患門 : Huanmen : Gate of Suffering

Classifications:

Trigger point (Travell & Simons, 1998, Trigger Point Manual)

Location:

1.5 cun lateral to the prominence of the spinous process of the fifth thoracic vertebra (T5).

Needling:

Oblique insertion towards the spine, 0.5 - 1 cun, or transverse-oblique insertion 1 - 1.5 cun

Warnings:

Perpendicular needling or oblique needling away from the spine carries a substantial risk of causing a pneumothorax.

TCM Actions:

Nourishes Yin and clears Heat
Tonifies Qi

TCM Indications:

• The Five Taxations (五勞, Wu Lao) and the Seven Injuries (七傷, Qi Shang), Steaming Bone Disorder, Tidal Fever, night sweating, agitation and heat, poor appetite, heaviness of the limbs, fatigue, lack of strength, cough, dyspnoea.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Posterior cutaneous thoracic nerves from T5

Dermatome Segment: T5

Trigger Point Associations:

Muscle:
Multifidus

Pain Referral Pattern:
Local to point and to midline

Indications:
Back pain

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

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

Major Combinations:

• The hundred syndromes of Deficiency Taxation:
    Moxa Huanmen Ex-BW-6, Gaohuangshu Bl-43 and "the four flowers": Geshu Bl-17 and Danshu Bl-19
    (Liao Runhong, 廖润鸿, 1874: Zhen Jiu Ji Cheng, 針灸集成, Compilation of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

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