膺窗 : Yingchuang : Breast Window

Location Guides:

Location:

On the chest, in the third intercostal space, 4 cun lateral to the midline (Yutang Ren-18), on the mamillary line.

Needling:

Transverse-oblique insertion laterally or medially along the intercostal space 0.5 - 0.8 cun, or transverse insertion superiorly or inferiorly along the channel

Warnings:

Deep or perpendicular insertion carries a substantial risk of puncturing the lung

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 foot Yangming is to be pierced 6 fen deep and remain inserted for ten exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of fourfen and moxaed with five cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Alleviates cough and wheezing
Benefits the breasts

TCM Indications:

• Cough, fullness of the chest with shortness of breath, restless sleep, fever and chills, swelling of the lips, borborygmus and watery diarrhoea.
  
• Breast abscess.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Cutaneous branches of thoracic nerves from T4

Dermatome Segment: T4

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

In seizing martial arts (Qin Na) this point is a breath sealing point (Bi Qi, 閉氣). It is struck with the with the palm or Phoenix Eye Fist causing the lung to contract and seal the breath (Yang, 1995, Tai Chi Chin Na; Yang, 2004, Analysis of Shaolin Chin Na, 2nd Edition).

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 is associated with Hai 亥 Pig (9-11 pm) and if struck during this time is said to cause death within 1 week from severe simultaneous trauma to the area above the nipple. In 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 area between this point and Wuyi St-15 is the vital point of Chen 辰 Dragon (7 - 9 am) and considered most vulnerable to a downward palm thrust during this time (McCarthy, 2016, Bubishi: The Classic Manual of Combat).

Stops the heart when used along with and at the same time struck as Wuyi St-15 which is just below it. Both points can be struck with a palm strike (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).

Major Combinations:

• Swelling of the lips:
    Yingchuang St-16 with Taichong Liv-3
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Breast abscess, chills and fever with shortness of breath, restless sleep:
    Yingchuang St-16 with Shenfeng Kid-23
    (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:

Needling around the nipple can stimulate the Jing (Magidoff, n.d.).

The Stomach Shu are a proposed set of points that complement the Breast Shu. They are level with the Chest Shu and Front Mu points on the abdomen and receive the Blood and Ying Qi created through the action of the Spleen and Lung, via the Breast Shu, to distribute among the Zangfu. Whereas the Back Shu and Chest Shu deliver Yang and Yin Yuan Qi through the Bladder and Kidney Channels to the Zangfu, these points are focused specifically on postnatal Qi.

This point would be associated with the Liver, with its indications for the breasts that are under the domain of the Liver.

In ayurvedic medicine:
Stanrohia marma point
Size: 1/2 angula (cun)
Structure: Muscle
Effect of Injury: Premature death (kalantarpranahar marma)
(Harish Johari, 1996, Ayurvedic Massage, Sanatan Society; Anupama Bhattacharya, n.d. Marma Shastra)

In Thai massage:
One of a set of acupressure points circling the perimeter of the breast (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