Acupuncture treatments almost always use more than one acupoint, but today, I want to highlight one of my favorites. I use the point named Ling Gu (Spirit Bone) in my office every day because it is so effective and has many applications. This amazing acupuncture point comes from Master Tung, a famous traditional Chinese physician who was known for the miraculous results he obtained using very few needles. Master Tung’s points were a well kept family secret for generations until Master Tung broke with tradition and decided to reveal his secret system of acupuncture to a select group of students. I am very grateful that he did!
Ling Gu is located on the hand in between the first and second metacarpal bones, on the dorsal side of the hand. The point is shown in the photo above. Ling Gu is probably most famous for its effective and quick relief of sciatic pain. It is quite common for someone to come in with one sided back pain running down their leg and I will needle Ling Gu on the hand which is on the opposite side of the pain. About 75% of the time, the patient will feel relief within minutes. Ling Gu is also used for all types of back pain, menstrual issues, headaches, foot pain, Bell’s Palsy and much more. This point is considered so strong that it is contraindicated in pregnancy.
Jennifer Dubowsky, LAc, is a licensed acupuncturist with a practice in downtown Chicago, Illinois, since 2002. Dubowsky earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from University of Illinois in Chicago and her Master of Science degree in Oriental Medicine from Southwest Acupuncture College in Boulder, Colorado. During her studies, she completed an internship at the Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital in Beijing, China. Dubowsky has researched and written articles on Chinese medicine and has given talks on the topic. She maintains a popular blog about health and Chinese medicine at Acupuncture Blog Chicago. Adventures in Chinese Medicine is her first book. You can find her at www.tcm007.com.
