In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Edema is believed to originate from these organs: lung, spleen and kidney. The basic principle is that when these organs fail to transport and transform body fluids, water is stored up all over the body and edema results.

In the practice of acupuncture, edemas are classified under either yin or yang disorders. Yang edemas are acute with quick onsets. They first start at the head and on the face before moving downwards. Yin edemas have slow onsets. They start at the ankles and legs and are restricted to the lower part of the body. These classes of edemas are further subdivided in acupuncture practice. There are 3 subdivisions for each class of edema.

Yang edema can be further divided into:
Edema caused by exogenous wind: This begins on the face and spreads to the limbs but is concentrated in the head. It presents as pitted edema and is believed to be caused by wind-heat or wind-cold. The affected area is seen as thin, taut and shiny skin. This edema is accompanied by fever, soreness, coughing and racy pulse.

Edema caused by retention of dampness: This presents with pitted edema on the legs and can involve low urine production, fatigue and distended abdomen.

Edema caused by damp heat: This presents as taut and shiny skin, with fever, thirst, low urine production and tightness of the chest.

Yin edema is classified into:
Edema caused by deficiency of spleen yang: This is a pitted edema found in the lower part of the body. It involves diarrhea, low appetite, distension of the abdomen, low urine volume and coldness in the limbs.

Edema caused by declining kidney qi: This is experienced as a pitted edema which is more prominent in the lower half of the body. It presents with cold limbs, lumbar pain, shortness of breath and mental fatigue.

Edema caused by deficiency of the stomach and spleen: This type of edema causes a sallow skin. It is found in the head in the morning and moves to the limbs later in the day or after physical exertion.

Acupuncture Points
Each kind of edema is treated from a unique set of acupuncture points. Acupuncture needles and moxa are equally effective at these points. Moxibustion is the burning of mugwort or moxa over the acupuncture points on the body. Treating edema with acupuncture should be left to professional and experienced acupuncturists because finding acupuncture points and knowing the correct sequence of activating them can be difficult for novices. Below are examples of acupuncture points used in treating certain forms of edema.

Edema caused by qi stagnation and the constriction of blood vessels:  Hegu (LI 4), Neiguan (PC6), Tan Zhong (Ren17), Taichong (LR 3), Yinlingquan (SP9), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Xuehai (SP 10) and Shui Fen (Ren 9).

Edema caused by wind-dampness: Sanyinjiao (SP6), Yang Ling Quan (Du3), Feng Fu (Du16), Feng Chi (G20), Feng Shi (G31), Yinlingquan (SP9), Zu San Li (S36) and Zhong Wan (Ren12).

Edema caused an inefficient spleen: Nei Guan (P6), Yin Ling Quan (Sp9), San Yin Jiao (Sp6), Nei Ting (S44), Zhong Wan (Ren12), Zhang Men (Liv13) and Zu San Li (S36).

Edema experienced during pregnancy: Yin Ling Quan (Sp9), Zu San Li (S36), Pi Shu (B20), and Shen Shu (B23).

Edema experienced during menstruation: Pi Shu (B20), Tong Tian (UB7), Guan Yuan (Ren4), and Ming Men (Du4).