li 15 g, Dai Zhe Shi 30 g, Gui Ban 15 g, Bai Shao 15 g, XuanShen 15 g, Tian Dong 15 g, ChuanLianZi 6 g, Yin Chen 6 g, Chuan Xiong 15 g, raw Mai Ya 6 g, fried Gan Cao 6 g |
| Type 4 | Bu Yang Huan Wu decoction | raw Huang Qi 30 g, Dang Gui 15 g, Tao Ren 6 g, Hong Hua 6 g, Di Long 12 g, Chi Shao 15 g |
| For CI | – | Shi Chang Pu 15 g, Yi Zhi Ren 20 g, Yuan Zhi 9 g |
| For PSD | – | Chai Hu 9 g, Yu Jin 9 g, Bai He 9 g |
Abbreviations: CI, cognitive impairment; PSD, post-stroke depression; Type 1, Disturbance of wind-fire; Type 2, Phlegm-stasis blocking collateral; Type 3, Yin deficiency and wind act; Type 4, Qi deficiency and blood stasis.
The standardized point name terminology comes from Standard Acupuncture Nomenclature (Second Edition. World Health Organization 1993). Scalp acupuncture points and the three-temple points are not included in the WHO materials, but are standardized by other conventions in the field; Point location terminology comes from the WHO standard acupuncture point locations in the Western Pacific Region (World Health Organization, Western Pacific Region, 2008) and the Atlas of acupuncture (Focks C. Elsevier Health Sciences, 2008). Chinese Pinyin, Latin, and Common Names of Chinese Herbs in the Study are detailed in Supplemental Table S3.