Course: Point Locations III Date: 5/5/08 Doc: Channel Info - Comprehensive
Lung Channel of the Hand Taiyin
Highlights of the Lung Taiyin channel of the hand.
1. Originates in Middle Jiao 2. Two branches split at LU 7 a. Collateral channel: Back of hand to LI channel on index finger b. Part of Primary: Branch to thenar eminence of the thumb
Large Intestine Channel of the Hand Yangming
Highlights of the LI channel
1. Channel crosses midpoint of body, ends on opposite side from start. 2. LI 4 is command pt for face/mouth a. Use right LI 4 to treat problems no left face/mouth b. Use left LI 4 to treat problems on right face/mouth 3. Bilateral channel 4. Twenty points going from lateral index finger nail to naso-labial groove at side of the wing of the nose.
Stomach Channel of the Foot Yangming
Highlights of the Stomach Yangming Channel of the Foot
1. Originates at LI 20 in naso-labial groove lateral to the wing of the nose. 2. ST 8 doesn’t connect to ST 9, but to ST 5 3. Split in ST channel around ST 5. 4. ST channel goes to upper gums. For numbness/pain/swelling in upper gums, use points on legs for ST. 5. Three branches of ST channel a. Lower anterior aspect of midline on top of foot, terminates at ST 45 - lateral aspect of 2nd toe nail lower corner. b. Split at ST 36, down lateral aspect of lower leg, terminates at lateral aspect of 3rd toe. c. Split at ST 42, oblique across foot to meet SP 1at medial aspect of great toe.
What do you need to do/know about needling around the eyes? (esp ST 1) 1. Need good communication with your patient – they need to know what you’re going to do, what the risks are, what to expect. Bruising is a real possibility. 2. CNT techniques should be strictly applied. High risk of infection. 3. Select short, thin needles. 4. Use a clean dry cotton ball to push the closed eye up and away from the insertion site. 5. Insert slightly downward, then push in no more than 0.2 – 0.5 cun perpendicular. Cat Notes - Point Location III – Comprehensive Channel Info Page 1 6. No manipulation, no retention. 7. Press 1 minute after withdrawl, have pt hold another 2-3 minutes. 8. In the event of hematoma, ice 24-48 hours, then switch to heat to speed healing of bruises. 9. No moxa!!!
Spleen Channel of the Foot Taiyin
What channel does the Spleen Channel change positions with, which is anterior and posterior, and where do they change positions?
The SP channel changes positions with the LV channel 8 cun above the medial malleolus. Up to this point the Liver channel is anterior. After this measurement the Spleen channel is anterior and the Liver channel is posterior.
Does the Spleen channel go above the neck? If so, where does it go?
Yes, it does. It travels under the lower surface of the tongue to the root of the tongue (Heart channel is on the upper surface)
Briefly describe the path of the Spleen channel.
Begins at the medial corner of the nail of the big toe (SP 1) Runs along the medial aspect of the foot on the border where the skin changes color/texture Lower leg: Follows the posterior border of the tibia on the medial aspect. Upper leg: ascends along antero-medial aspect of the thigh. Trunk: intersects Conception vessel, enters Spleen, cnx with Stomach. Runs 6 cun lateral to midline
Heart Channel of the Hand Shaoyin
What is Mu Xi and how does it relate to the Heart Channel?
Mu Xi is translated as 1) the eye system or 2) the tissues connecting the eyes to the brain. Heart Channel ascends to the face and connects to Mu Xi. (Condition of Heart is expressed in the inner and outer canthus of the eyes.)
What other channel is related to eyes?
Liver. Liver and Heart have yang aspects and are the only two yin channels traveling to the face.
What are the yang-like aspects of the Heart Channel?
1) Heart has fire 2) Goes to the face – eyes and tongue.
Where does the Heart channel begin?
Heart organ. Cat Notes - Point Location III – Comprehensive Channel Info Page 2 What are the branches of the primary channel? Branches: 1) Descends from Heart through diaphragm to Small Intestine organ 2) From Heart, ascends next to esophagus, to face/cheek/eye. 3) Heart to Lung to axilla… Some books say heart to lung, descends, then goes to axilla... down medial aspect of arm to terminate at the radial corner of the nail on the pinkie.
Where on the tongue can you find Heart expressed?
Heart travels to root of tongue, upper surface of tongue (not lower surface! That’s spleen.)
Small Intestine Channel of the Hand Taiyang
Where does the Small Intestine channel begin?
Ulnar side of little finger on corner of fingernail.
What is the path of the SI primary channel?
Ascends along the ulnar (yang) side of the arm, to medial side of elbow (but still on the yang aspect), to shoulder then to Du 14. Goes over shoulder to anterior side of body, up neck to cheek below eye, around and into ear.
One branch descends to the lower he-sea point at ST 39.
To what organs does the SI channel connect?
Heart, Stomach, Small intestine.
Bladder Channel of the Foot Taiyang
How many points on the Bladder channel? 67
Where does the Bladder channel originate? At the inner canthus, BL 1
What are the 3 main branchings of the Bladder Channel? 1. Transverse from BL 1 to the Du channel, Du 20 2. Oblique from BL 1 to the temple and ear. 3. Along the main channel to the occipital area at BL 9-10
Where does the Bladder channel branch from the occipital area? 1. Oblique and down to meet with the other Yang channels at the Du area. 2. Two branchings down the posterior to make up the 2 bladder lines. Cat Notes - Point Location III – Comprehensive Channel Info Page 3 a. 1st Bladder Line: starts level with the tip of the spinous process of the T1 and 1.5 cun lateral, down the vertebrae to BL 30 at the level of S4, where it zigzags and goes over the openings of the sacral foramen, making up BL 31 – 34. BL 35 is at the tip of the coccyx and ½ cun lateral. This line continues down the back of the thigh to the center of the popliteal crease where it meets the 2nd bladder line. b. 2nd Bladder line: starts at BL 10, drops obliquely to the level of the tip of the spinous process of T2 and 3 cun lateral. Bladder channel points on this line are level with and associated with the 1st bladder line. BL 41 – 54 are on this line. After the level of S4 this line drops down the posterior aspect of the upper leg and meets the 1st bladder line at BL 40.
The bladder channel continues down the gastrocnemius and then to the lateral aspect of the lower leg, terminating at BL 67 on the lateral aspect of the little toe.
What are the scalp points on the Bladder channel? BL 3 – 9 are scalp points and all scalp acupuncture techniques apply
To what organs does the Bladder channel connect? Bladder and Kidney
Kidney Channel of the Foot Shaoyin
How many points on the Kidney channel? 27
What organs does the Kidney channel enter? All Yin organs except for Spleen. The only Yang organ it enters is the Bladder.
What is the termination point of the main Kidney channel? Terminates at KID 27 which is located 2 cun lateral to the midline just below the clavicle.
Where does the Kidney channel begin? Beneath the little toe.
How far from the midline is the main Kidney channel on the trunk? The abdominal points are ½ cun lateral to the midline. The chest points on the Kidney channel are 2 cun lateral to the midline.
Discuss the internal branchings of the Kidney channel. Where does it go into the body cavity and where does it go?
Enters the cavity at the groin area. 1. Enters the spine at the coccyx, exiting at L2 (BL 23 area), then to Kidney and Bladder. It’s at the level of the Bladder that it goes to the outside and the lower ab Kid points begin. Cat Notes - Point Location III – Comprehensive Channel Info Page 4 2. From Kidney goes upward through the Liver and diaphragm, heart, lung and pericardium. Up through throat to terminate at the root of the tongue.
Pericardium Channel of the Hand Jueyin Where does the Pericardium Channel begin?
Originates in the center of the chest (upper jiao) from the Pericardium organ.
The Pericardium goes downward to where?
Through diaphragm to connect with upper, middle and lower jiao
What 2 branchings are on the main Pericardium channel?
1. From chest area to 3 cun below anterior end of the axillary fold, then curves upward to the fold and travels down the medial arm between the hand Shaoyin (HT) and hand Taiyin channels (LU) between the tendons of the palmaris longus and the flexor carpi radialis to the tip of the middle finger.
2. Split from the main channel a the palm to the ring finger to connect with the SJ.
How may points on the Pericardium channel?
Nine.
San Jiao Channel of the Hand Shaoyang
How many points on the San Jiao channel? 23
Where does the SJ channel begin and travel? Begins on the ulnar corner of the nail of the little finger. From here it travels up the back of the hand and arm (lateral aspect in the TCM anatomical position, posterior aspect in the western anatomical position) to the shoulder, to a point above the scapula on the back and meets the other Yang channels at Du 14. Goes to the lateral side of the neck and to the face behind the ear.
What are the 3 branchings of the SJ channel on the face/head? 1. Enters the ear and emerges at the anterior ear. Travels up the zygomatic arch to the outer canthus, meeting the GB channel. 2. Goes to the apex of the ear, curving down the front side of the ear, cheek, then to the infraorbital ridge of the eye. 3. From the supraclavicular fossa goes to the face on the lateral side of the neck and to the thoracic cavity to Heart and Pericardium, entering diaphragm and connection to the other Jiao’s.
Cat Notes - Point Location III – Comprehensive Channel Info Page 5 Gall Bladder Channel of the Foot Shaoyang
How many total Gallbladder points? 44
Where does the Gallbladder channel originate? At the outer canthus, GB 1
Trace the basic path of the gallbladder channel on the face/head. From outer canthus front of ear curve to ST 8 temporal ear temple
Where does the gallbladder channel terminate? Lateral corner of the toenail of the 4th toe.
Where on the foot does the GB channel split? GB 41, goes obliquely to the medial aspect of the big toe to meet the Liver channel.
Liver Channel of the Foot Jueyin
How many total points on the Liver channel? 14
Highlights of the Liver Channel
Where does LV originate? Lateral side of the big toe (spleen is medial side)
Where does LV meet the other footyin channels? At SP 6, 3 cun prox to the prominence of the medial malleolus
Discuss SP and LV in relation to each other’s locations on the lower leg. Liver begins at the lateral aspect of the big toenail and runs anterior to the Spleen channel until it reaches a point 8 cun proximal to the prominence of the medial malleolus. At this point the liver channel runs posterior to the SP channel.
At what 2 points does LV cross the midline of the body? 1. LV encircles the genitals, crossing the midline, but returning to it’s original side then enters the body deeply at the pubic area. 2. LV encircles the interior aspect of the lips, crossing the midline.
Bonus: what other channels encircle the lips? Ren, Chong, Stomach
Where do the LV and LU channels connect and what happens here? Connect in the Lungs. This is where the flow of qi begins another circuit through the body.
Cat Notes - Point Location III – Comprehensive Channel Info Page 6 What sensory feature on the face does both the Liver and Heart channels connect to? The Mu Xi – connective tissues between brain and eyes and/or the eye system
Which 2 yin channels have a lot of yang like features? Liver and heart
Where is a “jueyin” headache located and why? This is a vertex headache. Liver goes to the vertex and is a jueyin channel, hence the connection
Where is a yangming headache? Frontal area
Where is a shaoyang headache? Temporal area
If your patient has a taiyang headache, where would that be? Occipital area
Cat Notes - Point Location III – Comprehensive Channel Info Page 7 Du/Governing Vessel
What is the origin of the Du, Ren, and Chong Vessels? Around Du 1 in the lower abdomen, specifically, the uterus for women and the semen palace for males.
Where does the external aspect of the Du Channel travel in the body? Where does it branch, reconnect, terminate? From the origin, back to the sacrum, inside the spine to the occipital area. From here branches into 2 paths: 1. Enters the brain 2. Goes to the apex of the skull from the occipital area, curving along the margin of the skull. Reconnects, merging to one at the forhead, down to the tip of the nose, to the philtrum, terminating at the frenulum of the upper gums.
Where does the internal branch of the Du channel travel in the body? From lower abdomen, penetrates diaphragm and enters the Heart. Goes to throat, mouth, encircles lips and connects to both eyes.
How many points are on the Du channel? 28
Cat Notes - Point Location III – Comprehensive Channel Info Page 8 Ren/Conception Vessel
Where does the Ren, Du, and Chong channel originate? Around Du 1/Ren 1 in the lower abdomen, specifically in the uterus for women and in the semen palace for men.
Where does the “needle-able” Ren channel travel in the body? Goes up the front of the body on the anterior midline to the throat and chin. Another portion winds around the mouth and terminates at the eyes.
Where does the internal branch of the Ren channel travel in the body? From the pelvic cavity to the spine, ascending along the back to the root of the tongue.
How many points are on the Ren channel? 24
Cat Notes - Point Location III – Comprehensive Channel Info Page 9