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Treating upper body disease through the lower body
上病取下 〔上病取下〕 shàng bìng qǔ xià
From When the disease is in the upper body, treat it through the lower body.
In acupuncture, this means treating disease of the upper body by needling points on the lower body. For example, insomnia can be treated by needling ST-36 (Leg Three Lǐ, 足三里 zú sān lǐ), and dizzy head and vision can be treated by needling LR-3 (Supreme Surge, 太冲 tài chōng). In medicinal therapy, it involves using medicinals that act from the lower body. For example, a patient suffering from dizzy head and vision, tinnitus, a feeling that as though he has fireworks exploding in his eyes, a yellow tongue fur and a rapid surging pulse can be given wine-steamed rhubarb (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, 大黄 dà huáng) to provide light drainage.