L.

Intestine
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
CONTENTS Points Index
Points
Points
Points Index
Index
IndexGeneral Index
General
General
General Index
Index
IndexIndications Index
Indications
Indications
Indications Index
Index
IndexPoint Names
Point
Point
Point Names
NamesIndex
Names Index
Index
Index Glossary
Glossary
Glossary
Glossary
CONTENTS
CONTENTS Points Index General
PointsIndex GeneralIndex
Index Indications
IndicationsIndex
Index Point
PointNames
NamesIndex
Index Glossary
Glossary
Stomach Combinations
Combinations
Combinations
CombinationsIndex
Index
Index
Index Previous Point
Previous
Previous
Previous Point
PointNext
Point Point
Next
Next
Next Point
Point
Point
Gall Bladder Channel Combinations
CombinationsIndex
Index See Notes Previous
PreviousPoint
Point Next
NextPoint
Point 1
Spleen
Heart
S. Intestine
XUANZHONG GB-39 INDICATIONS
BladderBell
Suspended • Stiffness and pain of the neck, atrophy disorder,
Kidney chronic painful obstruction, wind-taxation with
Hui-Meeting point for Marrow
Pericardium heaviness of the body, injury by cold pathogen
Sanjiao leading to taxation, deficiency-taxation, contracted
LOCATION sinews and pain of the bones, hip pain, numbness
Gall Bladder
Above the ankle joint, 3 cun superior to the prominence of and pain of the knee and lower leg, sciatica, leg qi,
Liver malleolus, between the posterior border of the
the lateral sprain of the ankle joint, flaccidity of the foot.
fibulaConception
and the tendons of peroneus longus and brevis. • Hemiplegia, headache, dizziness, throat painful ob-
Governing struction, nosebleed, dryness of the nose.
Extra Points
Xuanzhong GB-39 • Distention and fullness of the chest and abdomen,
counterflow qi and cough, soreness and pain of the
lateral costal region, swelling of the axilla.
• Fullness of the abdomen in children with inability to
eat or drink, fullness and distention of the Heart and
abdomen, heat in the Stomach, no pleasure in eating,
watery diarrhoea.
• Injury by cold leading to heat with persistent fever,
haemorrhoids, agitation and fullness, mania, anxiety,
3 cun

indignation and anger, the five types of painful uri-

nary dysfunction.

COMMENTARY
Xuanzhong GB-39 is the hui-meeting point for the ‘mar-
row’ which is the source of both the ‘sea of marrow’ (the
brain) and the bone marrow. There is little evidence in
classical texts of the ability of Xuanzhong GB-39 to nour-
ish the sea of marrow, in other words to treat diseases of
peroneus longus peroneus brevis
the head and brain, and even headache and dizziness are
modern rather than traditional indications.
Xuanzhong GB-39, however, has a strong action on
LOCATION NOTE benefiting the bone marrow, sinews and bones and is
Locate one handbreadth proximal to the prominence of indicated for a wide range of disorders characterised by
the lateral malleolus. weakness, flaccidity, contraction and pain of the limbs.
This latter action is complemented by its ability to dispel
NEEDLING wind-damp. According to the Essential Questions19 “In
Perpendicular insertion 1 to 1.5 cun. The practitioner bone painful obstruction the pathogenic factor reaches
should use the index finger of one hand to separate the the Kidneys; in sinew painful obstruction it reaches the
peroneal tendons from the fibula, to emphasise the groove. Liver”. In chronic painful obstruction, therefore, pro-
Needle into the groove, first slightly posteriorly for 0.5 longed retention of wind-damp which injures the sinews
cun and then perpendicularly, to avoid hitting the fibula. and bones will eventually deplete the Liver and Kidneys
Movement of the patient’s ankle after needling can result and hence the marrow. Prolonged deficiency of the Liver
in a bent needle. For this reason, this point should be and Kidneys and insufficiency of essence, resulting in
needled last and the patient instructed not to move the leg malnourishment of the sinews, may also give rise to
after needling. atrophy disorder. By its action of nourishing the marrow
and benefiting the sinews and bones Xuanzhong GB-39 is
ACTIONS therefore indicated for both chronic painful obstruction
Benefits the sinews and bones and atrophy disorder, hence the references to the use of
Benefits the neck Xuanzhong GB-39 in wind-taxation with heaviness of the
Dispels wind-damp body, injury by cold pathogen leading to taxation and
Clears Gall Bladder fire deficiency-taxation. The term taxation here denotes the
Activates the channel and alleviates pain extreme deficiency that arises due to chronic retention of
 L. Intestine
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
CONTENTS Points Index
Points
Points
Points IndexGeneral
Index
Index Index
General
General
General IndexIndications
Index
Index Index
Indications
Indications
Indications IndexPoint
Index
Index Names
Point
Point
Point Names
NamesIndex
Names IndexGlossary
Index
Index Glossary
Glossary
Glossary
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
CONTENTS Points
Points
Points Index
Index
Index General
General
General Index
Index
Index Indications
Indications
Indications Index
Index
Index Point
Point
Point Names
Names
Names Index
Index
Index Glossary
Glossary
Glossary
Stomach Previous Point
2 Combinations
Combinations
Combinations
Combinations
Combinations
Combinations
CombinationsIndex
Index
Index
Index
Index
Index
Index See Notes Previous
Previous
Previous
Previous
Previous
Previous PointNext
Point
Point
Point
Point
Point Next
Next
Next
NextPoint
Next
Next
Gall Point
Point
Point Channel
Point
Point
Point
Bladder
Spleen
Heart
S. Intestine
pathogenic factors. According to the Ode to Elucidate
Bladderthe great Han dynasty physician Hua Tuo
Mysteries,
Kidney
needled Xuanzhong GB-39 and Huantiao GB-30 for lame-
nessPericardium
of the legs, and “immediately the patient was able to
walk”.
Sanjiao
The Gall Bladder primary and sinew channels pass
Gall Bladder
through different portions of the neck. By virtue of its
Liverof benefiting the sinews and bones and activating
actions
Conception
the channel and alleviating pain, Xuanzhong GB-39 is the
main distal point on the Gall Bladder channel for disor-
Governing
dersExtra
of the neck, both acute and chronic.
Points
Xuanzhong GB-39 has a further action of promoting the
smooth flow of Liver and Gall Bladder qi, and clearing
Gall Bladder fire primarily arising from the transforma-
tion of stagnant qi. It is indicated for distention of the chest
and abdomen, fullness and distention of the Heart and
abdomen, soreness and pain of the lateral costal region,
anxiety, indignation, anger and mania. Gall Bladder fire
may easily transmit to the Stomach, resulting in Stomach
heat, or obstruct the Stomach descending function lead-
ing to lack of appetite. The Gall Bladder sinew channel
binds at the side of the nose and the primary channel
connects with the Governing vessel at Changqiang DU-1.
By clearing Gall Bladder fire, Xuanzhong GB-39 is also
indicated for dryness of the nose, nosebleed and haemor-
rhoids.

COMBINATIONS
• Coldness and pain of the bone marrow: Xuanzhong
GB-39, Dazhu BL-11, Fuliu KID-7, Shenmai BL-62,
Lidui ST-45 and Shenshu BL-23 (Compilation).
• Curvature of the lumbar spine: reinforce Fengchi GB-20
and reduce Xuanzhong GB-39 (Song of the Jade Dragon).
• Windstroke with one-sided withering and incessant
pain: Xuanzhong GB-39, Jianyu L.I.-15, Taixi KID-3,
Quchi L.I.-11, Zusanli ST-36 and Kunlun BL-60 (Great
Compendium).
• Flaccidity of the legs with difficulty in walking: first
needle Xuanzhong GB-39 then needle Tiaokou ST-38
and Chongyang ST-42 (Secrets of the Heavenly Star).
• Leg qi: Xuanzhong GB-39, Zusanli ST-36 and San-
yinjiao SP-6 (Ode of the Jade Dragon).
• Pain of the ankle and heel: Xuanzhong GB-39, Kunlun
BL-60 and Qiuxu GB-40 (Song More Precious Than Jade).
• Fullness and distention of the Heart and abdomen:
Xuanzhong GB-39 and Neiting ST-44 (Great Compen-
dium).
• Hot Stomach with no pleasure in eating: Xuanzhong
GB-39 and Xialian L.I.-8 (Supplementing Life).
• Stiff neck: Xuanzhong GB-39, Tianzhu BL-10 and
Houxi SI-3.