Dr. Tung Ching-Chang
Master Tung Ching Chang has been acknowledged as one of the greatest acupuncturists of the 20th century, hailing from a long family lineage of practitioners who closely guarded, refined and passed down their unique minimalistic therapeutic tradition over many generations.
Master Tung’s point prescriptions are distinguished by their simplicity, ease of location, use and supreme clinical efficacy where, in many cases, the patient notices instant relief upon insertion of the needle. The points are primarily located on the extremities and needled with the intention of affecting an injury or pain on a different part of the body than the local area. In this system, the practitioner chooses a few select, powerful points and aims to channel energy toward a deficiency or pull it away from an excess.
Ling Gu & Da Bai – Pain Management
Ling Gu, (Spirt Bone) is located on the dorsal surface of the hand along the path of what is traditionally the Large Intestine channel of Hand Yang Ming. Ling Gu is a popular point for quickly and effectively treating sciatica and low back pain – symptoms for both commonly present on one side of the body and, with sciatica, pain radiating down the leg. Under the Master Tung style, Ling Gu is needled on the hand on the opposite side of the pain.
Another useful point in treating low back pain and sciatica in the Master Tung system regardless of the meridian or constitutional element being affected is Da Bai, (Great White). Found along the course of the Hand Yang Ming meridian near Ling Gu, this point is located in the traditional area of San Jian LI-3 but needled closer to the bone. Also inserted on the opposite side of the lumbar and sciatic pain, Da Bai is a powerful qi and blood mover and is a readily accessible point that negates the need of having the patient disrobe or lie in an uncomfortable position to receive treatment.
Once Ling Gu and Da Bai are inserted on the “healthy”, unaffected side of the body, the patient may be instructed to activate or move the affected area in an attempt to reproduce the pain sensation. Moving the affected part of the body helps guide the qi to the desired area and gauge the efficacy of the points and determine if the location and needle technique have produced the desired response of pain reduction. Pain relief may be found to be nearly instantaneous and, if so, avoids the need to needle the painful, affected area, part of the genius of the Master Tung system of acupuncture.
About the Author:
Andrew Keating DAOM, LAc, is a licensed acupuncturist and licensed herbalist who studied Traditional Chinese Medicine at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego and New York City and provides pain relief techniques and other holistic medical services at The Center for Health & Wellbeing.