水泉 : Shuiquan : Water Spring

Classifications:

Xi-Cleft point

Location:

1 cun inferior to Taixi Kid-3 in a depression anterior and superior to the calcaneal tuberosity (the site of in sertion of the Achilles tendon into the calcaneum).

Needling:

Oblique-perpendicular insertion directed away from the bone, 0.3 - 0.5 cun, or transverse insertion distally to link with points up to Taibai Sp-3 or superiorly to Fuliu Kid-7.

Classical Needling:

"The Shaoyin usually has little Blood and much Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be needled.
"The foot Shaoyin is to be pierced 2 fen deep and remain inserted for three exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of four fen and moxaed with five cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Regulates the Chong and Ren Mai and benefits menstruation

TCM Indications:

• Amenorrhoea, irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhoea, delayed menstruation with oppression and pain below the Heart on onset of menstruation, prolapse of the uterus.
  
• Cloudy vision, short sightedness, abdominal pain, difficult urination, dribbling urination.

I Ching Hexagram:

䷯ Jing 井 Welling

Shared with Jinmen Bl-63 and balanced by ䷔ (Shaochong He-9 or Houxi SI-3).

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

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Medial calcaneal branches of tibial nerve (S1 - S2)

Dermatome Segment: S1

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

Can be a target for disabling an opponent with a sword or knife by severing the Achilles tendon and possibly causing large amounts of bleeding from the posterior tibial artery. Its location makes it most likely to be struck on an already immobilised opponent and was most often used as a punishment on a captive.

Striking causes great local pain and instant Qi drainage, causing the recipient to fall down (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).

Major Combinations:

• Amenorrhoea with much oppression and pain below the Heart:
    Shuiquan Kid-5 with Zhaohai Kid-6
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
  
  
• Irregular menstruation:
    Shuiquan Kid-5 with Tianshu St-25
    (Gao Wu, 高武, 1529: Bai Zheng Fu, 百症賦, Ode of a Hundred Symptoms).
  
  
• Uterine prolapse:
    Shuiquan Kid-5 with Zhaohai Kid-6, Shenmai Bl-62 and Ququan Liv-8
    (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:

Along with Taixi Kid-3 this is a possible location for the posterior tibial pulse. The ideal location is halfway between them at Pimenta's Point, the exact midpoint of a line drawn between the bony prominence of the medial malleolus and the insertion of the Achilles' tendon.

In "leg-strengthening needling" this point is needled transversely connecting with Zhaohai Kid-6, Rangu Kid-2, Gongsun Sp-4 and Taibai Sp-3, creating sore numb and distending feeling in heel and sole of foot (Liu Yan, 2008, Diagrams of Acupuncture Manipulations, p. 140-1).

In "Hidrosis stopping needling" to control excessive sweating, oedema and urinary disorders, this point is needled transversely in a superior direction to pass through Dazhong Kid-4, Taixi Kid-3 and Fuliu Kid-7 (Liu Yan, 2008, Diagrams of Acupuncture Manipulations, p. 140-1).

In Tung acupuncture the Shui Xian, Water Sprite (66.15) is located 1 cun below this point. It is indicated for Kidney deficiency and Water signs, e.g. nephritis, oedema, fatigue and lumbago (Chu, 2015).

In reflexology this point refers to the prostate and uterus.

A medieval phlebotomy point is located close to here but slightly distal and posterior, at the attachment point of the Achilles tendon to the calcaneous (Hans von Gersdorff, 1517: Feldtbüch der Wundartzney, www.nlm.nih.gov)

Avicenna describes cupping at this point in his treatise On Cupping:

"Cupping on the heels is good in cases of amenorrhoea, sciatica, and gout." (Aspects of Treatment According to General Diseases, 22nd section in Abu-Asab, Amri & Micozzi, 2013, Avicenna's Medicine)

In ayurvedic medicine:
Gulpha marma point
Size: 2 angula (cun)
Structure: Joint
Effect of Injury: Pain (rujakar marma)
(Harish Johari, 1996, Ayurvedic Massage, Sanatan Society; Anupama Bhattacharya, n.d. Marma Shastra)

Lad and Durve (2008) in Marma Points of Ayurveda call this point medial Gulpha and associate it with the doshas: Prana Vayu, Apana Vayu, Vyana Vayu, Shleshaka Kapha.

They give the following functions:
- Benefits the ankles
- Improves circulation in the feet
- Relieves pain locally
- Regulates kidney function and water filtration
- Pacifies kapha dosha

A lateral Gulpha point is located at Shenmai Bl-62.

In Thai massage:
Acupressure point (Salguero & Roylance, 2011, Encyclopedia of Thai Massage)

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