外丘 : Waiqiu : Outer Hill

Location Guides:

Classifications:

Xi-Cleft point

Location:

On the lateral aspect of the lower leg, 7 cun superior to the prominence of the lateral malleolus, at the anterior border of the fibula.

Needling:

Perpendicular insertion 1 - 1.5 cun

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 and moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Activates the channel and alleviates pain
Clears Heat and detoxifies poison

TCM Indications:

• Distension of the chest and lateral costal region, pigeon chest in children, headache, mania, abdominal pain, rabies.
  
• Atrophy disorder and Painful Obstruction (痹, Bi) of the lower limb, pain of the skin, cold damp Leg Qi (腳氣, Jiao Qi), cold sensation and stiffness and pain of the nape and neck, aversion to wind-cold.

I Ching Hexagram:

䷟ Heng 恆 The Constant

Shared with Zhongdu Liv-6. Balanced by ䷩ (Zhongchong Pc-9 or Zhongzhu SJ-3).

Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Lateral cutaneous nerve of the calf (L5 - S2)

Dermatome Segment: L5

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

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

Major Combinations:

• Pain of the neck with aversion to Wind-Cold:
    Waiqiu GB-36 with Houding Du-19
    (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:

In Tung acupuncture the San Zhong, Third Layer, point is located here. It is often combined with Er Zhong, Second Layer, 2 cun below at Guangming GB-37, and Yi Zhong First Layer, 4 cun below this point Xuanzhong GB-39, all anterior to the fibula. They are all used for symptoms of the Gall Bladder channel, especially those in the neck and throat (goiter, thyroid, soreness or pain), Wind or Yang rising (Bell's Palsy, migraine, Parkinsons) and problems of the liver and spleen (Chu, 2015).

Another group of Tung points, Wai San Guan, External Three Gates, are located relative to this location. The central point is located at the midpoint on a line between the head of the fibula and the lateral malleolus (probably around this point as its 16 cun on the outside of the leg and the head of the fibula is slightly lower than the lower border of the patella). The upper and lower points are then located on this same line halfway between the end point landmarks and this midway point. They are indicated for a number of Gall Bladder channel symptoms, especially connected with pain and movement where it is often combined with Ling Gu and Da Bai, near Sanjian LI-3 and Hegu LI-4 (Chu, 2015).

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