譩譆 : Yixi : Yixi

Location Guides:

Classifications:

Spirit point
Master Tung's Five Mountain Ranges
Master Tung's Capital points
Master Tung's Behind the Heart points
Trigger point (Travell & Simons, 1998, Trigger Point Manual; Melzack, Stillwell & Fox, 1977, Trigger Points and Acupuncture Points for Pain: Correlations and Implications, Pain 3, p3-23)

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Location:

3 cun lateral to the midline, level with the lower border of the spinous process of the sixth thoracic vertebra (T6) and level with Dushu Bl-16.

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Needling:

Oblique insertion 0.3 - 0.5 cun

Warnings:

Deep perpendicular or deep oblique needling in a medial direction carries a substantial risk of causing a pneumothorax.

Classical Needling:

"The Taiyang usually has much Blood and little Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be bled.
"The foot Taiyang is to be pierced 5 fen deep and remain inserted for seven exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"When one exerts pressure" (at this point), the patient will let out a groan. It is needled to a depth of six fen and moxaed with five cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

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TCM Actions:

Expels Wind, clears Heat and descends Lung Qi
Invigorates Qi and Blood and alleviates pain

TCM Indications:

• Cough, dyspnoea, febrile disorder with absence of sweating, Visual Dizziness, eye pain, nosebleed, Malarial (瘧, Nue) Disorders, headache in children whilst eating, five palms agitated and hot.
  
• Pain of the shoulder, scapula and back, chest pain that radiates to the lumbar region, pain of the lateral costal region accompanied by distension and pain of the hypogastrium, pain of the lateral costal region radiating to the Heart and Lung, abdominal distension, contraction of the axilla.

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Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Posterior cutaneous thoracic nerves from T6

Dermatome Segment: T6

Trigger Point Associations:

Muscle:
Lower trapezius (superficial), rhomboid major (middle) or iliocostalis thoracis (deep)

Myotome Innervation:
Trapezius: Motor - accessory nerve (CN XI), Sensation - dorsal rami of C2 - C3; Rhomboid major: Dorsal scapular nerve (C4 - C5); Iliocostalis: Dorsal rami of T6

Pain Referral Pattern:

Lower trapezius: Local to point and along muscle, to shoulder and occiput if trapezius
Rhomboid major: Local to point and around medial border of scapula
Iliocostalis thoracis: To inferior angle of scapula and medial border of scapula

Indications:
Shoulder pain ; Back pain

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Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

See Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com for explanation of effects.

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Major Combinations:

• Abdominal fullness:
    Yixi Bl-45 with Zusanli St-36
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Cough with Rebellious Qi, dyspnoea, vomiting of foam and clenched teeth:
    Yixi Bl-45 with Futu LI-18, Tianrong SI-17, Lianquan Ren-23, Pohu Bl-42 and Qishe St-11
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
  
  
• Swelling of the face:
    First needle Yixi Bl-45, then Tianyou SJ-16 and Fengchi GB-20
    (Haungfu Mi, 皇甫謐, 282: Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing, 針灸甲乙經, Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Visual Dizziness:
    Yixi Bl-45 with Shenting Du-24, Shangxing Du-23, Yongquan Kid-1, Yuji Lu-10 and Dadu Sp-2
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Contraction and cold of the shoulder and back with pain of the inner aspect of the scapula:
    Yixi Bl-45 with Chize Lu-5, Geshu Bl-17 and Jinmen Bl-63
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).

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Notes:

In five element acupuncture indicated for strong experiences of grief, cannot let go of past events a/or losses.

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In Master Tung's system this point is one of the five mountain ranges (Wu Ling). They consist of five sets of points in three lines representing the phases of the Wu Xing in a series of lines:

The first set is along the midline, below each vertebrae from T2 to T11. From T2 to T8 relate to Fire, T9 to T11 relate to Earth.
The second set is 3 cun from the midline. from T2 to T9. From T2 to T6 relate to Metal, T7 to T9 relate to Wood.
The third set is 6 cun from the midline from T2 to T8. From T2 to T4 relate to Metal, T5 to T8 relate to Wood.

They are indicated for fever, common cold, hypertension, headache, lumbar pain, numbness of the hands and feet, hemiplegia, acute stomachache, vomiting or acute enteritis by releasing heat, wind and stagnation from the organs relating to their phase and treated with a pricking method to release a drop of blood (McCann, 2014, Pricking the Vessels).

Tung's Capital (Ding Zhu) points are located 3 cun lateral to the midline from T4 to T9 and 6 cun lateral to the midline from T4 to T8 indicated for lumbar pain, especially when associated with arteriosclerosis, acute back sprain and chest pain upon breathing (ibid.)

Tung's Behind the Heart (Hou Xin or Bei Xin) points are located under spinous processes from T4 to T9, 1.5 cun laterally to T4 to T7 and 3 cun laterally from T4 to T6. They are indicated for "wool like furuncles", clove sores, weakness and debility of the Heart zang, Stomach diseases, acute heart disease leading to numbness and paralysis, wind-cold entering the interior, severe wind-cold, stroke, externally contracted diseases that manifest with papules. They clear heat from the Heart and Lung and release the exterior so are useful in dermatological disorders (ibid.).

This sort of technique may make greater sense than regular needles as shallow depth without retention may be safer over the spine and lungs.

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In Thai massage:
Acupressure point (Salguero & Roylance, 2011, Encyclopedia of Thai Massage)

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Reference Notes:

Basic information on location, needle depth, TCM actions, indications and combinations is taken from Deadman et al (2001): A Manual of Acupuncture with additional anatomical information researched by reference to Gray's Anatomy (38th Ed., 1995) unless otherwise referenced. Images were found on acupunctureschoolonline.com and can be traced back to Claudia Focks (2008) Atlas of Acupuncture originally. I cannot claim any credit or rights over them. Other sources should be quoted in the text.

For some of the more unusual terms I have created a glossary here

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