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Location Guides: |
Shokanten Nine continents Pulse for Upper Jiao, Taiyang and sides of the head
Trigger point (Travell & Simons, 1998, Trigger Point Manual; Melzack, Stillwell & Fox, 1977)
Meeting of Extra Head/Neck with Gall Bladder and San Jiao
At the temple, in the tender depression approximately 1 cun posterior to the midpoint between the lateral extremity of the eyebrow and the outer canthus of the eye.
Perpendicular needling 0.5 - 0.8 cun, or transverse needling posteriorly towards Shuaigu GB-8, 1 - 1.5 cun, or oblique insertion anteriorly 0.3 - 0.5 cun, or prick to bleed.
Eliminates Wind and clears Heat
Reduces swelling and stops pain
Activates the channel and alleviates pain
Superficial Innervation: Temporal branch of temporomalar (zygomatic) nerve from maxillary branch of trigeminal (CN V2)
Dermatome Segment: CN V2 maxillary branch of trigeminal
Muscle:
Temporalis
Pain Referral Pattern:
Temple, eyebrow, front teeth and upper jaw
Indications:
Migraine
; Myalgia
; Headache and toothache with no restriction in jaw opening
; Feeling teeth do not meet right
In seizing martial arts (Qin Na) this point is a blood vessel striking point (Da Xue 打脈) which is struck with a Phoenix Eye Fist causing death by rupture of the artery (Yang, 1995, Tai Chi Chin Na; Yang, 2004, Analysis of Shaolin Chin Na, 2nd Edition).
One of the 36 vital points of Feng Yiyuan 馮一元 listed in the Wu Bei Zhi 武備志 (Treatise on Armament Technology) by Mao Yuanyi 茅元儀 (1621) (McCarthy, 2016, Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat).
This is one of the eight non-striking or forbidden points in Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu. Described as "The temples" by both Olson (2010, The Complete Guide to Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu) and Wong Honfan (1946; in Ravenswood Academy, 2020, The Eight Forbidden Strikes of Praying Mantis Fist).
Location of the temporal pulse
Commonly used for treatment of one-sided headache, dizziness and diseases of the eyes.
Jin's Three Needles for Discolouration are located at this point, Xiaguan St-7 and Quanliao SI-18. They are indicated for melasma, liver spots, discolorations of the face and usually accompanied by electrical stimulation and B12 injections (eLotus, 2021).
A Shokanten pulse is used to assist in diagnosis where the radial pulse is unclear, or in the comparative analysis of meridians in the upper and lower portions of the body. They are particularly used in psycho-emotional disorders. This point relates to the Upper Jiao, Taiyang and sides of the head.
There are points along the Gall Bladder channel that affect associated Zangfu, Primary Channels and Extraordinary Vessels that I refer to as "head-Shu" points. As the location of the strongest pulse on the head, this point is an obvious candidate for a head-Shu for the Chong Mai.
Avicenna describes venesection at this point in his treatise On Venesection:
"The temporal veins [near this point] and the vena angularis [near Bl-1] become visible only after choking the neck. In these veins, the incision should be not be deep to avoid becoming a fistula. They will bleed a good amount of blood. Venesection of these veins is beneficial in headache, migraine, chronic conjunctivitis, epiphora (overflow of tears onto the face), leucoma (an opaque white spot on the cornea), trachoma (bacterial infection of the eye), styes and night blindness.
....
[The temporal artery] may be cut, drained, or cauterized; this is done sometimes to stop the acute catarrh of light humours that pours into the eyes and at the early stages of a condition called pupil dilation." (Aspects of Treatment According to General Diseases, 21st section in Abu-Asab, Amri & Micozzi, 2013, Avicenna's Medicine).
Medieval phlebotomy point (John de Foxton, 1408: Liber Cosmographiae, maa.cam.ac.uk; Hans von Gersdorff, 1517: Feldtbüch der Wundartzney, www.nlm.nih.gov)
Galen mentions arteriotomy at this point in the case of "fluxions of the eyes, when these are hot and spiritous" (Brain, 1986, Galen on Bloodletting, p. 97), although he provides no description of what a "spiritous" symptom should be.
Aretaeus performed arteriotomy in front and behind the ears for epilepsy, so most likely this point and Yifeng SJ-17, Qimai SJ-18 or Luxi SJ-19 (ibid.: p.97, footnote).
In Tibetan medicine:
mLung point, the temples become painful to touch when mLung is disrupted (Bradley, 2000: Principles of Tibetan Medicine)
In ayurvedic medicine:
Shankh marma point
Size: 1/2 angula (cun)
Structure: Bone
Effect of Injury: Fatal (sadhyapranahar marma)
(Harish Johari, 1996, Ayurvedic Massage, Sanatan Society; Anupama Bhattacharya, n.d. Marma Shastra)
Lad and Durve (2008) in Marma Points of Ayurveda locate a point slightly posterior to this point called Shankha and associate it with the doshas: Sadhaka Pitta, Pachaka Pitta, Udana Vayu and Apana Vayu.
They give the following actions:
- Strongly pacifies pitta
- Relieves headaches
- Relieves stomach pain, decreases acidity
- Regulates colon
- Benefits eyes, ears, teeth and face
- Influences speech
- Reduces emotional stress, calms mind
In Thai massage:
Acupressure point along the Itha (left) and Pingala (right) sen lines of head running from the base of the occiput, Fengchi to this point.
Indicated for ear ailments and headaches.
(Salguero & Roylance, 2011, Encyclopedia of Thai Massage)
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
Steve Woodley Acupuncture & Traditional Medicine
90 Deane Croft Road,
Eascote, Pinner, Greater London. HA5 1SP
Tel/WhatsApp: +44 (0) 7946 174 829
Email: steve@steve-woodley.co.uk
