Acupuncture & TCM Articles

Articles by Jake Paul Fratkin, OMD, LAc

Jake Fratkin, OMD, LAc, has been in the practice of Oriental medicine since 1978. Following undergraduate and graduate training at the University of Wisconsin in Chinese language and philosophy and pre-medicine, he pursued a seven-year apprenticeship in Japanese and Korean style acupuncture with Dr. Ineon Moon and a two-year apprenticeship in Chinese herbal medicine with Drs. Zhengan Guo and Pak-Leung Lau in Chicago. He also spent a year in Beijing hospitals interning in advanced herbal medicine, specializing in gastrointestinal and respiratory disorders, and pediatrics.

Dr. Fratkin is the author of several books, including Chinese Herbal Patent Medicines: The Clinical Desk Reference, and is the editor-organizer of Wu and Fischer's Practical Therapeutics of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In 1999, he was named the "Acupuncturist of the Year" by the American Association of Oriental Medicine.

Chinese Herbal Patent Medicines: The Clinical Desk Reference

Hardback book, 1198 pages. This volume covers 1360 products, including 550 GMP level products and all of California FDB analysis on 505 products. Includes information on endagered animals, heavy metals, and pharmaceuticals. The text is organized into 12 groups, with a total of 109 chapters and includes material by Andrew Ellis, Subhuti Dharmananda, and Richard Ko. Over 80 pages of full-color photos (with English and Chinese cross-reference). Fully indexed.

Meridian Syptomotology
According to Fukushima Kodo and Shudo Denmai
a Summation by Jake Paul Fratkin, OMD, LAc

In their English language books Fukushima Kodo and Shudo Denmai refer to various symptoms associated with specific meridian imbalances. These often correspond to the traditional indications offered in Traditional Chinese Medicine, but there are many important instances when meridian therapy takes a unique approach. Clinical experience should confirm the validity of the Japanese indications. I offer these, in list form, as a reminder for experienced practitioners, and as an important part of training for practitioners new to meridian therapy. The symptoms are grouped first by merdian, and then as a general index.

A. BY MERIDIAN

1. LUNG
Abdominal pain
Back, upper, pain
Breath, bad
Breathing difficulty
Chest discomfort
Complexion pale
Coughing
Cries easily
Dizziness
Flushing
Hearing loss
Hemorrhoids
Ileocecal pain
Irritability
Lightheadedness
Melancholy
Mouth, dry
Nasal congestion
Numbness of hands
Numbness of skin
Palm heat
Palpitations
Scapular pain
Shoulder pain, tension
Shoulders, pain, stiff
Skin disorders
Sneezing
Supraclavicular pain
Sweating
Throat dry
Throat sore
Urinary dysfunction
Urinary incontinence
Urination, frequent
Wheezing
Yawning

2. LARGE INTESTINE
Arm
Body growths or abscesses
Borborygmus
Diarrhea
Epistaxis
Eyes yellow Mouth dry
Nasal congestion
Nasal discharge
Neck
Nosebleed
Shivering
Shoulders
Skin disorders
Throat, sore
Tonsillitis
Tooth disorders

3. STOMACH
Abdominal distension, pain
Alternate fever-chills
Ascites
Belching
Body anterior cold
Borborygmus
Breast distension, pain
Complexion ashen
Depression
Digestion, poor
Epigastric pain, distension
Epistaxis
Esophageal spasm
Face swollen
Facial pain or paralysis
Fearfulness
Flank pain
Foot pain
Forehead pain
Front of body, cold or hot
Head heavy
Headache, frontal
Heart pain
Hunger
Jaw pain
Knee, outer
Leg, outer
Mania
Manic-depression
Mouth lesions
Nasal congestion
Nausea
Neck pain
Palpitations
Perspiration
Throat sore
Tonsillitis
Toothache
Urine yellow
Vomiting
Yawning

4. SPLEEN
Abdominal distension, pain
Appetite, loss of
Belching
Body heavy
Borborygmus
Breast distension
Chest discomfort
Complexion yellow
Constipation
Diarrhea
Digestion
Edema
Epigastric pain, distension
Esophageal spasm
Fatigue
Flatulence
Foot spasm or cramp
Heart disorders
Hiccough
Inability to eat
Insomnia
Jaundice
Joints, painful
Knee swelling
Leg pain or weakness
Lethargy
Lip disturbances
Muscle atrophy
Nausea after eating
Over thinking
Stools loose
Toe, big
Tongue rigid
Urination frequent
Vomiting
Yawning

5. HEART
Arm, upper
Blood vessels
Body Hair
Chest pain
Complexion reddish
Eyes yellow
Fever
Flank pain
Hair, Body
Heart pain
Interscapular pain
Mouth, dry
Palms, feverish
Thirst
Throat, dry
Throat, sore
Tongue disorders
Vomiting, dry

6. SMALL INTESTINE
Abdominal pain
Cheek swelling
Chin pain
Constipation
Diarrhea
Ear disorders
Elbow pain
Eye disorders
Eyes yellow
Forearm pain
Head heavy
Hearing loss
Jaw pain
Neck immobility
Neck pain
Scapular pain
Shoulder pain
Throat, sore
Urinary dysfunction

7. BLADDER
Ankle problems
Ascites
Back stiffness or pain
Calf muscle cramp
Constipation
Epilepsy
Epistaxis
Eye disorders, pain
Eye tearing
Eyes yellow
Foot pain
Headache, occipital
Headache, vertex
Hearing loss
Hemorrhoids
Hip immobility
Lumbar pain
Mania
Nasal congestion, discharge
Neck pain or stiffness
Nosebleed
Occipital pain
Popliteal tension
Scalp pain
Sciatic pain
Spinal pain
Urinary dysfunction

8. KIDNEY
Abdominal bloating
Appetite poor
Assertiveness, lack
Blood in sputum
Body heavy
Bone disorders
Breathing heavy or short
Chest pain
Choking sensation
Complexion ashen, blackish
Constipation
Cough
Diarrhea
Dizziness on standing
Ear disorders
Edema
Epigastric pain
Eyes blurry
Fatigue
Fear with surprise
Fearfulness
Feet cold, head hot
Feet, soles burning
Gynecological disorders
Hair loss
Head hot
Headache
Hoarseness
Infertility
Irritability
Jaundice
Limbs cold
Night sweats
Paranoia
Reproductive dysfunction
Restlessness
Spinal pain
Throat dry, sore
Tongue cracked, dry
Urinary dysfunction
Voice raspy
Weight loss
Wheezing

9. PERICARDIUM
Axilla swelling
Breathing rapid and shallow
Chest discomfort or pain
Complexion reddish
Elbow pain
Eyes yellow
Face red, flushed
Forearm
Heart pain
Hiccough
Laughter, uncontrolled
Palms of hand, feverish
Palpitation
Rib pain

10. TRIPLE WARMER
Abdominal distension
Ascites
Cheek pain
Deafness
Ears, congested or pain
Ears, ringing
Edema
Eyes, outer canthus pain
Finger, fourth, pain
Hearing poor
Outer canthus pain
Perspiration excessive
Pregnancy disorders
Shoulder pain
Sweating
Throat, sore or swollen
Urinary disturbance

11. GALL BLADDER
Alternating chills and fever
Ankle, lateral
Axilla swelling
Breathing, heavy
Brooding
Chest pain
Complexion, lackluster, dull
Epigastric pain
Esophageal constriction
Eyes, outer canthus pain
Fearfulness
Flank pain
Foot eversion
Foot hot
"Half external-internal"
Headache, temporal
Herpes zoster
Hip pain
Hypochondriac pain
Knee, lateral
Legs, outside, pain
Mouth bitter
Neck pain, swelling
Sciatica
Side of body pain
Sighing
Skin dry
Sleep, inability to turn
Sweating, excessive
Toe, fourth, pain

12. LIVER
Abdominal distension
Alternate fever-chills
Anger
Arthritis
Back pain, lower
Back sprained
Blurry vision
Chest discomfort
Complexion, dull, lackluster
Constipation
Depression
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Edema
Endocrine dysfunction
Epigastric pain
Eye disorders
Facial wrinkles
Fearfulness
Flank pain
Gynecological disorders
Head heavy
Headache
Hearing disorders
Hernia, inguinal
Hives
Hypochondriac pain Inability to bend forward Inguinal pain
Irritability
Jaundice
Knee pain
Mouth bitter
Muscle cramping Nails
Nausea
Nervous disorders
Prostat it is
Rib distension
Scrotum swelling
Skin disorders (toxins)
Skin, dry
Sleep, inability to turn
Tendons
Testicle disorders
Throat dry
Urinary incontinence
Urinary difficulty
Urinary tract infection
Uterine masses
Vision blurred
Vomiting

B. BY SYMPTOM

Abdominal distension LIV, KI, TW, SP, ST
Abdominal pain LU, SP, ST, SI
Alternating chills and fever LIV, GB, ST
Anger LIV
Ankle problems BL, GB
Appetite poor KI, SP
Arm LI, HT
Arthritis LIV
Ascites BL, ST, TW
Assertiveness, lack KI
Axilla swelling GB, PC

Back pain, lower LIV
Back sprained LIV
Back stiffness or pain BL
Back, upper, pain LU
Belching SP, ST
Blood in sputum KI
Blood vessels HT
Blurry vision LIV
Body anterior cold ST
Body growths or abscesses LI
Body Hair HT
Body heavy KI, SP
Bone disorders KI
Borborygmus SP, ST, LI
Breast distension, pain SP, ST
Breath, bad LU
Breathing difficulty LU, KI, PC, GB
Breathing rapid and shallow PC
Brooding GB

Cheek pain or swelling TW, SI
Chest discomfort or pain PC, LU, SP, LIV, HT, KI, GB
Chin pain SI
Choking sensation KI
Complexion ashen ST
Complexion blackish KI
Complexion pale LU
Complexion reddish PC, HT
Complexion yellow SP
Complexion, dull, lackluster LIV, GB
Constipation KI, LIV, SP, SI, BL
Cough LU, KI
Cries easily LU

Deafness TW
Depression LIV, ST
Diarrhea KI, LIV, SP, LI, SI
Digestion, poor SP, ST
Dizziness LIV, LU, KI
Dizziness on standing KI

Ear disorders KI, SI, TW
Ears, congested or pain TW
Ears, ringing TW
Edema KI, LIV, SP, LIV, TW
Elbow pain PC, SI
Endocrine dysfunction LIV
Epigastric pain, distension KI, LIV, SP, ST, GB
Epilepsy BL
Epistaxis BL, LI, ST
Esophageal constriction SP, ST, GB
Eye disorders LIV, KI, SI, BL
Eye tearing BL
Eyes blurry KI
Eyes yellow HT, PC, SI, LI, BL
Eyes, outer canthus pain GB
Eyes, outer canthus pain TW

Face red PC
Face swollen ST
Facial pain or paralysis ST
Facial wrinkles LIV
Fatigue KI, SP
Fear with surprise KI
Fearfulness KI, LIV, GB, ST
Feet cold, head hot KI
Feet, soles burning KI
Fever HT
Finger, fourth, pain TW
Flank pain HT, LIV, ST, GB
Flatulence SP
Flushing LU
Foot eversion GB
Foot hot KI, GB
Foot pain BL, ST
Foot spasm or cramp SP
Forearm pain LU, PC, SI
Forehead pain ST
Front of body, cold or hot ST

Gynecological disorders KI, LIV

Hair loss KI
Hair, Body HT
"Half external-internal" GB
Head heavy LIV, SI, ST
Head hot KI
Headache KI, LIV
Headache, frontal ST
Headache, occipital BL
Headache, temporal GB
Headache, vertex BL
Hearing loss LIV, LU, SI, TW, BL
Heart disorders SP, HT
Heart pain HT, PC, ST
Hemorrhoids LU, BL
Hernia, inguinal LIV
Herpes zoster GB
Hiccough PC
Hip immobility, pain GB, BL
Hives LIV
Hoarseness KI
Hunger ST
Hypochondriac pain LIV, GB

Ileocecal pain LU
Inability to bend forward LIV
Inability to eat SP
Infertility KI, LIV
Inguinal pain LIV
Insomnia SP
Interscapular pain HT
Irritability LIV, LU, KI

Jaundice KI, LIV, SP
Jaw pain SI, ST
Joints, painful SP

Knee pain, swelling LIV, SP
Knee, lateral GB
Knee, outer ST

Laughter, uncontrolled PC
Leg pain or weakness SP
Legs, outside, pain GB, ST
Lethargy SP
Lightheadedness LU
Limbs cold KI
Lip disturbances SP
Lumbar pain BL

Mania BL, ST
Manic-depression ST
Melancholy LU
Mouth bitter LIV, GB
Mouth dry HT, LU, LI
Mouth lesions ST
Muscle atrophy SP
Muscle cramping LIV

Nails LIV
Nasal congestion, discharge LU, ST, LI, BL
Nausea after eating SP
Nausea SP, LIV, ST
Neck immobility SI
Neck pain or stiffness BL, SI, LI, ST, GB
Nervous disorders LIV
Night sweats KI
Nosebleed BL, LI
Numbness of hands LU
Numbness of skin LU

Occipital pain BL
Outer canthus pain TW
Over thinking SP

Palms of hand, feverish PC, LU, HT
Palpitation PC, LU, ST
Paranoia KI
Perspiration excessive LU, ST, TW, GB
Popliteal tension BL
Pregnancy disorders TW
Prostatitis LIV
Reproductive dysfunction KI
Restlessness KI
Rib distension, pain LIV, PC, GB

Scalp pain BL
Scapular pain LU, SI
Sciatic pain BL, GB
Scrotum swelling LIV
Shivering LI
Shoulder pain LU, LI, SI, TW
Side of body pain GB
Sighing GB
Skin disorders (toxins) LIV
Skin disorders LU, LI
Skin dry LIV, GB
Sleep, inability to turn LIV, GB
Sneezing LU
Spinal pain KI, BL
Stools loose SP
Supraclavicular pain LU
Sweating excessive LU, ST, TW, GB

Tendons LIV
Testicle disorders LIV
Thirst HT
Throat dry LIV, HT, LU, KI
Throat sore LU, HT, KI, ST, LI, SI, TW
Throat swollen TW
Toe, big SP
Toe, fourth, pain GB
Tongue cracks KI
Tongue disorders HT
Tongue rigid SP
Tonsillitis LI, ST
Tooth disorders, pain LI, ST

Urinary difficulty LIV
Urinary dysfunction KI, LIV, LU, BL, TW, SI
Urinary frequency SP, LU
Urinary incontinence LIV, LU
Urinary tract infection LIV
Urine yellow ST
Uterine masses LIV

Vision blurred LIV
Voice raspy KI
Vomiting LIV, HT, SP, ST
Vomiting, dry HT

Weight loss KI
Wheezing KI, LU

Yawning LU, SP, ST