Acupuncture for Treating Mental Diseases

HI, everybody!
We all know that mental diseases are of dfficulty of treatment, so here I present you a article on how the mental diseases treated with Acupuncture in China. Please read it and give your idea about it, what's your experience? Let's share the good experiences and methods!
All the remarks and comments are welcome!!! On favour or against me!!!


Four Methods of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Mental Diseases

　　Objective: To study and look for effective ways of acupuncture in the treatment of mental diseases.

Methods: (1 ) Points located on the head are chiefly selected based on the theory that the head is the house of intelligence. The commonly used points are “seven Shen points” Sishencong, (Ex-HN l), Benshen (GB 13), Shenting (GV 24), Dazhui (GV 14), Baihui (GV 20), Fengfu (GV 16), Shuaigu (GB , Yamen (GV 15) and Taichong (LR 3); (2) According to the ascending and descending theory of Sanjiao (triple energizer), the functions of the heed, liver and kidney are regulated. Shenmen (HT 7), Neiguan (PC 6), Taixi (KJ 3), Xingiian (LR 2) are selected for disharmony of the heart and kidney; Tanzhong (CV 17), Zhangmen (LR 13), Taichong (LR 3), Zulinqi (GB 41), Tianshu (ST 25), or Gongsun (SP 4), Neiguan (PC 6), ZhongWan (CV 12), Fenglong (ST 40) are selected for dysfunction of the heart and spleen or liver-Qi stagnation; Points from the liver and kidney meridians and the Back-Shu and Front-Mu. Points of the liver and kidney are selected for deficiency of the liver and kidney; 3) Based on the "Roots and Nodes" theory, points are selected according to the primary and secondary, such as Taixi (KI 3), Taichong (LR 3), Xingiian (LR 2), Zulinqi (GB 41), Netting (ST 44), Qiuxu (GB 40), Daling (PC 7), Neiguan (PC 6), and Shenmen (HT 7); (4) Mental diseases are frequently caused by seven emotional factors. While treating them, a doctor should find out the root causes of the diseases, and master the knowledge of psychology and talk with the patients, try to relieve the psychological disturbance of the patients first and then treat them with acupuncture in order to get twice the result with half effect.

Results: There were four cases discussed in this article. The first one was a case of cerebrovascular malformation, accompanied with epileptic attack when there were emotional changes. The case was cured after 10 sessions of acupuncture treatment. The second was a case of dysphoria with dream disturbed sleeping. It was cured after 20 times of acupuncture and psychological treatment. The third case was depressive insomnia which was cured after 6 times of acupuncture treatment. The last one was a case of restlessness syndrome accompanied with dream disturbed sleeping and lassitude. It was also cured after 12 acupuncture treatments.

Conclusion: Acupuncture is an effective therapy in treating menial diseases with rapid result, Which follows a principle of selecting the points according to differentiation of syndromes. When it is combined with psychotherapy, the effect is better.

By Gu Shizhe, Xu Lipeng & Lin Wenjian.
Department of Acupuncture and Massage, Beijing University of TCM, Beijing 100029, China