目窗 : Muchuang : Window of the Eye

Location Guides:

Classifications:

One of the "59 piercings" for clearing Heat in Su Wen Ch. 61

Meetings:

Meeting of Gall Bladder with Yang Wei Mai

Location:

Above the forehead, on a curved line drawn between Toulinqi GB-15 and Fengchi GB-20, following the contour of the cranium, 1.5 cun posterior to Toulinqi GB-15 or one third of the distance between Toulingqi GB-15 and Chengling GB-18 (level with Baihai Du-20).

Needling:

Transverse insertion 0.5 - 1.5 cun in the direction of symptoms or to connect with other points.

Classical Needling:

"The Shaoyang usually has little Blood and much Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be needled.
"The foot Shaoyang is to be pierced 4 fen deep and remain inserted for five exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of three fen deep and moxaed with five cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Benefits the eyes
Eliminates Wind and alleviates pain

TCM Indications:

• Visual Dizziness, Superficial Visual Obstruction, redness, swelling and pain of the eyes, short sightedness, all kinds of eye diseases.
  
• Headache, swelling of the head and face, toothache of the upper jaw, swelling of the gums, nasal congestion, epilepsy.
  
• Aversion to cold chills and fever with absence of sweating.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: CN V1 ophthalamic branch of trigeminal

Dermatome Segment: CN V1 ophthalamic branch of trigeminal

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

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

Major Combinations:

• Red eyes:
    Muchuang GB-16 with Daling Pc-7
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Headache:
    Muchuang GB-16 with Tianchong GB-9 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).
  
  
• Stiffness of the lips and pain from tooth decay of the upper jaw:
    Muchuang GB-16 with Zhengying GB-17, Duiduan Du-27 and Ermen SJ-21
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).

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 Toulingqi GB-15, Zhengying GB-17, Chengling GB-18 and Naokong Bl-9 clear Heat from counterflow in the foot Shaoyang Gall Bladder 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.

Yue Hanzhen describes this point's actions as based on its location, "directly above the eye; by piercing it, the eyes will brighten, it is as though the eye has a window" (Yue, 17th Century, Explanation of Channels and Points vol. 2, p.180). This makes it easy to locate, by imagining a straight line ascending internally from the centre of the eye, and emerging at the scalp, behind the hairline.

Among the Gall Bladder points of the head, there appear to be some that indicate they are special points for influencing the five Zang, similar to the Front-Shu of the chest on the Kidney channel. The connection of this point to the eyrs, where the Liver opens would make this point the head-Shu for the Liver.

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