Acupuncture Point Fengfu (GV16)
Location:
Sit upright with one's head inclined slightly forward; 1 cun into the posterior hairline on the posterior median line, in the depression vertically below external occipital protuberance.
Function:
Refreshing oneself, calming wind and promoting resuscitation.
Regional Anatomy:
Skin-subcutaneous tissue-between left and right tendons of traapezius muscle-nuchal ligament (between left and right semispinal muscles of head)-between left and right larger and lesser posterior straight muscle of head.
In the superficial layer, there are the branches of the greater occipital nerve and the 3rd occipital nerve dnd the branches or tributaries of the occipital artery and vein.In the deep layer, there are the branches of the suboccipital nerve.
Indications:
Headache, neck rigidity, blurred vision, epistaxis, sore throat, post-apoplexy aphasia, Hemiplegia, and mental disorders.
Prescription:
Combined use with Acupuncture Single Point Chengjiang for treatment of functional aphasia; with Houxi (SI 3) Shu-Stream Point, The Eight Confluent Point) for treatment of headache; with Acupuncture Single Point Lianquan for treatment of pseudo-bulbar palsy; with Houxi (SI 3) and Shenmai (BL62) The Eight Confluent Point) for treatment of epilepsy; and with Erjian (LI 2) Ying-Spring Point) and Yingxiang (LI 20) for treatment of epistaxis.
Methods:
Insert the needle perpendicularly to 0.5-1 cun depth; needling response: local numbness and distention, radiating toward the head; moxibustion: mild moxibustion for 3-5 min.
Note:
Don`t puncture deeply, or else the needle would penetrate the posterior atlantooccipital membrane-the great occipital foramen-the arachnoid-the cerebellomedullary cistern by its tip and injure the cerebellum, the bulb or the posterior inferior cerebellar artery when puncture more than 1.5 cun deep.