Regional Anatomy:
Skin-subcutaneous tissue-anterior setratus muscle.
In the superficial layer, there are the lateral cutaneous branches of the 6th intercostal nerve and tributaries of the thoracoepigastric vein. In the deep layer, there are the branches of the long thoracic verve and the branches or tributaries of the thoracodorsal artery and vein.
Location:
Lie on one's side with the upper arm raised; on the middle axillary line, in the 6th intercostal space.
Function:
Soothing the chest oppression, invigorating the spleen, and regulating the flow of qi and blood.
Indications:
Pain in the chest and hypochondriac region, asthma, and general aching and weakness.
Prescription:
Combined use with YanglingquanGB34 (Yanglingquan (GB34) He-Sea Point, Influential Point of Tendon [3]) for treatment of intercostal neuralgia; with QuchiLI11 (Quchi (LI11) He-Sea Point [4]) and ZusanliST36 (Zusanli (ST36) He-Sea Point [5]) for treatment of rheumatic arthritis.
Methods:
Insert the needle obliquely 1.0-1.5 cun deep; needling response: local sensation of distension; moxibustion: using 3-5 moxa-cones, mild moxibustion for 10 min.
Note:
Don`t puncture deeply, or else the needle would penetrate the external intercostal muscles-the internal intercostal muscles-the parietal pleura-the pleural cavity-the visceral pleura and the lung by its tip, and cause an injury to lung, leading to pneumatothorax.
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