This is Part II of a series on confident acupuncture needling.  Please visit our previous post for the introduction and needling anatomy for the leg.  Proper needling, including depth and manipulation depends on an understanding of the structures that are being needled, namely nerves, veins and arteries, as well as musculature.  Recently, CGICM started an acupuncture course in which anatomy is some of the content.  Here are some examples of needling of points on the arm, gynecologically related of course:

 

LU 7: Lie Que – Broken Sequence (like lightening)

  • Luo Connecting point of the Lung channel; Confluent point of the Ren channel
  • Function: treats the head and neck region and exterior syndromes
    • Pacifies wind and phlegm for cough, asthma, dyspnea, facial paralysis, etc.
    • Regulates water passages for edema, urine retention, constipation, etc.
    • + KI 6: chronic asthma, facial edema, dry and sore throat, menstruation problems
    • Gynecological Function: opens the Chong & Ren channels for menstruation problems
    • Location: on the radial aspect of the forearm, in the cleft between the tendons of brachioradialis and abductor pollicis longus.
      • Innervation: superficial radial nerve
      • Needling: Obliquely 0.3-0.5 cun, towards elbow

 

LI 4: He Gu – Joining Valley

  • Yuan Prime point of the Large Intestine channel
  • Function: treats headache facial swelling, tooth decay, nose bleeding, lockjaw, etc.
    • Dispels external wind, releases exterior, and regulates defensive Qi for common cold, abnormal sweating, asthma, disorders of the face, eyes, nose, mouth and ear, etc.
    • Calms the mind, harmonizes ascending and descending for epigastric pain, migraine, prolapse, etc.
    • + LV 3: soothe the mind, allay anxiety, Bi and atrophy disorders of the 4 limbs, hemiplegia.
    • Gynecological Function: Induces labor, amenorrhea, prolonged or delayed labor and dead fetus retention – CONTRAINDICATED IN PREGNANCY
    • Location: on the dorsum of the hand between the 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones at the midpoint of the 2nd metacarpal, close to the radial border
      • It is the highest point of the bulge when the thumb and pointer finger are squeezed together.
      • Musculature: 1st interosseous dorsalis muscle belly
      • Vasculature: radial artery
      • Innervation: ulnar nerve, superficial branch of the radial nerve, muscular branch of the median nerve
      • Needling: Perpendicular 0.5-1.0 cun

 

LI 11: Qu Chi – Crooked Pond

  • He Sea point of the Large Intestine channel
  • Function: treats any type (interior, exterior, excess or deficient) of fever and heat in the body, skin diseases, hypertension
    • Expels wind, cools Blood, resolves dampness, alleviates itching, regulates Qi & Blood
    • Location: locate with the elbow flexed, at the lateral end of the transverse cubital crease, between the lateral epicondyle and biceps anoneurosis, in the groove between extensor carpi radialis longus and brachoradialis muscles.
      • Innervation: radial nerve muscular branches
      • Needling: Perpendicular 1.0-1.5 cun

 

PC 5: Jian Shi – Intermediate Messenger

  • Especially for phlegm
  • Functions: resolves phlegm, settles and calms the spirit, descends rebellious Qi, and regulates the Stomach
  • Gynecological Functions: Regulates the menses for irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, menstrual disturbances, clotting, leucorrhea, and lochia retention
  • Location: 3 cun above the transverse wrist crease between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis
    • Musculature: flexor digitorum superficialis and profundus
    • Innervation: median nerve
    • Needling: Perpendicular 0.5-1.0 cun

 

PC 6: Nei Guan – Inner Pass

  • Luo Connecting point of the Pericardium channel and Confluent point of the Yin Wei channel
  • Especially for the chest, including Heart and Lung; Excess type heart pain; Deficiency type stiffness and pain of the head and neck
  • Functions: opens the chest, regulates the Heart, calms the mind, harmonizes the Stomach, alleviates nausea and vomiting, clears heat, opens the Yin Wei Channel
  • Gynecological Functions: morning sickness
  • Location: 2 cun above the transverse wrist crease between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis
    • Musculature: flexor digitorum superficialis
    • Innervation: median nerve
    • Needling: Perpendicular 0.5-0.8 cun

 

So, looking for something new to study and master?  Try anatomy and see what it does to your needling techniques.  Seriously, studying the neural innervation for the shoulder and CNS and acupuncture point location is very, very cool.  For more information, please contact us!

 

Caroline Prodoehl