GV24

Shenting

Star

神庭 (Shéntíng) — Spirit Courtyard

Du (Governing) channel · point 24

Not yet clinically reviewed

Meeting point of the Du Mai with the Bladder and Stomach channels

Traditionally used for

Headaches
Dizziness
Eye health
Nose & throat
Sleep
Mood & calm
Nerves & recovery

Location

On the head, on the anterior midline, 0.5 cun within the anterior hairline.

How to locate: With the patient seated or supine, find the midpoint of the anterior hairline and go 0.5 cun behind it on the midline; if the hairline is receded or indistinct, measure 3.5 cun up from the midpoint between the eyebrows.

Regional anatomy: Beneath the skin and subcutaneous tissue the needle runs through the galea aponeurotica (frontal belly of occipitofrontalis) into the loose subaponeurotic tissue over the skull.

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

Body map, front: GV24 · Head & face — Fig. — GV24 · Head & face After Albinus, 1747

The skull, from the front — Gray's Anatomy plate — The skull, from the front Gray's Anatomy, 1918 Marker hidden while its position on this plate is re-checked.

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

Transverse insertion

Depth 0.5–1 cun

skindeeper

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)

Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. Hove: Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications; 1998 — p. 557 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

Depth: 0.3–0.5 cun

Angle: Transverse, directed posteriorly

Functions

Calms the spirit and settles the mind
Extinguishes internal wind
Clears the head and benefits the eyes and nose

Indications

Anxiety, insomnia and agitationdepression and emotional distressepilepsy and maniaheadache and dizzinessnasal congestion and nosebleedeye pain and excessive tearing

Clinical Notes

With Yintang and GB13, one of the principal front-of-head spirit points — its name means the courtyard of the spirit.

Combinations Using This Point

Sishencong, Shenting and Benshen

Sishencong, Shenting and Benshen on the vertex and front hairline — a scalp set for settling the spirit, clearing the head and supporting memory.

Similar Points

Ranked by shared patterns and conditions

Benshen how are these connected? Fenglong how are these connected? Jianshi how are these connected? Shaochong how are these connected? Shaofu how are these connected? Zhongwan how are these connected?

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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