石關 : Shiguan : Stone Pass

Location Guides:

Meetings:

Meeting of Kidney with Chong Mai

Location:

On the upper abdomen, 3 cun above the umbilicus, 0.5 cun lateral to the midline (Jianli Ren-11). Note: The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion locates this 1.5 cun from the midline.

Needling:

Perpendicular insertion 1 - 1.5 cun

Warnings:

Deep needling may penetrate the peritoneal cavity.

Classical Needling:

"The Shaoyin usually has little Blood and much Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be needled.
"The foot Shaoyin is to be pierced 2 fen deep and remain inserted for three exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of one cun and moxaed with five cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Regualtes the Lower Jiao and alleviates pain
Regulates Qi and moves Blood stasis
Harmonises the Stomach

TCM Indications:

• Post-partum abdominal pain, acute pain of the lateral costal region following childbirth, malign blood in the uterus, infertility, unbearable abdominal pain, unendurable stabbing pain of the abdomen, constipation, dark urine, stiffness of the spine, redness and pain of the eye originating at the inner canthus.
  
• Hiccup, vomiting, retching, much spittle, inability to open the mouth.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Anterior cutaneous thoracic nerve from T9

Dermatome Segment: T9

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

See Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com for explanation of effects.

Major Combinations:

• Difficulty in defecation with abdominal pain:
    Shiguan Kid-18 with Pangguangshu Bl-28
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Difficulty in defecation:
    Shiguan Kid-18 with Dazhong Kid-4
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Malign blood in the uterus, internal Counterflow fullness and pain:
    Shiguan Kid-18 with Siman Kid-14
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Infertility:
    Shiguan Kid-18 with Yinjiao Ren-7
    (Gao Wu, 高武, 1529: Bai Zheng Fu, 百症賦, Ode of a Hundred Symptoms).

Notes:

In nine palaces abdominal acupuncture, this point is located in the region associated with ☲ Li, Fire, the south and the Heart and Small Intestine organs (Schelbert, 2014, Ryan, 2009).

Reference Notes:

Basic information on location, needle depth, TCM actions, indications and combinations is taken from Deadman et al (2001): A Manual of Acupuncture with additional anatomical information researched by reference to Gray's Anatomy (38th Ed., 1995) unless otherwise referenced. Images were found on acupunctureschoolonline.com and can be traced back to Claudia Focks (2008) Atlas of Acupuncture originally. I cannot claim any credit or rights over them. Other sources should be quoted in the text.

For some of the more unusual terms I have created a glossary here