Acupuncture is a traditional physical therapy in China, which has the functions of communicating yin and yang and dredging qi and blood. Acupuncture can regulate autonomic nerve function, improve sleep, repair sleep structure to some extent, rebuild sleep continuity, prolong slow-wave sleep time and REM sleep time, which is the main clinical mechanism of acupuncture to improve sleep quality.

1. Basic therapy

Treatment principle: reconcile yin and yang, calm the heart and soothe the nerves. Those with deficiency of heart and spleen tonify heart and spleen, and those with deficiency of heart and gallbladder tonify heart and gallbladder, all of which are supplemented by acupuncture. Yin deficiency and excessive fire can nourish yin and subdue yang, but only acupuncture without moxibustion can tonify and stop diarrhea. Those with liver depression and fire can calm the liver and reduce fire, while those with phlegm-heat disturbance can clear away heat and resolve phlegm, and all of them only use acupuncture instead of moxibustion and diarrhea.

Prescription: Neiguan in Shenmen will sleep peacefully.

Fang Yi: Insomnia is a disease mainly caused by anxiety. Shenmen, the original point of the heart meridian, and Neiguan, the collateral point of the pericardium meridian, are the main points for treating insomnia. Baihui point is located at the peak, which can clear the brain and soothe the nerves when entering the brain; Sleeping peacefully is an effective acupoint for insomnia. All acupuncture points together nourish the heart and soothe the nerves, and have just the right effect on the disease.

Addition and subtraction: Heart and spleen 20% plus Xinshu, Pishu and Sanyinjiao tonify the heart and spleen, replenish qi and nourish blood; Heart-gallbladder qi deficiency plus Xinshu, Danshu and Xu Qiu tonify the heart and soothe the nerves; Excessive fire due to yin deficiency plus Taixi, Taichong and Yongquan nourishing yin to reduce fire, calming the heart and calming the nerves; Liver depression turns the fire into the line, which is too impulsive. The wind pool calms the liver and reduces the fire, relieving depression and calming the nerves; Phlegm-heat disturbance can be combined with Zhong Wan, Hong Long, heat-clearing and phlegm-resolving herbs, stomach-harmonizing and tranquilizing herbs.

Operation: routine acupuncture at various points; Pay attention to the direction, angle and depth of acupuncture at Beishu point. The best treatment is 2 hours before going to bed, and the patient is in a quiet state.

Skin needle: pat Tang Yin, Baihui and Shu points on the back of neck with a skin needle for 5~ 10 minutes each time.

Please consult a professional doctor or come to our department for specific treatment.

In the next issue, I will continue to share with you the methods of treating insomnia with Chinese medicine.