條口 : Tiaokou : Lines Opening

Location Guides:

Location:

On the lower leg, midway between the tibio-femoral joint line (level with the popliteal crease) and the prominance of the lateral malleolus, one fingerbreadth lateral tot he anterior crest of the tibia.

Needling:

Perpendicular or oblique insertion 1 - 1.5 cun

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 eight j?n" (one text states that “the needle is retained for a duration of three breaths”), and it is moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Expels Wind-Damp and alleviates pain
Benefits the shoulder

TCM Indications:

• Atrophy disorder and Painful Obstruction (痹, Bi) of the lower limb, damp Painful Obstruction (痹, Bi), numbness, coldness, swelling and pain of the shin, inability to stand for long, swelling of the thigh and knee, heat in the soles of the feet.
  
• Pain and stiffness of the shoulder, abdominal pain.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Lateral cutaneous nerve of the calf from L4 - S1

Dermatome Segment: L5

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

Striking this point affects the power of the upper body especially the shoulders which can be resolved using Qupen St-12 (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).

Major Combinations:

• Heat in the sole of the foot with inability to stand for long:
    Tiaokou St-38, Zusanli St-36, Chengshan Bl-57 and Chengjin Bl-56
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
  
  
• Flaccidity of the legs with difficulty in walking:
    First needle Xuanzhong GB-39, then needle Tiaokou St-38 and Chongyang St-42
    (Anon, nd, Tian Xing Mi Jue, 天星秘訣, Secrets of the Celestial Star).
  
  
• Shoulder pain:
    Tiaokou St-38 and local points.

Notes:

Ling Shu Ch. 19, on the Four Seasonal Qi, recommends this point for disease in the Small Intestine reversing to attack the Intestines and Stomach, combined with Qihai Ren-6 (Unschuld, 2016) or "the Source point of the Chest" (Wu & Wu, 2010), plus points on the Hand Taiyin Lung to supplement and Foot Jueyin Liver to drain.

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