A hierarchical acupuncture treatment system and method based on the five-element theory of traditional Chinese medicine

Abstract

This invention relates to a layered acupuncture treatment system and method based on the Five Elements Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), belonging to the field of TCM acupuncture technology and medical devices. The system includes the Five Elements Differentiation Rules, a specialized needle kit, and quantitative operating specifications, establishing a three-in-one technical specification of "Five Elements Anatomical Layers - Needle Mechanical Parameters - Quantitative Operating Standards." Multi-headed fire needles, three-edged fire needles, blunt-tipped round needles, flat-tipped blade needles, and pointed large needles are used to perform differentiated operations corresponding to the five layers of skin, vessels, muscles, tendons, and bones, respectively. Through progressive adjustment of "Five Needles Treating Form, Using Form to Control Qi, Using Qi to Regulate Spirit" (Five Needles Treating Form, Loosening Structure, Promoting Qi and Blood Circulation, and Eliminating Pain), precise matching of needles to the lesion site is achieved, significantly reducing the frequency of treatment while effectively eliminating pain, improving patient compliance, and providing a systematic treatment plan for painful diseases.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture techniques and medical device technology, specifically a layered acupuncture treatment system and method based on the five-body theory of traditional Chinese medicine. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, clinical acupuncture treatment for painful conditions such as lumbar disc herniation and cervical spondylosis mainly relies on traditional filiform needle needling. Physicians determine the depth and technique of needling based on personal experience, lacking objective operational basis based on the layered anatomical structure of the lesion. Conventional acupuncture treatment typically employs a high-frequency regimen of once daily, with needles retained for approximately 30 minutes each time. This not only consumes a significant amount of patients' time but also makes it difficult for some patients to complete a full course of treatment due to work, life, or other reasons, resulting in poor adherence. Furthermore, most commonly used clinical needles (such as filiform needles and needle knives) are of general-purpose design, failing to be systematically customized to the biomechanical properties and pathological changes of different tissue layers such as skin, blood vessels, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. This leads to insufficient precision in matching the needle shape with the lesion layer. In addition, Western medicine treatments mainly focus on analgesia, nerve nutrition, and circulation improvement, which are difficult to directly address structural lesions such as soft tissue adhesions, fascial high pressure, and intraosseous high pressure. Furthermore, long-term use of these medications can lead to side effects such as liver and kidney damage and gastrointestinal reactions. Physical therapy (such as traction and physiotherapy) has limited depth of action on deep tendon and bone surface lesions, making it difficult to achieve precise lesion release.

[0003] Addressing the core pathogenesis of arthralgia—"pain arises from obstruction"—there is an urgent need to develop a systematic acupuncture treatment plan that integrates the five-part hierarchical theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine with modern anatomy. This plan should establish standardized hierarchical diagnostic rules based on the anatomical location and pathological characteristics of the skin, vessels, muscles, tendons, and bones, and be equipped with specialized needles of varying shapes and mechanical parameters to achieve precise matching between "pathology location, needle, and manipulation." Simultaneously, by optimizing the depth of acupuncture, the mode of action, and the quantitative standards of stimulation, the frequency of treatments per unit time can be significantly reduced while ensuring or improving efficacy. This would extend the treatment interval from the traditional once-daily to once every few days or even weeks, thus adapting to the medical needs and time constraints of modern patients. Therefore, constructing a hierarchical acupuncture treatment system that includes an independent diagnostic system, specialized needle sets, and quantitative operational standards has clear clinical necessity and technical value. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to solve the problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a layered acupuncture treatment system and method based on the theory of the five elements in traditional Chinese medicine.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention is achieved through the following technical solution: Firstly, a layered acupuncture treatment system based on the Five Elements Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the system comprising: The diagnostic rules module is used to determine the level of disease based on the five-body diagnostic rules, which include the combination of syndrome and symptom, the separate theory of the five bodies, the exploration of the watershed, and the mutual reference of yin and yang. The Five Body Needle Set includes five specialized needles corresponding to the five anatomical levels of skin, blood vessels, muscles, tendons, and bones. The acupuncture operation specification module includes quantitative operation parameters and technique specifications for each of the five body levels. The system achieves precise stratified treatment of painful diseases through a three-in-one technical specification of "five-body anatomical layers - needle mechanical parameters - operation quantification standards".

[0006] In one specific implementation of the first aspect, the dialectical rules module includes: The combination of symptoms and syndromes is used to determine the nature of the disease based on the symptoms and the results of TCM syndrome differentiation. The Five-Body Theory is used to combine modern anatomical theory to conduct layered analysis of the skin, vessels, muscles, tendons, and bones. The watershed exploration is used to find points of stagnation of qi and blood in the areas traversed by the meridian pathways. The yin-yang mutual reference is used to find target structures by combining biomechanical mechanisms on the opposite side or opposite surface of the lesion.

[0007] In one specific embodiment of the first aspect, the five-body needle set specifically includes: Multi-headed fire needles corresponding to the dermis; The three-edged fire needle corresponds to the vein layer; Blunt-tipped needles corresponding to the flesh layer; Flat-headed needle corresponding to the rib layer; A large, pointed needle corresponding to the bone layer.

[0008] Secondly, a five-piece needle assembly for use in the system of claim 1, the needle assembly comprising the following needles: Multi-headed fire needles are used for skin manipulation to achieve the goal of "half-puncturing the skin to open the gate and expel evil"; The three-edged fire needle is used for pulse manipulation to achieve "leopard-pattern pulse stimulation, removing blood stasis and promoting new blood production"; A blunt-tipped needle is used for operations on flesh to "pierce the flesh deeply and clear the pores"; Flat-bladed needles are used for manipulation of tendons to achieve the goal of "puncturing the tendons to loosen them and untie knots"; The large, pointed needle is used for bone manipulation to achieve "puncture and decompression of the bone".

[0009] In one specific implementation of the first aspect, at least one of the following five levels of operational specifications is included: Skin manipulation: After heating the needle with fire, quickly insert and withdraw it to lightly puncture the skin; Vein manipulation: Obliquely puncture the superficial blood vessel wall to bleed until the blood color changes from dark red to bright red, or prick specific acupoints and then apply cupping until bleeding stops; Muscle manipulation: Insert the needle into the superficial, middle or deep layer of the target muscle layer, perform the Hegu needling technique, and perform multi-directional penetrating needling to loosen the fascial spaces; Tendon manipulation: quickly advance the needle to the affected tendon layer, then slowly push the needle body to vertically cut the tendon sheath or joint capsule, or peel off the connective tissue on the bone surface. Bone manipulation: Apply heavy pressure to the needle insertion point, quickly insert the needle to the bone surface, and perform up-and-down bone rubbing operations, or penetrate the bone cortex 2-5mm.

[0010] Thirdly, the application of a layered acupuncture treatment system based on the Five Elements Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the preparation of medical devices for treating painful diseases, said treatment system comprising: The Five Elements Differentiation Unit is used to determine the skin, blood vessels, muscles, tendons, and bones where the lesion is located; The needle selection unit is used to match and select the corresponding special needle from the five-body needle set according to the determined lesion level. The five-body needle set includes multi-headed fire needle, three-edged fire needle, blunt-headed round needle, flat-headed blade needle and pointed large needle. The operation control unit is used to perform acupuncture operations according to the quantitative operation specifications corresponding to the selected needle; The applications include enabling stratified treatment of lumbar disc herniation or cervical spondylosis.

[0011] In one specific implementation of the third aspect, the treatment system further achieves the coordinated unity of form, qi, and spirit through a progressive adjustment model of "five needles to treat form, form to control qi, and qi to regulate spirit".

[0012] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. The three-in-one technical specification of "five-body anatomical layers - needle mechanical parameters - operation quantification standard" established by this invention, by accurately corresponding the five parts of traditional Chinese medicine (skin, blood vessels, flesh, tendons and bones) with modern anatomical layers, fundamentally solves the technical defects of traditional acupuncture therapy, such as the lack of objective basis for needle depth and the inaccurate matching of needles with disease locations. Based on the Five Elements Differentiation Rules (syndrome and disease combination, five elements theory, watershed exploration, yin and yang mutual reference), it is possible to systematically locate the precise anatomical level and target structure of the lesion. Then, special needles with corresponding morphology and mechanical parameters (multi-headed fire needle, three-edged fire needle, blunt-headed round needle, flat-headed blade needle, pointed large needle) are matched from the needle kit. Under the quantitative operation specifications, differentiated techniques are implemented: rapid insertion and withdrawal of the skin to open the superficial gate and expel pathogens; bloodletting in the veins until the blood turns red to remove blood stasis and promote new blood production; multi-directional needling of Hegu in the flesh to open the interfascial spaces; vertical cutting or scraping of the tendons to loosen tendons and joint capsules; and bone massage or limited penetration of the cortex to relieve bone decompression. This stratified precision intervention mechanism enables each treatment to directly target the core pathological aspects, avoiding ineffective stimulation of non-lesion layers. This results in more thorough structural decomposition and reconstruction of blood and qi channels in a single treatment, significantly prolonging the duration of the therapeutic effect. It reduces the frequency of treatment from once a day to once every few days to several weeks, effectively solving the problem of poor patient compliance caused by high-frequency treatment.

[0013] 2. This invention utilizes a progressive regulatory model of "five needles to treat the form, using form to regulate qi, and using qi to regulate spirit," achieving a multi-level synergistic effect from mechanical structural adjustment to functional qi and blood restoration, and finally to neurosensory integration. Specifically, the cutting, scraping, and bone-massaging operations targeting the tendon and bone layers directly relieve compression, remove adhesions, and reduce intraosseous high pressure, correcting abnormal local stress distribution from a biomechanical perspective. The Hegu acupuncture targeting the muscle layer and the bloodletting operation targeting the blood vessel layer simultaneously improve microcirculation perfusion and metabolic waste removal, forming a positive feedback repair environment of structure and blood supply. The fire needle acupuncture targeting the dermis regulates pain threshold and immune response through local nerve reflexes. The entire system completes layer-by-layer loosening from deep bone to superficial skin in a single treatment. After the simultaneous improvement of form and qi, the patient's abnormal pain perception (spirit) naturally tends towards normal. Compared to existing methods that rely solely on drug analgesia or blindly insert a single needle, the independent and complete diagnostic and treatment system provided by this invention can achieve more lasting pain relief and functional recovery without increasing the number of treatments or even significantly reducing the frequency of treatments. At the same time, it reduces the risk of tissue damage and medical resource consumption caused by repeated acupuncture, demonstrating clear clinical practical value and technological advancement. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram showing the correspondence between the five anatomical layers and the needles in this invention.

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the five-body differentiation process of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the layered acupuncture operation decision-making process of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] like Figures 1 to 4 This paper presents a stratified acupuncture treatment system and method based on the Five Elements Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

[0020] I. Detailed Description of the Technical Solution This invention provides a layered acupuncture treatment system based on the Five Elements Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (hereinafter referred to as the "Five Elements Acupuncture System"). This system achieves precise layered treatment of painful conditions such as lumbar disc herniation and cervical spondylosis through a three-pronged technical specification encompassing "five anatomical layers, needle mechanical parameters, and operational quantification standards." The following detailed description of the invention, along with specific implementation steps and technical parameters, is provided. These embodiments are merely illustrative and do not constitute a limitation of the invention.

[0021] 1. Five Elements Diagnosis Rules Module.

[0022] The Five-Body Differentiation Rules module uses a four-step differentiation method to determine the lesion level and target: Step 1.1: Combining symptoms and signs – Determining the nature of the disease.

[0023] Input: Patient's chief complaint of symptoms (pain location, nature, triggering factors, and relieving factors), and information from the four diagnostic methods (tongue appearance, pulse appearance, complexion, and body shape).

[0024] Procedure: Based on the diagnostic criteria of Traditional Chinese Medicine, determine the nature of the disease as cold, heat, deficiency, excess, blood stasis, phlegm, dampness, etc. For example: stabbing pain that worsens at night indicates blood stasis; cold pain relieved by warmth indicates cold stagnation; aching and heavy pain indicates dampness-related arthralgia.

[0025] Output: Pathological labels (such as "cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome", "damp-heat obstruction syndrome", "liver and kidney deficiency syndrome").

[0026] Step 1.2: Five-body theory – Locating the level of lesion.

[0027] Input: Anatomical location of the patient's pain area, physical examination (skin sensation, muscle tenderness, tendon tension, bone surface percussion tenderness, etc.).

[0028] Procedure: Based on modern anatomy, assess the patient using the stratified method described in the table below: ; Output: Main lesion layers (can be single or multiple layers combined, such as "muscle layer + bone layer").

[0029] Step 1.3: Watershed exploration – Locating precise target points.

[0030] Input: The meridian pathway corresponding to the level of the lesion (e.g., lumbar disc herniation mainly involves the Bladder Meridian of Foot Taiyang and the Governing Vessel).

[0031] Procedure: In the area traversed by the meridian, use your fingers or a probe to apply segmental pressure along the meridian line to find the following blockage points: tender points (lower pain threshold); nodules or cords; abnormal local skin temperature; changes in electrical impedance (can be used in conjunction with a meridian detector).

[0032] Output: Precise coordinates of the blockage point (projected position and depth on the body surface).

[0033] Step 1.4: Yin-Yang Mutual Reference - Determine the target structure on the opposite side / opposite surface.

[0034] Input: Location of the blockade point on the lesion side and biomechanical analysis.

[0035] Procedure: Based on biomechanical principles, locate synergistic adjustment target points on the opposite side of the lesion or in antagonistic muscle groups. For example, for left lateral lumbar pain, in addition to treating the left-side blockade point, locate trigger points in the corresponding area of ​​the right quadratus lumborum muscle; for cervical spondylosis, in addition to treating the posterior neck muscles, locate positive reaction points at the attachment point of the anterior scalene muscle.

[0036] Output: List of bilateral or contralateral therapeutic targets.

[0037] Comprehensive output: forming a complete treatment prescription, including: target location (body surface coordinates, depth level), selected needles, and operation technique parameters.

[0038] 2. Five-body needle set.

[0039] This invention provides a set of specialized needles, the materials, geometric parameters, and applicable operations of each needle are as follows: ; Needle disinfection and maintenance: All needles are sterilized by high temperature and high pressure (121℃, 30min) or used for single use before use; fire needles need to be heated to a specific temperature with an alcohol lamp before use (see the operation section for details).

[0040] 3. Standard operating procedures for layered acupuncture.

[0041] 3.1 Skin manipulation (corresponding skin layer) Indications: Abnormal skin sensation, superficial pain, postherpetic neuralgia, local numbness.

[0042] Needles: Multi-headed fire needles.

[0043] Operating steps: Location: Identify the area of ​​skin lesion or pain and mark the acupuncture points.

[0044] Heating the needle: Heat the body of the multi-headed fire needle with the outer flame of an alcohol lamp until the tip turns reddish-white (about 700-800℃).

[0045] Needle insertion: Quickly and vertically puncture the skin to a depth of 0.5-1.5mm (only penetrating the epidermis and superficial dermis), and immediately withdraw the needle after insertion. The dwell time at a single point should be less than 0.3 seconds.

[0046] Density control: The spacing between adjacent punctures is 2-4 mm, and 3-5 punctures are completed per square centimeter.

[0047] Postoperative care: Avoid getting the area wet for 24 hours.

[0048] Key parameter range: Needle heating temperature: 700-850℃ (needle tip bright red to incandescent state).

[0049] Needle insertion speed: >100mm / s.

[0050] Needle retention time: 0 seconds (quick in and quick out).

[0051] Treatment frequency: once every 3-7 days, 1-3 times constitutes one course of treatment.

[0052] 3.2 Pulse manipulation (corresponding pulse levels).

[0053] Indications: Varicose veins, blood stasis syndrome, local circulatory disorders, acute sprains and hematomas.

[0054] Needles: Three-edged fire needle or ordinary three-edged needle (choose according to whether heating is required).

[0055] Operating steps: Method A (bloodletting therapy): Disinfect areas with congested blood vessels or specific acupoints (such as Weizhong and Quze).

[0056] Use a three-edged fire needle (heated until red-hot) to obliquely puncture the superficial blood vessel wall at an angle of 15-30° and a depth of 2-5mm.

[0057] When you see dark red blood flowing out, let it flow out naturally or use a negative pressure cupping device until the blood turns bright red or the bleeding stops naturally.

[0058] Bleeding should be controlled between 2-10 mL.

[0059] Method B (point cupping): Quickly prick the acupoint or blood stasis point 3-5 times to a depth of 1-2mm.

[0060] Immediately apply the cupping jar and leave it on for 5-10 minutes to draw out 2-5 mL of stagnant blood.

[0061] Clean the bloodstains after removing the can.

[0062] Key parameter range: Angled thrust angle: 15-30° Criteria for cessation of bleeding: The blood color changes from dark red to bright red, or the bleeding stops spontaneously. Treatment frequency: once a week, up to 3 times.

[0063] 3.3 Meat processing (corresponding to meat layers).

[0064] Indications: Muscle strain, myofascitis, chronic low back pain, frozen shoulder.

[0065] Needles: Blunt-tipped round needles.

[0066] Operating steps: Location: Target points are determined in the superficial, middle and deep layers of the muscle (by pressure or ultrasound guidance).

[0067] Needle insertion: Insert the needle quickly into the skin at an angle of 30-60 degrees, and slowly advance it to the surface of the target muscle layer.

[0068] Hegu needling technique: After reaching the target layer, lift the needle to the subcutaneous layer and insert it into the muscle layer in three different directions (e.g., the center, 30° to the left, and 30° to the right). Use the "Green Dragon Swings its Tail" technique to swing the needle left and right, until the local tissue is loose and the needle swings smoothly.

[0069] Layered operation: If deep muscles need to be treated, continue to insert the needle into the next layer and repeat the above operation.

[0070] Needle withdrawal: Slowly lift the needle to the subcutaneous layer, pause briefly, then quickly pull it out and press the needle hole.

[0071] Key parameter range: Needle insertion depth (reference): Superficial muscles (such as the trapezius): 10-25mm; Middle layer muscles (such as the superficial layer of the erector spinae): 25-40mm; Deep muscles (such as multifidus and quadratus lumborum): 40-70mm; Number of directions for piercing Hegu point: 3 (can be increased to 5); Number of thrusts per direction: 3-5 times; Treatment frequency: 1-2 times per week, 3-5 times as one course of treatment.

[0072] 3.4 Reinforcing bar operation (corresponding reinforcing bar layer).

[0073] Indications: Tenosynovitis, tennis elbow, heel pain, ligament injury, joint capsule adhesion.

[0074] Needles: Flat-edged needles.

[0075] Operating steps: Location: Locate bony landmarks at tendon attachment points, narrow tendon sheaths, or areas of joint capsule tension.

[0076] Needle insertion: Insert the needle quickly into the subcutaneous tissue and slowly advance it to the target fascia layer (stop when you feel a firm texture).

[0077] Cutting operation: Vertical cutting: For tendon sheath stenosis, place the needle tip on the surface of the sheath and make 2-3 longitudinal cuts along the fiber direction, to a depth of 1-2mm, until you feel a "click" of the needle falling into the air.

[0078] Peeling operation: For connective tissue adhesions on the bone surface, hold the needle tip obliquely against the periosteum and peel in a fan-shaped motion along the bone surface, with a range of 5-10 mm and 3-5 repetitions.

[0079] Needle withdrawal: Before withdrawing the needle, gently shake the needle to loosen the tissue, withdraw the needle slowly, and press for 1-2 minutes.

[0080] Key parameter range: Needle insertion speed: rapid penetration through the skin (>50mm / s), slow penetration through the fascia layer (<5mm / s); Number of cuts: 2-5 times per target point; Maximum depth: not beyond the bone surface (bone manipulation is performed with a large, pointed needle); Treatment frequency: once every 5-10 days, 1-2 times is sufficient, avoid excessive cutting.

[0081] 3.5 Bone manipulation (corresponding bone layers).

[0082] Indications: Intraosseous hypertension, bone marrow edema, calcaneal spurs, early stage of femoral head necrosis, and intractable bone surface pain.

[0083] Needles: Large, pointed needles.

[0084] Operating steps: Method A (Bone Massage Decompression): Strict disinfection is performed at the bone surface projection points (such as the calcaneal tuberosity and patellar surface), and local anesthesia (2 mL of 1% lidocaine) is administered to the periosteum.

[0085] Press the large, pointed needle vertically against the skin, apply heavy pressure, and advance rapidly to penetrate the soft tissue to the bone surface.

[0086] After the needle tip touches the bone, perform up-and-down or left-and-right rubbing motions with an amplitude of 3-5mm and a frequency of 1-2Hz for 30-60 seconds. The patient will feel a deep soreness or warmth.

[0087] Remove the needle and press for 3 minutes.

[0088] Method B (penetrating the cortical bone): After local anesthesia, insert a large, pointed needle vertically and quickly into the bone surface, maintain a certain pressure and slowly rotate the needle to penetrate the bone cortex 2-5mm (the breakthrough sensation is obvious), and then slowly withdraw the needle to release the pressure inside the bone (blood or bone marrow fluid can be seen seeping out).

[0089] After needle removal, cover with a sterile dressing.

[0090] Key parameter range: Massage range: 3-5mm; Bone massage frequency: 60-120 times / minute (i.e., 1-2Hz); Bone cortical penetration depth: 2-5mm (do not exceed 5mm to avoid damaging the medullary cavity); Treatment frequency: once every 1-3 weeks, 1-2 times constitutes one course of treatment.

[0091] 4. Treatment frequency and treatment course design.

[0092] Based on the different repair speeds of the five body levels, this invention sets differentiated treatment intervals: ; Multi-layered treatment: If the patient has multiple layers of lesions, the procedure is performed in a "top-down, superficial-to-deep" sequence, starting with the skin and veins, then the muscles and tendons, and finally the bone. The total duration of each treatment session should be controlled within 30 minutes, and the treatment interval should be based on the requirements of the deepest layer (for example, if bone manipulation is involved, the interval should be at least 14 days).

[0093] II. Implementation Examples

[0094] Example 1: Lumbar disc herniation (muscle layer + bone layer lesion).

[0095] Patient Information: Mr. Li, male, 48 years old, L4-5 disc herniation (confirmed by MRI), with a 3-month history of low back pain accompanied by radiating pain in the right lower extremity, VAS score of 7. Physical examination: tenderness on the right side of the L4-5 spinous process radiating to the buttock; positive straight leg raise test (40°) in the right lower extremity. Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis: Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome.

[0096] Five-body differentiation: Syndrome and symptoms combined: fixed stabbing pain, worsening at night, dark purple tongue with ecchymosis, and choppy pulse, indicating blood stasis syndrome.

[0097] The five-part theory states: deep tenderness and radiating pain, extending to the muscular layer (nerve root compression) and the bone layer (vertebral facet joint disorder).

[0098] Watershed exploration: Along the Bladder Meridian of Foot Taiyang, look for points of Qi and blood stagnation in the lumbosacral region and buttocks, and feel hard nodules and deep tenderness at the points of Dachangshu, Guanyuanshu, and Huantiao.

[0099] Yin-Yang Interpretation: Find the compensatory tension point at the midpoint of the contralateral (left) quadratus lumborum muscle and the attachment point of the right transverse abdominis muscle.

[0100] Treatment prescription: Muscle layer: On the right side, use the large intestine acupoint, the Guanyuan acupoint, and the Huantiao acupoint to make vertical cuts (to the depth of the intertransverse ligament) and peel (the vertebral lamina).

[0101] Bone layers: between the spinous processes of L4-5 and the right facet joint surface, use a large pointed needle to perform bone decompression.

[0102] Fleshy layer (auxiliary): bilateral quadratus lumborum muscles, down to the blunt end of the needle at Hegu point.

[0103] Operation process: The patient was placed in a prone position and routine disinfection was performed.

[0104] Tendon manipulation: Quickly advance the flat-headed needle to the right L4-5 articular process capsule, make two longitudinal cuts, peel the bone surface three times, and then remove the needle.

[0105] Bone manipulation: Insert a large, pointed needle into the L4 spinous process bone surface and rub the bone up and down for 60 seconds (90 times / minute) until the patient feels a warm sensation radiating towards the buttocks.

[0106] Muscle manipulation: Use a blunt-tipped needle to perform three-way insertion and withdrawal at the midpoint of the quadratus lumborum muscle, with 8 insertions and withdrawals in each direction.

[0107] Immediately after treatment: VAS score dropped to 3, and straight leg raise increased to 70°. The patient was instructed to return for a follow-up appointment in 2 weeks.

[0108] Treatment outcome: At the follow-up visit 2 weeks later, the pain had basically disappeared (VAS score 1), and activity was normal. One more consolidation treatment (muscle and tendon layers only) was administered. No recurrence was observed during the 3-month follow-up.

[0109] Example 2: Cervical spondylosis (muscle layer + vascular layer lesions) Patient Information: Ms. Zhang, female, 35 years old, cervical spondylosis (cervical type), with neck and shoulder stiffness and pain accompanied by dizziness for 1 month. Physical Examination: Bilateral upper trapezius muscle tension, tenderness beside the spinous processes of C4-5, negative intervertebral foramen compression test. TCD showed slowed vertebral artery blood flow velocity.

[0110] Five-body differentiation: Syndrome and symptoms combined: stiff neck and neck, dizziness, pale red tongue with white coating, wiry pulse, indicating wind-cold-dampness bi syndrome.

[0111] The Five Body Division Theory: Muscle stiffness is the main symptom, accompanied by dizziness (blood supply obstruction in the vascular layer), extending to the flesh layer and vascular layer.

[0112] Watershed exploration: Locate tender points along the Hand Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian (Tianyou, Yifeng), Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian (Fengchi, Wangu), and Du Meridian (Fengfu).

[0113] Yin and Yang Mutual Reference: Qishe point (midpoint of the anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle) and Jianjing point on the opposite side.

[0114] Treatment prescription: Pulse layer: bilateral Fengchi and Tianyou acupoints, followed by cupping and bloodletting after pricking with a three-edged fire needle.

[0115] Fleshy layer: Upper trapezius muscle, splenius capitis muscle, to the Hegu point with a blunt-tipped needle; anterior border of sternocleidomastoid muscle, to the superficial layer with a blunt-tipped needle for multi-directional penetration.

[0116] Operation process: The patient is in a prone position with the back of the neck exposed.

[0117] Pulse manipulation: After pricking the Fengchi and Tianyou acupoints, quickly apply cupping and leave the cups on for 5 minutes. Draw out about 3mL of dark red blood. Remove the cups after the blood turns bright red.

[0118] Meat manipulation: Use a blunt-tipped needle to perform three-way insertion and lifting at the Hegu point in the upper trapezius muscle (C4 level), 10 times in each direction; perform superficial (10mm) fan-shaped penetrating insertion at the anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.

[0119] After treatment: The patient immediately felt relief in their neck and shoulders, and their dizziness was significantly reduced. They were instructed to receive treatment once a week for a total of three sessions.

[0120] Treatment outcome: After 3 treatments, the neck and shoulder pain disappeared, and the dizziness did not recur. The condition remained good during the 2-month follow-up.

[0121] III. Experimental Cases (Clinical Case Series)

[0122] To verify the safety and efficacy of the Five-Body Acupuncture System of this invention, we conducted a prospective case series study from January 2023 to June 2024, enrolling 60 patients with lumbar disc herniation (30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group). The experimental group received Five-Body Acupuncture treatment, while the control group received traditional acupuncture. The primary efficacy endpoints were VAS pain score, ODI functional impairment index, and comparison of treatment frequency.

[0123] Experiment Example 1: A randomized controlled trial comparing the Five-Body Acupuncture Method with traditional acupuncture for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation.

[0124] Inclusion criteria: Age 25-65; The patient was diagnosed with L4-5 or L5-S1 segment lumbar disc herniation via CT or MRI. Lower back pain accompanied by radiating pain in one lower limb, with a course of illness >3 months; VAS score ≥ 5 points; Informed consent.

[0125] Exclusion criteria: Cauda equina syndrome, spondylolisthesis, tumor, infection; Coagulation dysfunction; Pregnancy or breastfeeding; He has previously undergone lumbar surgery.

[0126] Grouping and Treatment: Experimental group (Five-Body Acupuncture Group): n=30. Treatment was conducted according to the diagnostic rules and operational procedures of this invention. For lesions primarily affecting the musculoskeletal layer, flat-tipped needles were used for cutting / scraping; for lesions primarily affecting the bone layer, large pointed needles were used for bone rubbing; and for lesions primarily affecting the muscle layer, blunt-tipped round needles were used for needling at the Hegu point. Treatment interval: 10-14 days for musculoskeletal layer, 14-28 days for bone layer, and 3-7 days for muscle layer. Average number of treatments: 3.2±1.1.

[0127] Control group (traditional acupuncture group): n=30. Acupoints: Shenshu (BL23), Dachangshu (BL25), Guanyuanshu (BL24), Huantiao (GB30), Weizhong (BL40), Yanglingquan (GB34), Xuanzhong (GB39). 0.30×40mm filiform needles were used. After obtaining the Qi sensation, the needles were retained for 30 minutes. Treatment was given once daily, 5 times a week, for a total of 4 weeks (20 treatments).

[0128] Observation indicators: VAS scores (0-10) before treatment, 1 week after treatment, 1 month after treatment, and 3 months after treatment. ODI Disability Index (0-100%) Total number of treatments and compliance rate (the percentage of patients who complete the prescribed number of treatments); Adverse event incidence.

[0129] result: ; Conclusion: The Five-Body Acupuncture Group showed significantly better improvement in VAS and ODI than the Traditional Acupuncture Group (P<0.01), and the number of treatments was significantly reduced (average 3.2 vs 18.6), resulting in higher patient compliance. This indicates that the present invention significantly reduces the frequency of treatments while ensuring efficacy, meeting the time needs of modern patients.

[0130] Experimental Example 2: Case series of treatments for cervical spondylosis using the Five-Body Acupuncture Method.

[0131] Methods: Forty patients with cervical spondylosis of the cervical type were included. All patients were treated with the Five-Body Acupuncture Method (the treatment was carried out at the skin, blood vessels, muscles, and tendons levels according to the syndrome differentiation). Treatment was performed once every 5-7 days, for a total of 3-6 treatments. The NPQ neck pain scale score and neck mobility were assessed before and after treatment.

[0132] Results: After treatment, the NPQ score decreased from 45.6±12.3 points before treatment to 12.4±7.8 points (P<0.001).

[0133] The average increase in neck range of motion (flexion, extension, rotation) was 35.2° ± 12.5°.

[0134] The overall effectiveness (NPQ reduction ≥50%) was 92.5% (37 / 40).

[0135] Average number of treatments: 4.1 ± 1.3 times.

[0136] The recurrence rate after 3 months of follow-up was 12.5% ​​(5 / 40), which is lower than the 25-30% reported in traditional acupuncture literature.

[0137] IV. Comparative Experiment (Comparison with Existing Needle Knife Technology).

[0138] Objective: To compare the efficacy of "tendon manipulation (flat-edged needle)" in the Five Body Acupuncture Method with existing needle knife therapy for heel pain.

[0139] Methods: Sixty patients with heel pain were randomly divided into a tendon acupuncture group (n=30) and a needle knife group (n=30). The tendon acupuncture group underwent scraping and cutting with the flat-bladed needle of this invention (1-2 treatments); the needle knife group underwent release of the calcaneal tuberosity attachment point with a standard No. 4 needle knife (1-2 treatments). Patients were followed up for 3 months, and the VAS of pain on the first step of the morning and the time to complete pain relief were assessed.

[0140] result: ; Conclusion: The tendon manipulation technique of this invention has advantages over traditional needle knife in terms of pain relief speed and safety, and the postoperative reaction is milder, which may be related to the fact that the flat-bladed needle reduces tissue tearing.

[0141] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A hierarchical acupuncture treatment system based on the five body theory of traditional Chinese medicine, characterized in that, The system includes: The diagnostic rules module is used to determine the level of disease based on the five-body diagnostic rules, which include the combination of syndrome and symptom, the separate theory of the five bodies, the exploration of the watershed, and the mutual reference of yin and yang. The Five Body Needle Set includes five specialized needles corresponding to the five anatomical levels of skin, blood vessels, muscles, tendons, and bones. The acupuncture operation specification module includes quantitative operation parameters and technique specifications for each of the five body levels. The system achieves precise stratified treatment of painful diseases through a three-in-one technical specification of "five-body anatomical layers - needle mechanical parameters - operation quantification standards".

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the dialectical rules module: The combination of symptoms and syndromes is used to determine the nature of the disease based on the symptoms and the results of TCM syndrome differentiation. The Five-Body Theory is used to combine modern anatomical theory to conduct layered analysis of the skin, vessels, muscles, tendons, and bones. The watershed exploration is used to find points of stagnation of qi and blood in the areas traversed by the meridian pathways. The yin-yang mutual reference is used to find target structures by combining biomechanical mechanisms on the opposite side or opposite surface of the lesion.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The five-body needle set specifically includes: Multi-headed fire needles corresponding to the dermis; The three-edged fire needle corresponds to the vein layer; Blunt-tipped needles corresponding to the flesh layer; Flat-headed needle corresponding to the rib layer; A large, pointed needle corresponding to the bone layer.

4. A five-body needle set for use in the system of claim 1, characterized in that, The needle set consists of the following needles: Multi-headed fire needles are used for skin manipulation to achieve the goal of "half-puncturing the skin to open the gate and expel evil"; The three-edged fire needle is used for pulse manipulation to achieve "leopard-pattern pulse stimulation, removing blood stasis and promoting new blood production"; A blunt-tipped needle is used for operations on flesh to "pierce the flesh deeply and clear the pores"; Flat-bladed needles are used for manipulation of tendons to achieve the goal of "puncturing the tendons to loosen them and untie knots"; The large, pointed needle is used for bone manipulation to achieve "puncture and decompression of the bone".

5. A layered acupuncture operation method based on the system of claim 1, characterized in that, Includes at least one of the following five levels of operational procedures: Skin manipulation: After heating the needle with fire, quickly insert and withdraw it to lightly puncture the skin; Vein manipulation: Obliquely puncture the superficial blood vessel wall to bleed until the blood color changes from dark red to bright red, or prick specific acupoints and then apply cupping until bleeding stops; Muscle manipulation: Insert the needle into the superficial, middle or deep layer of the target muscle layer, perform the Hegu needling technique, and perform multi-directional penetrating needling to loosen the fascial spaces; Tendon manipulation: quickly advance the needle to the affected tendon layer, then slowly push the needle body to vertically cut the tendon sheath or joint capsule, or peel off the connective tissue on the bone surface. Bone manipulation: Apply heavy pressure to the needle insertion point, quickly insert the needle to the bone surface, and perform up-and-down bone rubbing operations, or penetrate the bone cortex 2-5mm.

6. The application of a layered acupuncture treatment system based on the Five Elements Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the preparation of medical devices for treating painful diseases, characterized in that... The treatment system includes: The Five Elements Differentiation Unit is used to determine the skin, blood vessels, muscles, tendons, and bones where the lesion is located; The needle selection unit is used to match and select the corresponding special needle from the five-body needle set according to the determined lesion level. The five-body needle set includes multi-headed fire needle, three-edged fire needle, blunt-headed round needle, flat-headed blade needle and pointed large needle. The operation control unit is used to perform acupuncture operations according to the quantitative operation specifications corresponding to the selected needle; The applications include enabling stratified treatment of lumbar disc herniation or cervical spondylosis.

7. The application according to claim 6, characterized in that, The treatment system further achieves the coordinated unity of form, qi, and spirit through a progressive regulation model of "five needles to treat form, form to control qi, and qi to regulate spirit".

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