A Case Study
This is a good example of when using abdominal acupuncture often by doing less we get better results.
Mrs R, 56, a home hairdresser caught covid a month ago.
Already during the illness she had the feeling of very heavy and weak legs. It didn't improve. Since she had not worked for 2 weeks, she now had to make up for all missed appointments and still keep her scheduled appointments.
Health Assessment
Extreme fatigue and interrupted sleep, sometimes accompanied by hot flushes. She wakes up between 3 and 4 am and can't go back to sleep.
The hot flushes had started 10 years ago (premenopause). Slight cough.
On the day of her treatment, she complained of severe unilateral headaches around her right ear, like electric shocks. This had been the case for 24 hours without interruption.
Pulses weak in all areas.
First Session
Guiding Qi to its source: the 4 points in the 3rd layer to nourish and nourish the kidney energy. I directed Rm12 and Rm10 towards the navel to direct the Qi to its source.
I chose this combination to see how quickly her pulse quality might improve.
The headache stopped and the pulse began to fill after about 10 minutes.
I decided to add Liv 3 and Sp4. Additionl on the belly St 25 and Sp 15 to strengthen the middle jiao (fig 1).
Result: Strong hot flushes feeling like waves.
I immediately removed the last needles and remained "only" with the first 4. Immediately no more hot flushes!
Initial Conculusion: The patient’s energy was too weak and I misjudged her reaction. The puls quality was not strong enough to add more needles. Doing less sometimes yields often better results.

Fig 1
Second Session
Here overall health had improved. She felt less tired and her legs had more strength. However, she still had sleep issues waking up between 3am and 4am. The hot flushes hd greatly improved.
On the day of the treatment she had a mild frontal headache originating from the neck.
Palpation findings showed muscle tension, particularly on the right side of the neck. I suspected a misplaced C3/4 vertebra.
I suggested a visit to the osteopath, because I did not want to do any manipulation during this treatment My"only" goal was to improve the basic energy. Of course, AA provides a great way to release tension in the neck.
I learned from the first meeting and started with the combination "Guiding Qi to the origin or source" in the 3rd layer to nourish the Kidney Qi .
I directed Rm12 and Rm10 to the navel to direct the Qi to the kidneys. = Prenatal energy (fig 2).
After 10 minutes I dared to add Sp 6. As the meeting point of the spleen, liver and kidney meridians, this point has the ability to affect the organs that depend on it.
And when I palpated the line between Rm 12 and Rm10 I found an ashi point (fig 3) reflecting the disturbed cervical spine.
The headaches subsided and the tension in the neck and cervical spine eased.

Fig 2

Fig 3
Overall Conclusion
The fact that she slept badly after the first treatment shows that my treatment confused and disturbed her body.
Working slowly paid off and there were no negative reactions. Mrs. R. even fell asleep a little during the secon treatment and was able to go home without neck pain or headaches, with a comment “but it's magic!”