Disease and Condition Overview
Laryngitis is characterized by pain, dryness, discomfort felt in the throat as primary symptoms. In Chinese medicine, it is because of lung and kidney yin deficiency, empty fire rising upwards, parching yin fluid, or because of, or wind heat obstruction, damaging the channels and collaterals near the throat, leading to the blockage formed by qi and blood and phlegm.

Clinically, it is differentiated into acute and chronic laryngitis. Acute laryngitis is often accompanied by fever, and aches throughout the body. Chronic laryngitis usually lingers, becomes a recurring illness.

Pair-point Treatment Combinations

(1) Yemen (SJ2), Yuji (LU10) (Fig 65)
Yemen (SJ2): on the dorsum of the hand, between the fourth finger and the fifth finger, proximal to the margin of the web, at the junction of the red and white skin.
Yuji (LU10): on the thenar eminence of the hand, in the midpoint of the first metacarpal bone, at the junction of the red and white skin.
Yemen (SJ2) is the ying-spring point of hand-shaoyang, clears the heat from shaoyang channel. Yuji (LU10) is the ying-spring point of the hand-taivin channel. It clears and resolves pathogenic heat relating to the lung. This pair point combination, working in synergy to clear all that related to the lung, benefit the throat, reduce swelling and stop pain. Appropriate for all types of Laryngitis.

Needling techniques:
1. Yemen (SJ2) perpendicular insertion 0.5 cun.
2. Yuji (LU10) perpendicular insertion 0.5 cun.

(2) Taixi (KI3), Zhongzhu (SJ3) (Fig 66)
Taixi (KI3): on the medial side of the foot, posterior to the medial malleolus, in the depression between the prominence of the medial malleolus and the Achilles tendon.
Zhongzhu (SJ3 ) : on the dorsum of the hand, proximal to the fourth metacarpophalangeal joint, in the depression between the fourth and fifth metacarpal bones, 1 cun posterior to Yemen (SJ2).
Taixi (KI3) tonifies kidney yin and clears empty heat. Zhongzhu (SJ3) clears and resolves pathogenic heat in Sanjiao (upper, middle and lower jiao); opens the luo-connecting channels and stops pain. This pair point combination, one tonifies and one reduces, clears heat resolve poison, reduces swelling and stops pain. Appropriate for laryngitis caused by yin fluid deficiency, empty fire rising upwards.

Needling techniques:
1. Taixi (KI3) perpendicular insertion 0.5 cun.
2. Zhongzhu (SJ3) perpendicular insertion 0.5 cun.

(3) Lieque (LU7), Zhaohai (KI6) (Fig 41)
Lieque (LU7) is the luo-connecting point of hand-taiyin channel. Zhaohai (KI6) is foot-shaoyin channel point, unobstructs yinqiao vessel. This pair point combination, one superior and one inferior, clears and benefits the throat, reduces swelling and stops pain. Appropriate for chronic laryngitis caused by excess of yin deficiency fire or kidney yin deficiency.

Needling techniques:
1. Lieque (LU7) upward oblique insertion 0.5-1 cun.
2. Zhaohai (KI6) perpendicular insertion 0.5 cun.

Commentaries
Acute cases are often caused by accumulated wind heat obstructing throat. Select Yemen (SJ2), Yuji (LU10) pair-point combination to attain immediate effects. Or perform bloodletting on the Yuji (LU10) point. Chronic laryngitis is often related to lung and kidney yin deficiency. In addition to selecting Taixi (KI3), Zhongzhu (SJ3) or Lieque (LU7), Zhaohai (KI6) pair-point combination, it is important to continue treatment.
During the treatment period, it is crucial to avoid hot, spicy, or fragrant, aromatic foods.