口禾髎 : Kouheliao : Mouth Grain Crevice

Location Guides:

Location:

Below the margin of the nostril, 0.5 cun lateral to Renzhong DU-26

Needling:

Oblique insertion 0.3 - 0.5 cun

Warnings:

According to some texts this point in contraindicated to moxibustion

Classical Needling:

"The Yangming usually has much Qi and much Blood" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel can normally be needled or bled.
"The hand Yin and Yang receive their Qi via nearby paths so their Qi arrive swiftly. The depth of piercing must not exceed 2 fen and must not remain inserted for longer than one exhalation" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of three fen" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Eliminates Wind and opens the nasal passages

TCM Indications:

• Nasal congestion and discharge, loss of sense of smell, nasal sores, nasal polyps, rhinitis with nosebleed.
  
• Lockjaw, deviation of the mouth, loss of consciousness.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Branches of the infraorbital nerve, from maxillary branch of trigeminal (CN V2)

Dermatome Segment: CN V2 maxillary branch of trigeminal

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

Striking will cause the recipient to go into shock or knock out if hard enough. Usually struck with a knuckle punch (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).

Major Combinations:

• Nosebleed:
    Kouheliao LI-19 with Shangxing Du-23
    (Misellaneous Disases).
  
  
• Incessant nosebleed:
    Kouheliao LI-19 with Duiduan Du-27 and Laogong Pc-8
    (Supplementing Stick).
  
  
• Nasal congestion with inability to distinguish the fragrant from the foul:
    Kouheliao LI-19 with Yingxiang LI-20, Shangxing Du-23 and Wuchu Bl-5
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

Notes:

Avicenna describes venesection at this point in his treatise On Venesection:

"The labial veins are four, two for each lip. Their venesection is beneficial in cases of mouth sores, stomatitis, and painful, swollen and receding gums, as well as haemorrhoids and their cracks." (Aspects of Treatment According to General Diseases, 21st section in Abu-Asab, Amri & Micozzi, 2013, Avicenna's Medicine)

In ayurvedic medicine:
Sringataka marma point
Size: 4 angula (cun)
Structure: Blood vessels
Effect of Injury: Fatal (sadhyapranahar marma)
(Harish Johari, 1996, Ayurvedic Massage, Sanatan Society; Anupama Bhattacharya, n.d. Marma Shastra)

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