Acupuncture Point Yingchuang (ST16)
Location:
Sit upright or lie supinely; above the nipple, at the midpoint of the 3rd intercostal space.
Function:
Soothing the chest oppression, regulating the flow of qi, and keeping the functions of Yin and Wei in balance.
Regional Anatomy:
Skin-subcutaneous tissue-greater pectoral muscle-intercostal muscle.
In the superficial layer, there are the lateral cutaneous branches of the intercostal nerve and the tributaries of the thoracoepigastric vein. In the deep layer, there are the medial ane lateral pectoral nerves, the branches or tributaries of the thoracoacromial artery and vein, the third intercostal nerve and the third posterior intarcostal artery vein.
Indications:
Fullness and pain in the chest and hypochondrium, cough, Asthma, and Mastitis.
Prescription:
Combined use with ShaozeSI1 (Shaoze (SI1) Jing-Well Point) and ZusanliST36 (Zusanli (ST36) He-Sea Point) for treatment of agalactia; and with TaichongLR3 (Taichong (LR3) Shu-Stream, Yuan-Source Point) for treatment of mastitis.
Methods:
Insert the needle obliquely 1-1.5 cun deep; needling response: local sensation distension and soreness; moxibustion: using 3-5 moxa-cones, mild moxibustion for 15 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, injure the lung tissue and cause pneumatothorax.