顴髎 : Quanliao : Cheek Bone Crevice

Location Guides:

Classifications:

Binding point of the foot Taiyang, foot Shaoyang and hand Yangming Sinews
Meeting point for all leg Yang Sinew Meridians (Yuen, 2003, The Sinew Meridians: NESA).

Meetings:

Meeting of Small Intestine with San Jiao and Small Intestine Divergent

Location:

Directly below the outer canthus, in the depression at the lower border of the zygomatic bone.

Needling:

Transverse insertion to points such as Dicang St-4, Xiaguan St-7, Yingxiang L.I.-20, Jiache St-6, etc, or perpendicular insertion 0.5 - 0.7 cun

Warnings:

According to the Classic of Categories and a number of modern texts this point is contraindicated to moxibustion

Classical Needling:

"The Taiyang usually has much Blood and little Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be 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 alleviates pain
Clears Heat and reduces swelling

TCM Indications:

• Deviation of the mouth and eye, ceaseless twitching of the eyelids, pain of the face, swelling of the cheek with toothache, inability to chew, abscess of the lip, red face, yellow eyes.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Infraorbital nerve, from maxillary branch of trigeminal nerve (V2)

Dermatome Segment: CN V2 maxillary branch of trigeminal

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

Listed in the Wu Bei Zhi 武備志 (Treatise on Armament Technology) by Mao Yuanyi 茅元儀 (1621), Article 21: Delayed Death Touches with Twelve-Hour (Shichen 時辰) Diagrams. This point, along with Xingjian Liv-2, Tianrong SI-17 and Shangguan GB-3, are associated with Zi 子 Rat (11 pm - 1 am) and if struck during this time is said to cause death within 1 day from trauma to the temporal maxillary artery (McCarthy, 2016, Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat).

Can shock the brain with a rush of Qi up the back of the neck causing confusion and knock out if struck with a small point (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).

Major Combinations:

• Toothache:
    Quanliao SI-18 with Erjian LI-2
    (Haungfu Mi, 皇甫謐, 282: Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing, 針灸甲乙經, Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Toothache with aversion to cold:
    Quanliao SI-18 with Daying St-5, Tinghui GB-2 and Quchi LI-11
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
  
  
• Pain and deviation of the mouth, aversion to wind and cold, inability to chew:
    Quanliao SI-18 with Jiache St-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).
  
  
• Red and yellow eyes:
    Quanliao SI-18 with Neiguan Pc-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).

Notes:

Although this seems an odd point for pain of the back and legs indicated by it being the confluence of the Yang leg sinews, it could be due to strain or pain in the sinews producing a grimace and tension at this point which will become an ahshi over time.

In Tung acupuncture the point Ma Jin Shui Horse Gold Water, is located at this point with another Ma Kuai Shui, Horse Fast Water, located 0.4 cun below it. They are indicated for pain originating in the kidney, bladder, lower back and legs, including stones and UTIs, nephritis and frequent urination. They also have indications for sinusitis and chest pain. (Chu, 2015).

Jin's Three Needles for Discolouration are located at this point, Xiaguan St-7 and Taiyang. They are indicated for melasma, liver spots, discolorations of the face and usually accompanied by electrical stimulation and B12 injections (eLotus, 2021).

Medieval phlebotomy point (John de Foxton, 1408: Liber Cosmographiae, maa.cam.ac.uk)

In Tibetan medicine:
Moxa point (AMNH, Tibetan Medical Paintings)

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