Patient 9: Treatment (Wood)

Patient:  Female, age 29

Element:  Wood

Number of years coming for treatment:  2

Number of prior treatments: 9, last treatment in spring

Original problems:  Lack of focus in her work, problems with periods, often misses out a month or two.

Change since start of treatment:  Work is going very smoothly now, and she really enjoys it.  Periods still a problem.  She hasn’t had a period since June. 

Problems today:  Just wants her “autumn seasonal treatment”, she tells me.  She and her partner are thinking of trying for a family soon, and the problem with her periods worries her.  Feeling rather stiff in knees and ankles, and a sore neck for the past two days.  I thought carefully about whether I would find a CV/GV (Ren Mai/Du Mai) block, which is a likely cause for interrupted menstruation.

 

Treatment given:

1                    I could not feel any block on the pulses, therefore needled: AEPs (back shu) of Wood

2                    GB 20 (she liked the feel of this point, because it helped relax her tight neck muscles)

3                    CV (Ren Mai) 5:  She had a slightly colder Lower Jiao and very cold hands, and this is one of the alarm points of the Three Heater.  I think this will bring energy to the Lower Heater, and help towards re-activating her periods.

4                    GB 34, Li 4:  GB 34 is at the knee, and will undoubtedly help her stiff knees by giving energy to the Gall Bladder pathway.  Li 4 transfer energy from GB to Li, and is also an ankle point, to help the stiffness in her ankles.

At the end of treatment:  She said she felt a little less stiff, and I thought her colour was healthier.   

Time of next treatment:  She wanted to know whether she should come more frequently in the New Year to help conception.  I will see her in January, and then assess how often I need to see her.  If her periods are still so irregular, I will do the  CV/GV (Ren Mai/Du Mai) block.  It never hurts to do a block, even if we are not sure if one is there.  We should never rely only on our pulse-taking sensitivity if there is some reason why a block could be indicated, as here.

Proposals for next treatment:   CV/GV block, watch for other blocks.  Will be coming back from another long trip abroad, and this may affect her general health.