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The term 'point prescription' has become normalised in contemporary acupuncture education, research and clinical discourse. While often used as professional shorthand, this terminology imports a pharmacological metaphor that can misrepresent how acupuncture functions – particularly for learners – and subtly influence pedagogy, clinical reasoning and professional identity. This article argues that reframing point choice as a point selection strategy rather than a prescription is a necessary conceptual clarification rather than a semantic preference. Drawing on classical medical texts, contemporary scholarship on contextual and process-based healing, and standards for clinical reporting, it demonstrates that acupuncture effects are emergent phenomena that depend on needling method, clinical dosage, qi movement, practitioner judgment and patient response, rather than on the intrinsic properties of points themselves. Reframing point choice as strategic selection better reflects acupuncture’s classical foundations and supports educational models that emphasise reasoning, interaction, and response-based care.

This paper presents the case of an adult patient who sought treatment for weight loss. During the initial anamnesis, a history of childhood food-related trauma involving forced feeding was identified, leading to marked aversion toward numerous foods and a limited, poorly varied diet. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) assessment and treatment, using an individualised and minimalist approach adapted to the patient’s aversion to needles, brought about a progressive improvement in the patient’s attitude toward previously rejected foods, and a gradual expansion of dietary variety. In parallel, a marked improvement in mood and overall vitality was noted. Although weight loss was the patient’s primary reason for seeking treatment, treatment focused on addressing the underlying emotional and energetic imbalances, with weight reduction emerging as a secondary outcome of this process. This case suggests that, in certain patients, obesity may be related to unresolved emotional blockages derived from early traumatic experiences. Addressing trauma within a TCM framework may facilitate profound changes in the relationship with food and have a positive impact on overall well-being.

Many practitioners of acupuncture are unfamiliar with the idea of entry-exit point theory and practice. It is more commonly taught in Western acupuncture schools than in China and usually as part of the five-element style popularised by JR Worsley. The history of entry-exit points and their connection to the classics of Chinese medicine are rarely discussed. The purpose of this article is several-fold: first to describe the clinical methodology of the use of entryexit points, second to answer the question of where they originated, and third to find concepts in the Neijing (Inner Classic) that help practitioners to understand and apply entry-exit theory as accurately as possible. The author has been studying this topic for over 50 years, and in this article introduces new interpretations of the subject, such as the difference between entryexit blocks affecting meridians of the same element versus entry-exit blocks between meridians of different elements. Also documented is the difference between the Neijing pulse qualities zao and jing, which can help to distinguish between these two types of block.