漏谷 : Lougu : Dripping Valley

Location Guides:

Location:

On the medial side of the lower leg, 3 cun superior to Sanyinjiao Sp-6, in a depression just posterior to the medial crest of the tibia.

Needling:

Perpendicular or oblique insertion 1 - 1.5 cun

Warnings:

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

Classical Needling:

"The Taiyin usually has much Qi and little Blood" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be needled.
"The foot Taiyin is to be pierced 3 fen deep and remain inserted for four exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of three fen, (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).

TCM Actions:

Fortifies the Spleen and resolves Dampness
Promotes urination and disperses swelling

TCM Indications:

• Abdominal fullness, borborygmus, diarrhoea, painful belching, wasting of the muscles and flesh despite normal eating and drinking.
  
• Oedema, difficult urination, swelling of the ankle.
  
• Sadness with counterflow qi, seminal emission.
  
• Paralysis of the legs, Leg Qi (腳氣, Jiao Qi), inversion counterflow of the legs and kenes, Painful Obstruction (痹, Bi) of the knees.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Saphenous nerve, from femoral nerve (L2 - L4)

Dermatome Segment: L4

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

Striking causes Great immediate pain and Qi drainage (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).

In seizing martial arts (Qin Na) this point is a cavity pressing point (Dian Xue, 點穴). Pressing or striking this point can cause the leg to go numb (Yang, 2004, Analysis of Shaolin Chin Na, 2nd Edition).

This is one of the eight striking points in Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu. These are the nonfatal areas on an attacker's body that can be struck when just defending or wanting to defeat an attacker. Described as "The points on the middle front of the shins" with the diagram showing it at approximately this point (Olson, 2010, The Complete Guide to Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu). Wong Honfan (1946) simply described this point as "the shins" and Bruce Lee interpreted this as the bones themselves (Ravenswood Academy, 2020, The Eight Forbidden Strikes of Praying Mantis Fist).

Major Combinations:

• Cold abdomen:
    Lougu Sp-7 with Huiyang Bl-35
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Difficult urination and seminal emission:
    Lougu Sp-7 with Zhongji Ren-3, Ligou Liv-5, Chengfu Bl-36 and Zhiyin Bl-67
    (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:

In Tung acupuncture this point is known as Di Huang, Earth Emperor (77.19) and is often combined with Ren Huang, Human Emperor (77.21), 3 cun above the medial malleolus at Sanyinjiao Sp-6, and Tian Huang, Heavenly Emperor (77.17), at Yinlingquan Sp-9 to make Xia San Huang, the Lower Three Emperors. They all treat many disorders of the Spleen, Liver and Kidney, this one especially focuses on the Kidneys (Chu, 2015).

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