絲竹空 : Sizhukong : Silken Bamboo Hollow

Location Guides:

Location:

In the depression on the supraorbital margin, at the lateral end of the eyebrow.

Needling:

Treansverse insertion, medially along the eyebrow or posteriorly 0.5 - 1 cun

Warnings:

According to several classical texts, this point is contraindicated to moxibustion.

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 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 deep," (and the needle) is retained for a duration of three exhalations. Moxibustion is prohibited as it may cause unfortunate narrowing of the eyes and blindness" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Eliminates Wind and alleviates pain
Benefits the eyes

TCM Indications:

• Headache, one-sided headache, head wind, aversion to wind and cold, dizziness, Visual Dizziness, tetany, epilepsy with foaming at the mouth, periodic mania with foaming at the mouth, childhood umbilical wind, toothache.
  
• Upward staring eyes, deviation of the face and eye, blurred vision, pain and redness of the eyes, twitching of the eyelids and eyebrows, ingrown eyelash.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Lacrimal nerve from ophthalamic branch of trigeminal nerve (CN V1)

Dermatome Segment: CN V1 ophthalamic branch of trigeminal

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

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

Major Combinations:

• One-sided or generalised Wind headache that is difficult to cure:
    Join Sizhukong SJ-23 subcutaneously with Shuaigu GB-8
    (Yu Long Ge, 玉龍賦, Song of the Jade Dragon. First recorded in Wang Guorui, 王國瑞, 1329: Bian Que Shen Ying Zhen Jiu, Yu Long Jing, 扁鵲神應針灸玉龍經, Bian Que's Spiritual Guide to Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Classic of the Jade Dragon).
  
  
• One-sided or generalised headache:
    Sizhukong SJ-23 with Fengchi GB-20 and Hegu LI-4
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• One-sided or generalised Head Wind:
    Sizhukong SJ-23 with Baihui Du-20, QIanding Du-21, Shenting Du-24, Shangxing Du-23, Fengchi GB-20, Hegu LI-4, Zanzhu Bl-2 and Touwei St-8
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Wind headache:
    Sizhukong SJ-23 with Erheliao SJ-22, Qimai SJ-18, Zanzhu Bl-2, Chengguang Bl-6 and Shenshu Bl-23
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
  
  
• Wind epilepsy with upward staring eyes:
    Sizhukong SJ-23 with Kunlun Bl-60 and Baihui Du-20
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Toothache:
    Sizhukong SJ-23 with Ermen SJ-21
    (Gao Wu, 高武, 1529: Bai Zheng Fu, 百症賦, Ode of a Hundred Symptoms).

Notes:

The trigger point for the orbicularis oculi muscle lies slightly inferior and medial to this point (Travell & Simons, 1998, Trigger Point Manual)

Ling Shu Ch. 52, On the Wei Qi, considers this point or Jiaosun SJ-20 to be the tip of the hand Shaoyang meridian with the root being at Yemen SJ-2.

There are points along the Gall Bladder channel that affect associated Zangfu, Primary Channels and Extraordinary Vessels that I refer to as "head-Shu" points. This point, as the "silken bamboo hollow" at the lateral end of the eyebrow may have equally meant Taiyang, making this point an obvious candidate for a head-Shu for the Chong Mai.

This would make sense as it is from the end of the San Jiao channel that the Gall Bladder channel originates, and from the Chong Mai that the other vessels and channels emerge.

In Mayan medicine:
A few drops of blood are released from the parietal artery at this point in cases of fever and accompanied by a vapor bath (Garcia, Sierra, Balam, 1999: Wind in the Blood)

In ayurvedic medicine:
Avarta marma point
Size: 1/2 angula (cun)
Structure: Bone
Effect of Injury: Disability (vaikalyakar marma); Loss of sight
(Harish Johari, 1996, Ayurvedic Massage, Sanatan Society; Anupama Bhattacharya, n.d. Marma Shastra)

Lad and Durve (2008) in Marma Points of Ayurveda locate a point slightly above this called Bhruh Agra and associate it with the doshas: Alochaka Pitta, Sadhaka Pitta, Vyana Vayu, Tarpaka Kapha.

They give the following actions:
- Benefits eyes, enhances circulation of aqueous and vitreous humor
- Relieves headaches
- Enhances circulation in frontal lobe of brain
- Releases suppressed emotions in the form of tears
- Relieves stress, calms the mind

They also locate a point slightly below called Ashru Agra associated with Alochaka Pitta, Sadhaka Pitta, Vyana Vayu amd Tarpaka Kapha.

They give the following actions:
- Stimulates lacrimal secretion
- Releases suppressed emotions
- Relieves headaches
- Benefits eyes
- Relieves stress, clams the mind, balances emotions

In Tibetan medicine:
Bleeding 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