 |
Location Guides: |
He-Sea and Earth point
Child point of the San Jiao channel
Binding point of the hand Shaoyang Sinews
Meeting of San Jiao with Large Intestine Divergent
With the elbow flexed, this point is located in the depression 1 cun proximal to the olecranon.
Perpendicular insertion 0.5 - 1 cun
"The Shaoyang usually has little Blood and much Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be needled.
"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).
"Locate it with the" (patient’s) elbow bent. It is needled to a depth of onefen, (the needle) is retained for a duration of seven exhalations, and it is moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).
Transforms Phlegm and dissiplates nodules
Regulates Qi and descends rebellion
Calms the Shen
Clears Heat from the San Jiao channel
Activates the channel and alleviates pain
Shared with Daling Pc-7 and balanced by ䷵ (Zhongfeng Liv-4 or Zuqiaoyin GB-44).
Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.
Superficial Innervation: Medial cutaneous nerve of the arm (C8 - T1)
Dermatome Segment: C5
This point is where pressure is applied in most elbow bar locks, or can be struck to damage the elbow.
Listed in the Wu Bei Zhi 武備志 (Treatise on Armament Technology) by Mao Yuanyi 茅元儀 (1621), Article 24: Bronze Man Statue, which divides the body into zones associated with the Twelve-Hour branches (Shichen 時辰) going from top downwards, the lower bicep and elbow (He-3, SJ-10, SI 8, LI 10, LI 11, LI 12 & Lu 5) and the xiphoid process (Juque Ren-14) are the vital points of Wu 午 Horse (11 am - 1 pm) and considered most vulnerable to a palm thrust during this time (McCarthy, 2016, Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat).
Striking this point can lead to damage to or breaking the elbow, continuous headaches or weaknesses showing up in the entire body due to disruption of all three Jiao (Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).
In five element acupuncture this point is reduced to drain excess in the Sanjiao.
Ling Shu Ch. 6 suggests piercing the He points of the Yang channels if a disease is in the Yang of the Yang realm (e.g. the skin). This would mean using this point, presumably needled at a very superficial level, to treat skin level disorders relating to this channel.
Combining this with the needling techniques described in Chapter 7 we could suggest using either superficial needling here to influence pathogens in the skin, or leopard spot needling (three needles aimed at letting blood from each side) for pathogens in the Blood.
Ling Shu Ch. 9, On Ends and Beginnings, advises that in the case of Heat associated with receding Yin Qi the Yang conduit should be pierced once and the Yin conduits twice. Based on other recommendation to use the He-Sea of the Yang conduits (Ch. 19) and the Yuan-Source with the Ying-Spring points (Chs. 6, 19 and 24) to clear Heat from the Zangfu, that would suggest this point, Daling Pc-7 and Laogong Pc-8 as a protocol to clear Heat in the Pericardium/San Jiao. Next it advises that in Cold associated with receding Yang Qi the Yang should be pierced twice and the Yin once but no such obvious protocol is evident for this situation. Another interpretation that would match with common practice today, based on the idea of odd numbers being Yang/moving/clearing while even numbers are Yin/tonifying/reinforcing, is that the points on the channel to be cleared are pierced on one side only while those on the channel to be tonified are pierced bilaterally.
Ling Shu Ch. 71, On Evil Visitors, says that when a depletion evil is in the Lung and Heart it remains in two elbows. Yuen's theory of the Divergent meridians suggests that they store pathogens at the major joints, depleting our resources while they do, which would make this a potential point for for the Pericardium/San Jiao Divergent.
In Tibetan medicine:
Moxa point (AMNH, Tibetan Medical Paintings)
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
Steve Woodley Acupuncture & Traditional Medicine
90 Deane Croft Road,
Eascote, Pinner, Greater London. HA5 1SP
Tel/WhatsApp: +44 (0) 7946 174 829
Email: steve@steve-woodley.co.uk
