Pericardium Channel

1
QUZE P-3
Marsh at the Crook
He-Sea and Water point of the
Pericardium channel
LOCATION
On the transverse cubital crease, in the depression imme-
diately to the ulnar side of the aponeurosis of the biceps
brachii muscle.
LOCATION NOTE
This point should be located and needled with the elbow
slightly bent.
NEEDLING
Perpendicular insertion 0.5 to 1 cun, or prick to bleed.
Caution: the brachial artery and veins lie deeply, just
medial to this point.
ACTIONS
Clears heat from the qi, nutritive and blood levels
Harmonises the Stomach and intestines and stops vomiting
Activates the channel and alleviates pain
INDICATIONS
Febrile disease, agitation and restlessness, agitation
with thirst, dry mouth, dry tongue with pain of the
lateral costal region, coughing blood, vomiting
blood, summer-heat stroke.
Vomiting, diarrhoea, dysenteric disorder, sudden
turmoil disorder.
Heart pain, palpitations, pounding sensation below
the Heart, propensity to fright, counterflow qi, dysp-
noea and cough, wind rash.
Tremor of the head, tremor of the hand and arm, pain
and contraction of the elbow and arm, paralysis of
the upper limb.
COMMENTARY
In the 3rd century CE, the Treatise on Injury by Cold by
Zhang Zhong-jing classified fevers according to their
progression through the six channels (taiyang, yangming,
shaoyang, taiyin, shaoyin and jueyin). This theory, ac-
cording to which pathogenic cold attacked and penetrated
the body via the skin, dominated Chinese medicine until
the early 17th century when the wen bing or warm
disease theory was developed (predominantly by Wu
You-he, Ye Tian-shi and Wu Ju-tong). The warm disease
school placed the emphasis on febrile diseases due to
injury by heat which penetrates the body via the nose and
mouth, and classified fevers according to four levels of
depth: the defensive level (wei), the qi level (qi), the
nutritive level (ying) and the blood level (xue). The defen-
sive and qi levels correspond broadly to the taiyang and
yangming stages respectively of the Treatise on Injury by
Cold. When pathogenic heat penetrates further to the
deeper levels of the body, it first enters the nutritive level,
scorching the body fluids and the yin and disturbing the
Pericardium and spirit, and then enters the blood level,
giving rise to reckless bleeding. Quze P-3, the water point
of the Pericardium fire channel, clears heat and may be
needled or bled for heat at the qi level giving rise to high
fever, agitation, thirst etc., or for heat which has reached
the nutritive and blood levels giving rise to agitation and
restlessness, dry mouth and haemorrhage from the Lung
and Stomach.
According to the Classic of Difficulties
2
the he-sea points
treat 'counterflow qi and diarrhoea', whilst the Spiritual
Pivot
3
says in disorders of the Stomach and in disorders
resulting from irregular eating and drinking, select the
he-sea point. These theories are clearly illustrated by
Quze P-3 which has the functions of harmonising the
Stomach and intestines and stopping vomiting and diar-
rhoea, especially when these are acute and due to
pathogenic heat. It is also worth noting that the interior
pathway of the Pericardium channel descends through
Quze P-3
biceps brachii
Combinations Index
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CONTENTS
Lung
L. Intestine
Stomach
Spleen
Heart
S. Intestine
Bladder
Kidney
Pericardium
Sanjiao
Gall Bladder
Liver
Conception
Governing
Extra Points
See Notes
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CONTENTS
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CONTENTS
Pericardium Channel 2
the diaphragm to the lower abdomen, connecting the
upper, middle and lower jiao, which helps to explain the
powerful action of this point on these disorders. The dual
action of Quze P-3 in harmonising the Stomach and
intestines and clearing pathogenic heat, makes it particu-
larly suitable for treating diseases due to summer-heat
(heatstroke or sunstroke) characterised by fever, sweat-
ing, vomiting and diarrhoea.
According to the Spiritual Pivot
4
jueyin channel is
abundant in blood and limited in qi ... [it is thus suitable
to] prick to bleed jueyin and drain blood .... This theory
explains the effect of bleeding Quze P-3 on reducing heat
in the blood in cases of febrile haemorrhage. Interestingly,
one of the two other channels abundant in blood and
limited in qi according to this passage in the Spiritual
Pivot is the taiyang channel, and this may help to explain
certain similarities between Quze P-3 (the he-sea point of
the Pericardium jueyin channel located at the flexure of
the elbow) and Weizhong BL-40 (the he-sea point of the
Bladder taiyang channel located at the flexure of the
knee). Both points may be pricked to bleed to clear heat
from the blood level, and are used in the treatment of
summer-heat stroke and sudden turmoil disorder with
heat of the four limbs, ceaseless thirst, vomiting and
diarrhoea.
Finally, Quze P-3 is also widely used for disorders of the
Pericardium channel such as pain of the elbow, arm and
hand. It is indicated for tremor of the head, and like its
close neighbour Shaohai HE-3, for tremor of the hand and
arm.
COMBINATIONS
Vomiting blood: Quze P-3, Shenmen HE-7 and Yuji
LU-10 (Great Compendium).
Spitting blood: Quze P-3, Kongzui LU-6 and Feishu
BL-13 (Supplementing Life).
Pounding sensation below the Heart and propensity
to fright: Quze P-3 and Daling P-7 (Thousand Ducat
Formulas).
Pain of the Heart and chest: Quze P-3, Neiguan P-6
and Daling P-7 (Great Compendium).
Heart pain: Quze P-3, Ximen P-4 and Daling P-7
(Thousand Ducat Formulas).
Dry mouth: Quze P-3 and Zhangmen LIV-13 (Thou-
sand Ducat Formulas).
Thirst from blood deficiency: Quze P-3 and Shao-
shang LU-11 (One Hundred Symptoms).
Absence of sweating: Quze P-3, Fuliu KID-7, Yuji
LU-10, Shaoze SI-1, Shangxing DU-23, Ququan
LIV-8, Kunlun BL-60, Xiaxi GB-43 and Zuqiaoyin
GB-44 (Great Compendium).
Combinations Index
Points Index General Index Indications Index Point Names Index Glossary
Next Point Previous Point
CONTENTS
Combinations Index
Points Index General Index Indications Index Point Names Index Glossary
Next Point Previous Point
CONTENTS
Combinations Index
Points Index General Index Indications Index Point Names Index Glossary
Next Point Previous Point
CONTENTS
Combinations Index
Points Index General Index Indications Index Point Names Index Glossary
Next Point Previous Point
CONTENTS
Combinations Index
Points Index General Index Indications Index Point Names Index Glossary
Next Point Previous Point
CONTENTS
Combinations Index
Points Index General Index Indications Index Point Names Index Glossary
Next Point Previous Point
CONTENTS
Combinations Index
Points Index General Index Indications Index Point Names Index Glossary
Next Point Previous Point
CONTENTS
Combinations Index
Points Index General Index Indications Index Point Names Index Glossary
Next Point Previous Point
CONTENTS
Combinations Index
Points Index General Index Indications Index Point Names Index Glossary
Next Point Previous Point
CONTENTS
Combinations Index
Points Index General Index Indications Index Point Names Index Glossary
Next Point Previous Point
CONTENTS
Lung
L. Intestine
Stomach
Spleen
Heart
S. Intestine
Bladder
Kidney
Pericardium
Sanjiao
Gall Bladder
Liver
Conception
Governing
Extra Points
See Notes