Acupuncture speaks two languages.
Dr. Murat Vural · Physician
Tradition and medicine. I speak both: I am a physician, and for eight years I have practised acupuncture in Vietnam.
A needle at the inner wrist
This is how the two languages describe the same point.
One point, two languages
PC6, on the inner forearm. On the left, what tradition says about it; on the right, what medicine sees. The point lies between the two.
Tradition
Nội Quan
inner gate
內關 · Neiguan
Medicine
PC6
The sixth point of Tâm bào kinh, the pericardium channel. Tradition says it steadies the heart and calms the mind, regulates the flow of qi and eases pain, and counts it as a principal point for the chest.
định tâm · an thần · lý khí · trấn thống
Source: Vinmec 2024
- Location
- 2 B-cun above the palmar wrist crease, between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis.
- Measure
- B-cun is a proportional unit taken from the length of one’s own bones, so it fits every body.
- Beneath
- The median nerve, deep to the tendons.
- Research
- After surgery, stimulating PC6 prevented nausea to a degree comparable with anti-nausea drugs.
Source: WHO 2008 · B-cun measurement · Streitberger 2007 · Cochrane 2015
In both languages, treatment begins with an examination.
Two examinations, side by side
Tradition examines in four ways. Beside each stands its counterpart in medicine.
Vọng
Looking
Vitality, complexion, build, the tongue and its coating.
Inspection
General appearance, skin, posture.
Văn
Listening and smelling
Voice, breathing, cough.
Auscultation
Heart and lung sounds.
Vấn
Asking
The story of the complaint, diet, daily life, state of mind.
History
Onset and course, past illnesses, medicines.
Thiết
Touching
Feeling the painful area and the channels, taking the pulse.
Palpation
Pulse and palpation; tests and imaging when needed.
Source: Vietnam Ministry of Health
In Vietnam the official guidelines use the two together: the traditional diagnosis alongside modern diagnosis and tests.
Source: Bình Định 2024
Which complaints does acupuncture help?
For which complaints?
On the left, the name tradition gives the complaint. On the right, what research says today, in one sentence. The points on the line show how strong that support is.
- Strong to moderate
- Moderate
- Limited
- Insufficient
Migraine and tension-type headache
In migraine, after three months, headache frequency was at least halved in more than half of patients, slightly more often than with preventive drugs.
Strong to moderate · Cochrane 2016
Herniated disc and sciatica
In a 2024 multicentre trial, leg pain fell clearly more than with sham treatment after ten sessions, and the difference lasted a year.
Moderate · JAMA Intern Med 2024
Chronic low back pain
The American College of Physicians lists it among the first non-drug options; not every guideline agrees.
Moderate · ACP 2017
Hạc tất phong
It has no name of its own; pain and swelling place it among the “tý” conditions.
Source: Bình Định 2024
Knee pain and osteoarthritis
The American College of Rheumatology recommends it conditionally; most positive trials are in the knee. Not every guideline agrees.
Moderate · ACR 2019
Nausea
After surgery, stimulating PC6 prevented nausea to a degree comparable with anti-nausea drugs.
Strong to moderate · Cochrane 2015
Facial palsy
According to the Cochrane review, the quality of the trials is not enough to conclude whether it works.
Insufficient · Cochrane 2010
Huyễn vựng
Source: Vinmec
Vertigo and dizziness
In dizziness arising from the neck, trials report better results than with drugs, but the quality of the evidence is low.
Limited · Hou 2017
Quitting smoking
It may help in the short term; there is no consistent evidence for quitting for good.
Insufficient · Cochrane 2014
Weight loss
On its own it does not make you lose weight; any role is within a diet and exercise plan.
Limited · Medikal Akademi
I will explain each subject in its own video.
Soon on YouTube
The channel opens soon. Every video will also have its own page on this site, with its sources.
One Point
Short episodes, one point each: where it lies, what it is for.
Does It Help?
One complaint per episode: what tradition says, what research says.
From Vietnam
The tradition at its source: hospitals, clinics, masters.
Questions
Does it hurt, how many sessions, what does it feel like.
About me
I am Murat Vural.
I am a physician and I live in Vietnam. On this site I explain what I know about acupuncture without exaggeration, in the language of tradition and of medicine, and I show where each piece of information comes from.
- 1997
- I graduated from Ankara University Faculty of Medicine.
- Vietnam
- I learned acupuncture here, from masters and on courses.
- 8 years
- I have practised acupuncture in contracted private clinics in Vietnam.
I announce when I will be in Turkey.
News list
Join the list and I will let you know when I come.
Join the news list- YouTube
- coming soon
- For anything else
- contact@pebuc.site · WhatsApp (+84) 77 92 78 114