Atlas of Acupuncture

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

Location

On the posterior midline, directly below the external occipital

protuberance, in the depression between the origins of the

trapezius muscle.

How to find

The external occipital protuberance (➞3.1.5) is a hump-shaped

projection on the posterior surface of the occipital bone, on

the midline and slightly superior to the craniocervical junction

(➞3.1.5). Locate Du-16in a depression on the posterior midline

that can be palpated directly inferior to the protuberance and

between the two origins of the trapezius muscle. Generally, Du-16

is located approximately 1 cun superior to the posterior hairline.

➞G.B.-20is located on the same level below the occiput, in a

depression between the origins of the trapezius and sternocleido-

mastoid muscles.

Needling

0.5–1 cun slightly obliquely in an inferior direction. Bend the

patient’s head slightly forward when needling. Caution: Danger-

ous point with deep needling! No stimulation. Strictly no

needling in a superior direction, danger of puncturing the cere-

bellomedullary cistern (also site for suboccipital puncture). The

needle should be inserted into the nuchal ligament. According to

some authors, moxibustion is contraindicated.

Actions/Indications

● Dispels (external) Wind

● Calms internal Wind and the shen

● Nourishes the Sea of Marrow, lightens the shen

Special features

Meeting point with the yang wei mai and, according to some

authors, the yang qiao mai. Sea of Marrow point, Window of

Heaven point, Sun Si Miao Ghost point. Used for all disorders

which are caused by ‘external or internal’ Wind and which are

characterised by sudden onset, changing location and/or inten-

sity of the disorder, involuntary movements.

Du-16 Palace of Wind FENGFU

External

occipital

protuberance

Atlas

G.B.-20 Lower

border of

the occiput

BL-10

Du-14

Du-15

Occipital

bone

1st palpable

spinous

process

Trapezius,

superior

fibres

Sternocleido-

mastoid

Du-16

G.B.-20

Axis

G.B.-20

Du-15

Du-14

G.B.-12

G.B.-19 BL-9 Du-17

Du-16

BL-10

G.B.-21

BL-10

D15

Axis

G.B.-20

G.B.-20 Lower

border of

the occiput

Sternocleido-

mastoid

Occipital

bone

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