Acupuncture Point Neiting (ST44)
Location:
Supine or upright sitting position; at the stria end of the fissure between the 2nd and the 3rd metalarsal bone.
Function:
Removing pathogenic heat from the stomach, regulating the flow of qi to alleviate pain.
Regional Anatomy:
Skin-subcutaneous tissue-between tendons of long and short extensor muscles of 2nd and 3rd toes-between heads of 2nd and 3rd metatarsal bones.
In the superficial layer, there are the dorsal digital nerve of the medial dorsal pedal cutaneous nerve and dorsal anteriovenous network of the foot. In the deep layer, there are the dorsal artery and vein.
Indications:
Toothache, pain in the face, deviation of the mouth, sore throat, epistaxis, gastric pain, acid regurgitation, abdominal distension, Diarrhea, dysentery, Constipation, swelling and pain of the dorsum of the foot, and febrile diseases.
Prescription:
Combined use with TianshuST25 (Tianshu (ST25) Front-Mu Point of the Large Intestine) for treatment of dysentery; with HeguLI4 (Hegu (LI4) Yuan-Source Point) for treatment of tonsillitis; with ShangxingGV23 (Shangxing (GV23)) for treatment of ophthalmalgia; and with ZusanliST36 (Zusanli (ST36) He-Sea Point) and SanyinjiaoSP6 (Sanyinjiao (SP6)) for treatment of distension of the lower abdomen.
Methods:
Insert the needle perpendicularly 0.3-0.5 cun deep; needling response: local sensation of distension and soreness; moxibustion: using 3-5 moxa-cones, or mild moxibustion for 10 min.