後頂 : Houding : Behind the Crown

Classifications:

One of the "59 piercings" for clearing Heat in Su Wen Ch. 61
One of the Greater Four Alert Spirits (Da Sishencong) along with Luoque Bl-8 and Qianding Du-21

Location:

At the back of the head on the midline 1.5 cun directly superior to Qiangjian Du-18 and 1.5 cun posterior to Bauhui Du-20.

Needling:

Transverse insertion 0.5 - 1 cun

Classical Needling:

" It is needled to a depth of four fen and is moxaed with five cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Eliminates Wind and alleviates pain
Calms the Shen

TCM Indications:

• Stiffness and pain of the head and neck, one-sided headache, pain of the vertex, wind dizziness, aversion to wind and cold, Painful Obstruction (痹, Bi) with sweating.
  
• Mad walking, insomnia, epileptic convulsions.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Greater occipital nerve from C2

Dermatome Segment: C2

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

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

Major Combinations:

• Wind Dizziness:
    Houding Du-19 with Yuzhen Bl-9 and Hanyan GB-4
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Wind Dizziness and one-sided headache:
    Houding Du-19 with Qianding Du-21, Hanyan GB-4
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
  
  
• Pain of the neck with aversion to Wind-Cold:
    Houding Du-19 with Waiqiu GB-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).
  
  
• Pain of the head and nape:
    Houding Du-19 with Baihui Du-20 and Hegu LI-4
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Pain of the head and eyes:
    Houding Du-19 with Baihui Du-20 and Tongli He-5
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

Notes:

The "59 piercings" are named in the Su Wen Ch. 61 and mentioned in Su Wen Ch. 32 for treating Heat diseases. This point along with Shangxing Du-23, Xinhui Du-22, Qianding Du-21 and Baihui Du-20 clear Heat from counterflow in the Du channel.

Ling Shu Ch. 24, On Counterflow Diseases, seems to employs this set of points in treating headache, dizziness and heaviness of the head. It advises draining from the five points on each of the five channels on the top of the head, including this point, followed by the hand Shaoyin and then foot Shaoyin.

In Tung acupuncture this point is called Hou Hui (1010.06), Posterior Meeting and indicated for headache, dizziness, lumbar and coccyx pain and Liver Wind signs like hemiplegia and aphasia (Chu, 2015).

Location of the Yang Wei Mai in Zhang Boduan's Book of the Eight Vessels on alchemical practice (Wang Mu, 2011, Foundations of Internal Alchemy).

Among the Du Mai points of the head, this point has a particular association with symptoms of Exterior Wind-Cold invasion, and hence Taiyang Division.

In Mayan medicine:
Combined with Qianding Du-21 and Luoque Bl-8 to form a cross used to treat asthma and late closure of the fontanel (Garcia, Sierra, Balam, 1999: Wind in the Blood).

Lad and Durve (2008) in Marma Points of Ayurveda call this point Shivarandhra and associate it with the doshas: Tarpaka Kapha, Sadhaka Pitta and Prana Vayu.

They give the following actions:
- Regulates tarpaka kapha
- Relieves posterior or occipital headaches
- Enhances cerebral circulation and circulation of CSF
- Facilitates optimal function of pituitary gland
- Relieves meningeal irritation
- Stimulates memory
- Calms the mind, balances emotions

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