Can acupuncture be used for yin deficiency with hyperactive fire?
Sep 29, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Sun Lianqing
Introduction
In general, acupuncture can be used for yin deficiency with hyperactive fire, but appropriate acupoints and techniques must be selected, focusing on nourishing yin and reducing fire, while avoiding improper manipulation that may exacerbate symptoms. It is recommended to first visit a qualified traditional Chinese medicine hospital to clearly determine one's constitution and severity of symptoms, so that a physician can develop an individualized acupuncture plan. Combining dietary and lifestyle adjustments will further enhance the improvement of yin deficiency with hyperactive fire.
In general, acupuncture can be used for yin deficiency with hyperactive fire, but appropriate acupoints and techniques must be selected, focusing on nourishing yin and reducing internal heat, while avoiding improper procedures that may exacerbate symptoms. The detailed analysis is as follows:
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, yin deficiency with hyperactive fire is usually caused by liver and kidney yin deficiency and insufficient body fluids, leading to the generation of internal deficient fire. Common symptoms include tidal fever, night sweats, dry mouth and throat, insomnia, and vivid dreams. Acupuncture regulates organ functions by stimulating specific acupoints—for example, needling Taixi (KI3), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Yongquan (KI1) can help replenish body fluids and clear deficient fire, thereby improving the coexistence of yin deficiency and excessive fire. During treatment, gentle techniques should be applied, primarily using tonification or combined tonification-dispersion methods. Strong stimulation should be avoided to prevent further depletion of yin fluids and aggravation of deficient fire.
Clinically, acupuncture is often combined with lifestyle adjustments such as avoiding late nights and reducing consumption of spicy foods. This integrated approach has proven effective in improving symptoms like insomnia, dry mouth, and heat in the palms and soles caused by yin deficiency with hyperactive fire. However, it is important to note that if symptoms are severe, organic diseases should first be ruled out before using acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy. Moreover, acupuncture should only be performed by qualified TCM practitioners based on individualized pattern differentiation to avoid ineffective treatment or discomfort due to incorrect self-selection of acupoints.
It is recommended to first visit a reputable TCM hospital to clearly assess one’s constitution and severity of symptoms. A personalized acupuncture plan should then be developed by a professional practitioner, along with dietary and daily routine adjustments, to achieve optimal improvement of yin deficiency with hyperactive fire.
