METHODS OF LOCATING ACUPOINTS

Location of acupoints, whether accurate or not, will affect the therapeutic results. Medical practitioners in past ages therefore have attached great importance to precise location of acupoints.

In the chapter Lyrics of Acupuncture and Profundities of Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, it is said, Methods of locating points are based on standard measurements. An acupuncturist should first of all have a clear idea of these measurements and patient s body builds, and then observes the anatomical landmarks on the patient. Some points should be located with the limbs flexed, some with the body in a lying position....

At present, commonly used in clinics are three methods of acupoint location, i.e., proportional measurement, anatomical landmarks, and Finger measurement.

Proportional Measurements

The earliest record of proportional measurement can be found in Chapter 14 of Miraculous Pivot. In the light of this record, the width or length of various portions of the human body is divided respectively into definite numbers of equal units as the standards for the proportional measurement. These standards are applicable on any patient of different sexes, ages and body sizes.

Head

• From the anterior hairline to the posterior hairline 12 cun. The distance from the glabella to the anterior hairline is taken as 3 cun. The distance from Dazhui(Du14) to the posterior hairline is taken as 3 cun. If the anterior and posterior hairlines are indistinguishable, the distance from the glabella to Uazhui(Du14) then is taken as 18 cun.
• Between the two mastoid processes 9 cun

Chest and Abdomen

• From the sternocoslal angle to the center of the umbilicus 8 cun
• The longitudinal measurement of the chest and the hypochondriac region is generally based on the intercostal space.
• Between the center of the umbilicus and the upper border of symphysis pubis 5 cun
• Between the two nipples 8 cun
• Between the medial border of the scapula and the posterior midline
• 3 cun
• From the end of the axillary fold on the lateral side of the chest to the tip of the 11th rib 12 cun

Upper Extremities

• Between the end of the axillary fold and the transverse cubital crease 9 cun
• Between the transverse cubital crease and the transverse wrist crease 12 cun

Lower Extremities

• From the level of the upper border of symphysis pubis to the medial epicondyle of fe Mur 18 cun
• From the lower border of the medial condyle of tibia to the tip of medial malleolus 13 cun
• From the prominence of the great trochanter to the middle of patella 19 cun
• Between the center of patella and the tip of lateral malleolus 16 cun
• From the tip of the lateral malleolus to the heel 3 cun

Anatomical Landmarks

Various anatomical landmarks on the body surface are the basis for locating points. Those landmarks fall into two categories.

• Fixed landmarks Fixed landmarks are those that would not change with body movement. They include the five sense organs, hair, nails, nipple, umbilicus, and prominence and depression of the bones. With them, it is easy to locate points. The proportional measurement is established on the basis of these anatomical landmarks. However, points that are adjacent to or on such landmarks can be located directly. Examples are Yintang(Extra1) between the two eyebrows, Suliao(Du25) on the tip of the nose, and Shenque(Ren 8) in the center of the umbilicus.
• Moving landmarks Moving landmarks refer to those that will appear only when a body part keeps in a specific position.

For instances, when the arm is flexed and the cubital crease appears, Quchi(Li11) can be located and when a fist is made and the transverse palmar crease appears, Houxi(S13) can be located. Also employed in clinic are some simple methods of point location. For example, to locate Baihui(Du20) directly above the apexes of the ears, or Fengshi(G31) when at attention.

Finger Measurement

The length and width of the patient s finger(s) are taken as a standard for point location. The following three methods are commonly used in clinic.

• Middle finger measurement When the patient s middle linger is flexed, the distance between the two medial ends of the creases of the interphalangeal joints is taken as one cun. This method is employed for measuring the vertical distance to locate the limb points of the yang meridians, or for measuring the horizontal distance to locate the points on the back.
• Thumb Measurement The width of the interphalangeal joint of the patient s thumb is taken as one cun.
• FourFinger Measurement The width of the four fingers,(index, middle, ring and little) close together at the level of the dorsal skin crease of the proximal interphalangeal joint of the middle finger is taken as three cun. It is used to locate the points on the limb and in the abdominal region.