What are San Jiao Meridian Points Used For?

San Jiao Meridian of Hand-Shaoyang is one of the twelve meridians, and one of Meridians of Hand-Three Yang. The meridians are distributed in the middle of the outer side of the upper limbs, shoulders, necks, and head surfaces. There are 23 points on one side of the San Jiao Meridian, 13 points on the outer side of the upper limbs, and 10 points on the side head, neck, and shoulders,including: Guanchong, Yemen, Zhongzhu, Yangchi, Waiguan, Zhigou, Huizong, Sanyangluo, Sidu, Tianjing, Qinglengyuan, Xiaoluo, Nuohui, JianLiao, TianLiao, Tianyong, Yifeng, Chimai,Luxi, JiaoSun, Ermen, Erheliao, Sizhukong.

San Jiao Meridian Pathway

San Jiao Meridian starts from the ulnar end of the ring finger (Guanchong), goes up between the four and five fingers, goes along the back of the hand to the wrist (Yangchi), travels upwards between the ulna and radius, and passes through the tip of the elbow,Along the back of the upper arm to the shoulders connect to Dazhui point of Governor Channel, from the back of the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Shaoyang, enters into Quepen point (supraclavicular fossa), distributed in Danzhong point(between the two breasts), The Qi spreads and connects to the pericardium and penetrates the diaphragm downwards, all belonging to the upper, middle, and lower three-Jiao.

Its branches from the middle part of Danzhong point, upward out of the supraclavicular fossa, passing through the neck to the back of the ear, going up out of the upper corner of the ear, and then flexing down to the cheek and reaching the lower eye part. The other branch of its enters the ear from behind the ear (Yifeng),travels to the front of the ear, pass in front, intersect the front branch at the cheek, and reach the outer corner of the eye (Sizhukong, Tongziliao). The Qi connects with the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Shaoyang.

San Jiao Meridian Location and point

SJ 1 Acupuncture Point(Guanchong)

Location:0.1 cun posterior to the corner of the nail on the ulnar side of the ring finger.

Usage:

• Acute tonsillitis, laryngitis, conjunctivitis, leukoplakia and other diseases.
• Other diseases: cerebrovascular disease, fever, dyspepsia in children, etc.
• Clinical:sore throat, headache, fever and fainting.

SJ 2 Acupuncture Point(Yemen)

Location:0.5 cun proximal to the margin of the web between the ring and the little fingers, in a depression when fist is clenched at the border of the red and white skin.

Usage:

• Head and facial disease, such as headache, swelling and pain of eyes, deafness, tinnitus, throat numbness, etc.
• Fever, malaria.
• Arm pain.

Clinical

Headache, otitis media, pharyngitis, gingivitis and so on.

SJ 3 Acupuncture Point(Zhongzhu)

Location:With fist clenched on dorsum of the hand between the 4th and 5th metacarpal bones in a depression proximal to the 4th Metacarpalphalangeal joint.

Usage:

• Headache, swelling and pain of eyes, tinnitus,deafness, throat disorder, etc.;
• Shoulders, back, elbows and arms Pain and numbness
• Fever.

Clinical:

Headache, neurological deafness, Meniere’s syndrome, supraorbital neuralgia, frozen shoulder, acute and chronic low back pain, etc.

SJ 4 Acupuncture Point(Yangchi)

Location:On transverse crease of dorsum of wrist in a depression on the ulnar side of the extensor digitorum communis tendon.

Usage:

• Head and face disorder, such as headache, swelling and pain of eyes, deafness, throat disorder, etc.;
• Wrist pain;
• Diabetes.

Clinical

Diabetes, forearm pain and numbness, wrist arthritis, etc.

SJ 5 Acupuncture Point(Waiguan)

Location:2 cun above SJ 4 between the radius and the ulna on the SJ 4 – SJ 10 line.

• Head and facial disorder such as headache, migraine, swollen cheeks,swelling and pain of eye, tinnitus, deafness and so on.
• Fever.
• Flank pain, upper limb arthralgia, elbow pain, arm pain, intercostal neuralgia.
• Scrofula.

Clinical

Migraine, high fever, neurological deafness, intercostal neuralgia, stiff neck, acute lumbar sprain, etc.

SJ 6 Acupuncture Point(Zhigou)

Location:3 cun above SJ 4 between the radius and ulna on the radial side of the extensor digitorum muscle on the SJ 4 and tip of the olecranon line.

Usage:

• Headache, tinnitus, deafness, otitis media;
• Swelling and pain of eye,sudden loss of voice, swollen throat, fever, scrofula;
• coughing and hypochondriac pain, full thoracic and diaphragmatic fullness;

• Constipation, vomiting, diarrhea;
• amenorrhea,Postpartum hemorrhage,hypogalactia;
• Flank pain, shoulder, arm, back pain, stiff neck, finger tremor, wrist and arm weakness;
• Herpes zosterl, erysipelas.

SJ 7 Acupuncture Point (Huizong)

Location:Level with and one finger width from SJ 6 on the radial border of the ulna.

Usage:

• Tinnitus, deafness;
• Arthralgia of upper limbs;
• Epilepsy.

Clinical

Forearm pain, numbness, neurological deafness, etc.

SJ 8 Acupuncture Point(Sanyangluo)

Location:4 cun above SJ 4 between the radius and ulna.

Usage:

• Upper limb arthralgia;
• Deafness, sudden loss of voice, toothache and other ENT diseases.

Clinical

Forearm pain, numbness, neurological deafness, etc.

SJ 9 Acupuncture Point(Sidu)

Location:7 cun above SJ 4, 5 cun below the olecranon, between the radius and ulna on the ulnar side of the forearm.

Usage:

• sore throat, deafness, toothache,
• migraine, neurasthenia, dizziness, nephritis, etc.

SJ 10 Acupuncture Point (Tianjing)

Location:1 cun superior to the olecranon process in a depression with elbow flexed.

Usage:

• Stye, migraine, headache, neck pain, stiff neck, elbow joint and upper limb soft tissue injury.
• stroke, schizophrenia.
• tonsillitis, sore throat, bronchitis, heartache, urticaria, etc.

Clinical: elbow joint and surrounding soft tissues diseases.

SJ 11 Acupuncture Point(QingLengyuan)

Location:1 cun above SJ 10 with elbow flexed.

Usage:

• Arthralgia of shoulder and arm, discomfort of upper limbs;
• Headache, eye pain.

SJ 12 Acupuncture Point(Xiaoluo)

Location:Midway between SJ 11 and SJ 13 on line joining the olecranon and SJ 14.

Usage:

• Obesity, headache, toothache.
• stiff nape.
• upper limb paralysis, arm pain, epilepsy, etc.

Clinical

Headache, toothache, stiff nape, upper limb paralysis, arm pain, and epilepsy.

SJ 13 Acupuncture Point(Naohui)

Location:3 cun below SJ 14 on the posterior border of the deltoid muscle on line joining SJ 14 and the olecranon.

Usage:

• Thyrid diease, scrofula,
• Arm pain, upper limb paralysis, shoulder swelling and pain, etc.

SJ 14 Acupuncture Point(Jianliao)

Location:On shoulder, posterior to LI 15, in a depression inferior and posterior to the acromion when arm is abducted.

Usage:

arm pain, paralysis of the upper limbs, and inflammation around the shoulder joints.

Clinical:Urticaria, periarthritis of the shoulder, cerebrovascular sequelae, pleurisy, intercostal neuralgia, etc.

SJ 15 Acupuncture Point(Tianliao)

Location:Midway between GB 21 and SI 13 on the superior angle of the scapula.

Usage:Cervical spondylosis, stiff neck, frozen shoulder, etc.

SJ 16 Acupuncture Point(Tianyong)

Location:Directly below mastoid process, level with the mandibular angle and on the posterior border of the SCM muscle (in line with SI 17 and GV 15).

Usage:

• Headache, stiff nape, dizziness, eye pain, deafness, etc ENT disease.;
• Scrofula.

Clinical:posterior cervical neuralgia, stiff neck, cervical spondylosis and so on.

SJ 17 Acupuncture Point(Yifeng)

Location:Posterior to lobule of ear in depression between the mandible and mastoid process.

Usage:

• ENT disease, such as: facial paralysis, lockjaw, toothache, cheek swelling, tinnitus, deafness, etc.;
• Scrofula.

Clinical

Facial nerve palsy, mumps, neurological deafness, trigeminal neuralgia, etc.

SJ 18 Acupuncture Point(Chimai)

Location:In the center of the mastoid process at the junction of the middle and lower third of curve (SJ 17 – SJ 20) posterior to helix.

Usage:

• ENT diseases: deafness, tinnitus, blurred vision.
• Digestive diseases: vomiting and diarrhea.
• Nervous system diseases:infantile frightened epilepsy, panic,tugging and slackening .
• Other diseases: headache, etc.

SJ 19 Acupuncture Point(Luxi)

Location:Posterior to ear at junction of the upper and middle third of curve (SJ 17 – SJ 20) behind curve.

Usage:

• Headache, deafness, tinnitus;
• infantile convulsion

Clinical

Headache, otitis media, etc.

SJ 20 Acupuncture Point(Jiaosun)

Location:Directly above ear apex within hairline.

Usage:

headache, ear redness and swelling, swelling and pain of eye, toothache, etc.

Clinical

Migraine, mumps, etc.

SJ 21 Acupuncture Point(Ermen)

Location:Anterior to the supratragic notch and behind the posterior border of the condyloid process of the mandible with the mouth open.

Usage:

• Deafness, tinnitus, ears disease;
• Toothache.

Clinical

Otitis media, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, Meniere’s disease.

SJ 22 Acupuncture Point(Erheliao)

Location:Anterior and superior to SJ 21 level with the root of the auricle on posterior border of hairline of the temple where superficial temporal artery passes.

Usage:

• Headache, tinnitus;
• Lockjaw;

Clinical

Headache, facial nerve palsy, mandibular arthritis and so on.

SJ 23 Acupuncture Point(Sizhukong)

Location:In a depression at the lateral end of the eyebrow.

Usage:

• Swelling and pain of eye, Blepharospasm;
• Headache, toothache;
• Epilepsy.

Clinical:Facial nerve palsy, hemifacial spasm, conjunctivitis, etc.