Renzhong DU-26 and Somatised Distress: A Case Study

The subject of this study was a young woman diagnosed with fibromyalgia, whose physical pain had been unresponsive to six months of various medical interventions, including acupuncture. As a last resort the single point Renzhong DU-26 was needled based on the patient’s symptoms and their psychological context. The significant positive outcome of this treatment prompted an investigation into the fundamental mechanisms associated with this particular acupoint. Its specific location on the face, strategically positioned between areas associated with heaven (yang) and earth (yin), aligns this point with the human level of Chinese cosmology; its established function as a resuscitation point may be intricately connected to this symbolic significance. This case report thereby advocates for incorporating both a symbolic and a personalised approach in acupuncture diagnostics.