Tianshu ST25

Dear Dr. King.

It seems that Tianshu is a wonderful acupoint especially for those ladies who suffer from various types of woman illnesses. I just wonder whether this Tianshu would do any good or harm to those who have some sort of habitual miscarriage, cancerous disease of uterus and so on?

Do you mind to comment, please?

Thank you.

Chenkc

Dear Chenkc,
Tianshu (ST 25) is mainly a good point for the disorders of the digestive system, for it CAN be used to treat some gynecological disorders but only as a local point.
Personally I think those indications listed in the text (not limited to Tianshu) are universally accepted by majority acupuncture physicians; while some individual physicians have some special experience of their onw to treat some disorders with acupuncture, but that's not really accepted generally by majority of acupuncture practitioners in the acupuncture circle.
Personally I don't think the point is used for habitual miscarriage, and in fact few cases of cancerous diseases of uterus would be treated with acupuncture.
As matter of fact, there are many more other points which are devoted to the treatment of gynecological disorders.
Course C just illustrates some basic knowledge of acupuncture, so in each specific point, there could be many indications, but it doesn't mean the point is really used in reality to treat all the disorders in clinical practice, I think it's the same case for the medicines, each medicament would be beneficial to the treatment of many disorders, but it would be only used to treat a limited number of disorders.
In course D, there will be more specific methods or experience of acupuncture in treating some specific disorders.
Even though, there could be alot individual methods of acupuncture, so one must participate in the clinical practice before becoming a good acupuncture physician.
For sure to learn medicine, practice is always essential.

Dear Dr. King,

Thank you for the holistic view about the acupuncture practice.

As you have mentioned that Tianshu is mainly a good point for the disorders of the digestive system, may I seek your kind opinion about this acupoint for the treatment of mounth ulcers. As you know there are three distinct types of mouth ulcers : vala tpye, characterised by an intense pricking pain in the oral cavity; pitta type, identified by signs of deep red ulcerations along with a burning sensattion and kapha type which exhibits duall pain an itch. I think, all these symptoms of illness could have some connections with the digestive system. Can I have your comments, please.

Thanks.

Chenkc

Dear Chenkc,
I think you didn’t quite catch what I said in the previous post.
For sure the stomach meridian is related closely with the mouth and the points of these meridian can be used to treat the mouth ulcers, but I think we cannot stick us only on one single point of the meridian, for in the text there are so many points which are indicated to the disorders of digestive system.
I’m not quite sure if you have studied the course A, if yes it’s my suggestion you might have got a review of it; if not I recommend you to take it before studying course C.
The holistic idea in course A would lead us to a wider view of traditional Chinese medicine.
As the point Tianshu (ST 25) is concerned, personally I would try to see anything special of the knowledge listed in the text, rather than something not listed.
As I have mentioned before, in course D, you may learn something about the use of the distal points and the local/adjacent points in combination.
In fact, the text tells us something VERY special about Tianshu, so what is it? Then you can draw the picture of the point yourself that what the point is mostly indicated.