Clinical Application of Fengchi(GB 20)

　　
ABSTRACT: The article introduces the writers' experience in using Fengchi(GB 20) to treat sciatica, gastric ulcer and bronchial asthma, etc.. The writers consider that the point has seven general functions of dispelling pathogenic wind, purging pathogenic fire, relieving the depressed liver-qi, resolving the phlegm, activating the blood, tranquilizing the mind, and checking spasm and convulsion. It also introduces the manipulations and precautions of needling Fengchi.

KEY WORDS: Acupuncture Acupoint therapy Fengchi(GB 20)

Fengchi is a very important acupoint in human body. We use Fengchi to treat various diseases, the effect is very good. In the beginning, we do not realize the importance of Fengchi and pay no attention to the functions of Fengchi, as a result, the clinical result is not good. Later, this point is added and notable results are obtained. We deeply realize that Fengchi has wonderful actions.

LOCATION OF POINT MANIPULATIONS AND INDICAT1ONS
The doctors of past dynasties adopted straight sitting or sitting in flexion for Fengchi, but we adopt prone position, in our opinion, this posture is not only good for accurate location of Fengchi but also easy to keep. Moreover, patients feel relaxed and comfortable. So fainting is avoided. The characteristics of the location of Fengchi are as follows: Press the skin around Fengchi with the thumbs before needling to find a sensitive point. Therefore, we emphasize that we must know well the depth of insertion and avoid inserting to the medulla oblongata while needling this point, 0. 5 cun or less in depth is suitable for children without retaining of the needle, 1 cun for thin adults, about 1. 5 cun for fat persons. Usually retain the needle for 30 minutes.
　　
The direction of the needle tip: For disease of the ear, piercing to Yifeng(TH 17); For diseases of the eye, puncturing left Fengchi toward right eye while right Fengchi toward left eye; For cerebrovascular disease and disease of nervous system, puncturing toward Yintang(EX-HN 3); For up-stirring of the liver wind piercing Fengchi from left side to right side and vice versa. We consider that the piercing method makes the double functions of the two points well and needling sensation easily spread to top of head, temple, forehead, ear and eye and will also avoid wrongly inserting into foramen occipitale magnum and the cavity of spinal marrow. We apply the point as chief point to treat more than 30 diseases, e. g., nervous headache, sequela of encephalitis B, gastric ulcer, bronchial, asthma, sciatica, alopecia, cervical syndrome and so on. Now we show you several typical cases below:.

EXAMPLES OF MEDICAL RECORDS
Case 1. Gastric Ulcer
Mrs. Gao, 45 years old. Chief complaint: Stomachache with intermittent appearance for 4 years. Gastric barium meal shows that it is ulcer disease. The pain is often aggravated by excessive anxiety and emotional strain, dark red tongue with thin and yellow fur, wiry and thready pulse. At first, we punctured Zhongwan (CV l2 ), Zusanli (ST 36 ), and Neiguan (PC 6); 3 treatments later, the pain could not be relieved. We went over the past medical record of the patient and found that the drugs taken by the patient mostly belonged to the drugs of strengthening the spleen and tonifying middle-jiao. The majority of selected points are located on the yangming meridians. In fact, this patient’s stomachache is closely related to the emotions. As a result, treatment should be aimed at relieving the depressed liver-qi and invigorating the spleen, regulating the flow of qi to relieve pain. Fengchi and Zusanli (ST 36) are selected. Puncture the points with even method. Retain the needles for 30 minutes. After 3 treatments, the pain is obvious1y relieved. 45 treatments in all later, the patient has a good appetite, and feels well, and works efficiently. The reexamination of the gastric barium meal shows the ulcer is cured.

Case 2. Sciatica
Mr. Zhao, 46 years Old. Chief complaint: Pain of buttock on the left side, radiating to m. Gastrocnemius; severe pain occurs after getting up in the morning. The diagnosis is sciatica according to the examination of the department of neuro-internal medicine. In the beginning, we puncture Huantiao (GB 30 ), Chengshan (BL 57), Ashi and so on. 5 treatments later, there is not only no effect but also more pain at night. We observe the symptoms and signs again and find the patient wiry pulse, preference for sighing. The pain is related to emotions. The differentiation is pain of the leg due to the stagnancy of the liver-qi. So we puncture Fengchi, 3 treatments later, the pain is alleviated and 10 successive treatments later, the patient is relieved from pain.

Case 3. Bronchial Asthma (Wind-phlegm Type)
Zhang, a 6 years old boy. Chief complaint: Bronchial asthma for 2 years. He has taken various Chinese and Western drugs for a long time but has gotten little effect. The attack is closely associated with common cold and cough. The symptoms and signs: Dyspnea due to cough, profuse white sputum, white greasy fur of the tongue, Poor appetite emaciation, pallor, strong aversion to wind and cold, thready and rapid pules. Typical wheezes can be heard over the whole of lungs' fields. Because the former doctors mostly treated the boy's problem with the drugs of tonifying the kidney, strengthening the spleen, and reinforcing the lung, we change the above therapeutic principle into that of resolving the phlegm to relieve asthma. At first, we puncture bilateral Feishu (BL 13 ), Tanzhong (CV l7) and Fenlong(ST 40), drug pressing therapy is used as supplementary method. Give the treatment once every second day. After several treatments, the condition of cough with profuse sputum is improved but asthma still exists like before. We think carefully again and again and consider the asthma is frequently induced by pathogenic wind, so we should follow the view of "Fengchi being in charge of the wind of the lung" in the book Yi Xue Rumen. As a result, Fengchi is selected as chief point and the points stated above are as supplementary points to treat asthma, the asthma is relieved very soon. After successive treatments of 2 months, typical wheezes disappear, cough and dyspnea are relieved, good appetite, red complexion and chubby cheeks. Later, the problem once recurs because the boy eats too much cold food, and is cured according to the therapy mentioned above. Now he can go to school normally and take part in physical activities. We have followed up the boy for half a year and there is no recurrence of the disease.

CONCLUSION
We consider that this point has seven general functions.
1. Dispelling pathogenic wind: Fengchi belong to the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Shaoyang; The liver and the gallbladder are interior-exteriorly related, and the liver is in charge of wind, so Fengchi has a function of subduing hyperactivity of the liver yang to arrest convulsion and spasm. This point is also a crossing point between the Yangwei Meridian and the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Shaoyang. The Yangwei Meridian is in charge of the exterior. Exterior syndrome is mostly related to exogenous pathogenic wind. Fengchi is used to treat the asthma of wind and cold type because of the point's function of dispersing exogenous pathogenic wind. In our opinion, this point can be used to treat all diseases related to pathogenic wind.

2. Purging pathogenic fire: Fengchi is good at purging pathogenic fire of the liver and the gallbladder and often used to treat the disease of deficiency of yin essence bringing on pathological hyperactivity of yang. Take the case of clinmacteric syndrome as an example, Fengchi is selected to clear away and purge the pathogenic fire of the gallbladder.

3. Relieving the depressed liver-qi: The liver and the gallbladder are both organs related to wind and wood. They like to spread out freely and are intolerant of being depressed, if depressed, various diseases will occur. We often select Fengchi for the depression of the liver-qi in order to relieve the stagnancy of the liver-qi, e. g. the stomachache of the imbalance between the liver and stomach and the pain of leg due to the stagnancy of the liver-qi, etc.

4. Resolving phlegm: Strange disease .are mostly induced by phlegm. We use Fengchi to treat various strange and complicated problems caused by phlegm. For example, the point is also used to treat a patient who suffered from lipoma in the upper arm and the illness was cured. It is specially used to treat the cerebrovascular disease and the status asthmaticus induced by pathogenic wind and phlegm. The function of Fengchi here is "subduing endogenous wind to resolve the phlegm". Why does Fengchi have a function of resolving the phlegm? We consider that on the one hand, Fengchi has a function of relieving the stagnancy of the liver-qi to restore the function of the liver, that is Fengchi has a function of regulating the flow of qi in order to guarantee a smooth normal circulation. If there is a smooth normal circulation, the phlegm will disappear. On the other hand, the point has a function of purging pathogenic fire, so body fluid will not form phlegm because of being scorched.

5. Activating the blood: If the stagnation of qi occurs blood stasis will also occur. If there is a smooth normal flow of qi, there is also a smooth normal circulation of blood. Fengchi has a function of activating the meridian-qi of Shaoyang and promoting the flow of qi and blood. Therefore, Fengchi can be used to treat many pertinacious diseases related to blood stasis. According to this, we select Fengchi to treat the hemiplegia caused by encephalitis and cerebral infarction.

6. Relieving anxiety or mental uneasiness: Fengchi has a relatively good function of tranquilzing the mind, so it is often used to treat various insomnia due to anxiety or mental uneasiness.

7. Checking spasm and convulsion: The outstanding manifestation about this function of Fengchi has three aspects:
(1) Fengchi has a function of checking cerebrovascular spasm, as a result, it is often used to treat headache due to hypertension, neuro-vascular headache, and "wind stroke".
(2) Checking bronchial spasm. So the point can be used to relieve asthma.
(3) Checking gastrointestinal spasm. So the point is good at stopping abdominal pain.

By Shan Baozhi & Shao Shuijin