(1) Needling Fengfu (GV 16) Deeply

Points: Fengfu (GV 16), Dazhui (GV 14), Shenzhu (GV 12), Taichong LR 3) and Fenglong (ST 40)

Technique: Place the patient in a sitting position with the head flexing slightly, or ask the patient to lie down on the side or lie prone in case sitting is not feasible. Turn the needle tip slightly downwards, inserting it to a depth of 2 to 2.5 cun. When the needling sensation comes, the patient should feel numbness traveling up and down or radiating to the left and right shoulders. The needle is removed after the arrival of qi. The treatment is performed once a day and it is indicated for epilepsy.

(2) Penetrating Puncture

Points: Penetrating from Baihui (GV 20) to Qianding (GV 21), Fengchi (GB20), Fengfu (GV 16) and Mingmen (GV 4)

Technique: With the patient in a prone position, use a two-cun filiform needle to perform the penetrating puncture, inserting the needle to a depth of l.5 cun. The needle on Mingmen (GV 4) should be inserted to a depth of l.2 cun. The reducing technique achieved by lifting, thrusting and rotating should be applied. The needles are retained for 20 minutes; other needles should be rotated once every five minutes.

(3) Needling Dazhui (GV 14)

Technique: Tell the patient to sit down Take a l.5-cun filiform needle to puncture Dazhui (GV 14) to a depth of 0.8 to 1 cun. Repeated lifting and thrusting of the needle is prohibited. The treatment is given once daily and the therapeutic effect can be increased if anti-epileptic medicines are taken.

(4) Surrounding Puncture of Changqiang (GV 1)

Point: Changqiang (GV 1)

Technique: Ask the patient to rest on chest and knees. After sterilizing the point, pinch up the local tissues of the point with the left hand, and take thicker filiform needles to -puncture Changqiang (GV 1) and other points to the front, back, left and right of Changqiang (GV 1). The needles are inserted to a depth of 0.3 to 0.5 cun and distributed like a plum blossom. The four points around Changqiang (GV 1) should be 0.5 cun lateral to Changqiang (GV 1). The needles are retained two or three minutes. After they are removed, blood should be let out. The treatment is conducted two or three times a week, 10 sessions being one course. The short-term effect of this treatment is good.

(5) Needling Renzhong (GV 26) and Other Points

Points: Renzhong (GV26), Yamen (GV 15), Fengchi (GB20), Houxi (SI 3), Neiguan (PC6) and Yaoqi (2 cun above the tip of coccyx,  about where the sacral hiatus is)

Technique: During the attack, Renzhong (GV 26) and Neiguan (PC6) should be needled; during the intermission, other points should be needled too. A filiform needle is of 2.5 to 3 cun used to puncture Yaoqi (extra) with the needle tip pointing upward. The treatment is performed once daily. No needle retention is applied on Yamen (GV 15), while 20 to 30 minutes of needle retention is applied on other

points.

(6) Needling Shangchi (Extra), Yaoqi (Extra) and Other Poims

Points: Shangchi (Extra) (on the hand dorsum, between the second and third matacarpal bones, 2 cun above the wrist crease) and  Yaoqi (Extra)

Technique: Take one-cun filiform needles to puncture Shangchi  bilaterally to control the epileptic attack. In the usual time, the treatment on Shangchi and Yaoqi can prevent an attack. The treatment is performed once daily and the needles are retained for 30 minutes each time.