Chronologically Change and Importance of Acupuncture Points Used in Bell’s Palsy in Classical Literature

Article information

J Korean Med. 2023;44(3):87-101

Publication date (electronic) : 2023 September 1

doi : https://doi.org/10.13048/jkm.23033

Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Dongguk University Ilsan Oriental Hospital, Goyang, Korea

Correspondence to: Seung Deok Lee, Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Dongguk University Ilsan Oriental Hospital, 32 Dongguk-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang 10326, Korea. Tel: +82-31-961-5773, Fax: +82-31-961-9128, E-mai: chuckman@dgu.edu

Received 2023 August 1; Revised 2023 August 16; Accepted 2023 August 17.

Abstract

Objectives

Many acupuncture points have been suggested for the treatment of Bell’s palsy, but information on which acupuncture points are more important in treatment is not provided. This study was conducted to investigate the importance of acupuncture points currently used clinically in Bell’s palsy.

Methods

By reviewing the full text of 11 books that recorded acupuncture prescriptions from the Qin Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, the frequency of use of acupuncture points, their meridians, and their location were investigated.

Results

The average number of acupuncture points used for local, adjacent and distal points selection was 10.5, 2, 4 respectively. The number of acupuncture points increased from the Qin Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty 《Bojaebang》 and then decreased, but the proportion of local points has been still high. From the Ming Dynasty, ST4, ST6, GV26, and GV24 were mainly have been used as the local points. Except for the GB12, the use of the rest of the acupuncture points gradually decreased in the adjacent points. In the distal acupuncture points, it was summarized to point of lung and large intestine channel until the Ming Dynasty, and LI4 was mainly used in the Qing Dynasty. Yangming meridian has been most often used at the local and distal area except for the adjacent area.

Conclusions

In the treatment of facial paralysis, the lower part of the face had the highest proportion among local acupuncture points, and the Yangming had the highest proportion by meridian.

Keywords: Bell Palsy; Acupuncture Points; Literature Review; Frequency

Fig. 1

Changes over time in the number of acupoints used in facial paralysis by literature

Table 1

Published Age, Year and Terminology of Literature Related to Facial Paralysis.

Table 2

Time Course of Acupoints Used in the Treatment of Facial Paralysis.

Table 3

Number of Acupoints Used for Facial Paralysis out of Total Acupoints on the Face

Table 4

Frequency of Use of Facial Acupoints Used in Facial Paralysis.

Table 5

Frequency of Use of Acupoints in the Head and Neck and Limbs Used in Facial Paralysis.

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