AP Treatment Planning & Protocols 2

Question 1

A patient with chronic low back pain reports improvement after 4 sessions but plateaus. What is the most appropriate next step in treatment planning?

Accepted Answer

Reassess the diagnosis and modify the treatment protocol

Answer

When a patient plateaus, reassessing the diagnosis and modifying the protocol addresses underlying factors that may have been missed or changed.

Question 2

Which tongue and pulse presentation most strongly indicates a Liver Qi Stagnation pattern requiring specific treatment planning?

Accepted Answer

Purple or dusky tongue, wiry pulse

Answer

A purple or dusky tongue with a wiry pulse is the classic TCM presentation for Liver Qi Stagnation progressing toward blood stasis.

Question 3

For a patient with Spleen Qi Deficiency and Dampness accumulation, which treatment frequency is most appropriate initially?

Accepted Answer

Twice weekly

Answer

Twice-weekly treatment is appropriate initially for Spleen Qi Deficiency with Dampness to build momentum in resolving accumulation.

Question 4

When treating a pregnant patient in the first trimester, which point is absolutely contraindicated regardless of the clinical indication?

Accepted Answer

LI-4

Answer

LI-4 (Hegu) is strongly contraindicated during pregnancy because it has strong descending and moving actions that can stimulate uterine contractions.

Question 5

A practitioner is planning treatment for a patient with both Wind-Cold invasion and underlying Kidney Yang Deficiency. What is the correct treatment priority?

Accepted Answer

Treat the Wind-Cold invasion first as it is the branch/acute condition

Answer

In TCM, acute exterior conditions (branch) are treated first before addressing chronic interior deficiency (root) to avoid driving pathogen deeper.

AP Practice Test

AP Practice Test

AP Treatment Planning & Protocols 2