Verscienta
GB5

Xuanlu

Star

懸顱 (Xuánlú) — Suspended Skull

Gallbladder channel · point 5

Not yet clinically reviewed

Traditionally used for

  • Headaches
  • Eye health
  • Teeth & mouth

Location

On the head, within the temporal hairline, at the midpoint of the curved line connecting ST8 and GB7.

How to locate: With the patient seated or side-lying, find ST8 at the corner of the forehead hairline and GB7 in the temporal hairline level with the ear apex; the point is at the midpoint of the curved line joining them, within the temporal hairline.

Regional anatomy: Skin and subcutaneous tissue, then the temporal fascia and temporalis muscle.

Distances are in cun, a proportional unit — how to measure.

Body map, front: GB5 · Head & face
Fig. — GB5 · Head & face After Albinus, 1747
Body map, front: GB5 · Head & face

GB5 · Head & face · Albinus, Tabulae sceleti et musculorum, 1747

The skull, from the front — Gray's Anatomy plate
The skull, from the front Gray's Anatomy, 1918
The skull, from the front — Gray's Anatomy plate

The skull, from the front · Gray's Anatomy, 1918

3D view

3D view not available for this point: its position on the 3D model couldn't be checked against its location text, so it is not shown. The 2D maps above show it.

Needling

Cited needling

  1. Transverse insertion
    Depth 0.5–1.5 cun
    skindeeper

    Within the hairline: see the needling note at Hanyan GB4.

Depths describe average adult habitus in the cited population, never a single safe number for the patient in front of you. Palpate and adjust.

Sources (1)
  1. Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. Hove: Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications; 1998 — p. 425 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

Depth: 0.3–0.5 cun
Angle: Transverse

Functions

  • Expels wind and clears heat from the head
  • Relieves migraine
  • Activates the channel

Indications

Migraine and one-sided headachefacial swellingtoothachered and painful eyes

Combinations Using This Point

Xuanlu and Hanyan

Xuanlu and Hanyan, two neighbouring Gallbladder points in the temporal hairline, paired for tinnitus, deafness, one-sided headache and dizziness.

Sources

  • World Health Organization. WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region. Manila: WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2008. (Location.)
  • Focks C, ed. Atlas of Acupuncture. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2008. (Locating method and actions.)

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