Atlas of Acupuncture

4 Acupuncture Points of the Twelve Primary Channels

Location

With the teeth clenched, on the highest prominence of the mas-

seter muscle, approximately one finger-width (middle finger)

anterior and superior to the angle of the jaw.

How to find

Ask the patient to clench their teeth, which will allow the mus-

cle belly of the masseter muscle to bulge. ST-6is located on its

prominence, a little anterior and superior to the angle of the jaw

(mandibular angle ➞3.1.3). With chewing movements of the

jaw (‘biting and relaxing’), the palpating finger will naturally

fall into the right depression when the muscle is relaxed.

➞ST-5is located more medially in the depression at the ante-

rior border of the masseter muscle.

Needling

Insertion with the patient’s mouth slightly opened (relaxed mas-

seter muscle). Vertically 0.3–0.5 cun or obliquely or transversely

(subcutaneously) 1–1.5 cun in the direction of ➞ST-4,ST-5,

ST-7, for example, in cases of facial paralysis.

Actions/Indications

● Eliminates Wind, benefits the jaw and teeth, opens the chan-

nel and luovessels, alleviates pain

Special features

Sun Si Miao Ghost point. Important local point for the jaw

region. Its location corresponds to a commonly used trigger point

on the masseter muscle. According to some authors, ST-6is a

meeting point with the G.B. channel.

ST-6 Jaw Bone JIACHE

S.I.-17 Sternocleidomastoid

T.B.-16

ST-6

ST-5

Masseter

S.I.-18

Zygomatic

bone

Mandibular

angle

ST-6

Masseter

ST-5

T.B.-21S.I.-19

G.B.-2

G.B.-12

S.I.-17

ST-9 S.I.-16

T.B.-16

T.B.-17

ST-7

G.B.-20

ST-5 ST-6

S.I.-18

Ren-23 L.I.-18

G.B.- 19

Ex-HN

(anmian)

Masseter

ST-6

ST-5

S.I.-18

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