Table 2.
Acupuncture point selection
| Point | Location |
|---|---|
| RN4 (Guanyuan) | On the lower abdomen at the anterior midline, 3 cun below the umbilicus |
| EX-CA1a (Zigong) | On the lower abdomen, 4 cun below the center of the umbilicus and 3 cun lateral to the anterior midline |
| ST29a (Guilai) | 1 cun cranial to the pubic bone and 2 cun lateral of the midline |
| ST36a (Zusanli) | At the anterior aspect of the leg 3 cun inferior to ST35 (Dubi) on the line connecting ST35 (Dubi) to ST41 (Jiexi) |
| SP6a (Sanyinjiao) | On the tibial aspect of the leg posterior to the medial border of the tibia, 3 cun superior to the prominence of the medial malleolus |
| Syndrome 1 | |
| RN6 (Qihai) | With the patient supine, the point is halfway between the center of the umbilicus and RN4 (Guan yuan) |
| RN12 (Zhongwan) | On the upper abdomen at the anterior median line, 4 cun above the umbilicus |
| ST25a (Tianshu) | On the upper abdomen 2 cun lateral to the center of the umbilicus |
| Syndrome 2 and phase 1 | |
| KI3a (Taixi) | On the posteromedial aspect of the ankle in the depression between the prominence of the medial malleolus and the calcaneal tendon |
| KI6a (Zhaohai) | On the medial aspect of the foot in the depression inferior to the medial malleolus, 1 cun inferior to the prominence of the medial malleolus |
| Phase 2 | |
| LV3a (Taichong) | On the dorsum of the foot between the first and second metatarsal bones in the depression distal to the junction of the bases of the two bones and over the dorsalis pedis artery |
| SP10a (Xuehai) | With the knee flexed, on the medial side of the thigh 2 cun above the superior medial corner of the patella on the prominence of the medial head of the quadriceps muscle of the thigh |
| PC6a (Neiguan) | On the medial aspect of the forearm between the palmaris longus and the flexor carpi radialis tendons, 2 cun proximal to the palmar wrist crease |
| DU20 (Baihui) | On the head at the anterior median line, 5 cun superior to the anterior hairline |
Based on pattern and phase differentiation, syndrome 1 = Spleen–kidney Yang deficiency; syndrome 2 = Liver–kidney Yin deficiency, phase 1 = follicular phase; phase 2 = ovulatory phase
aBilateral points