Atlas of Acupuncture

5 The Eight Extraordinary Vessels (qi jing ba mai) with Points

Location

0.5 cun superior to the sternum, in the centre of the suprasternal

fossa.

How to find

This point is best located with the patient in a supine position

and a pillow under the shoulders or seated with a comfortable

and safe head support. Locate the centre of the suprasternal

fossa, approximately 0.5 cun superior to the sternum and there

locate Ren-22.

Needling

Initial vertical insertion 0.2 cun (in order to penetrate the skin),

then direct the tip of the needle inferiorly and continue to insert

the needle parallel to the posterior aspect of the sternum up to

0.5–1 cun. Caution: Dangerous point. Wrong insertion technique

(for example, vertical or oblique retrosternal needling) may lead

to injury of the big vessels and organs inside the mediastinum.

This point should only be needled by experienced practitioners.

Actions/Indications

● Descends counterflow Lung Qi, alleviates coughing and dys-

pnoea, benefits the throat

Special features

Meeting point with the yin wei mai, Window of Heaven point.

Important emergency point for acute asthma attacks.

Ren-22 Heavenly Prominence TIANTU

Suprasternal fossa

Ren-22

2nd rib

1st rib

T12

L1

T1

C6

Clavicle

Acromion

Coracoid process

Glenoid cavity

Scapula

4th rib

Sternum

6th rib

7th rib

8th rib

10th rib

11th rib

12th rib

3rd rib

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