Verscienta
LV3

Taichong

Star

太衝 (Tàichōng) — Great Surge

Liver channel · point 3

Not yet clinically reviewed

Shu-Stream pointEarth pointYuan-Source pointEarth point of the Liver channel

Traditionally used for

  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Eye health
  • Menstrual & women's health
  • Sleep
  • Mood & calm
  • Nerves & recovery
  • Blood pressure

Cautions & contraindications

  • Pregnancy

Location

On the dorsum of the foot, between the first and second metatarsal bones, in the depression distal to the junction of their bases, over the dorsalis pedis artery.

How to locate: Start at the web between the first and second toes and slide a finger proximally past the toe joints along the groove between the first and second metatarsals until it stops against the junction of their bases; the point is in the hollow just distal to that junction, over the dorsalis pedis pulse, and is often tender.

Regional anatomy: Beneath the skin and subcutaneous tissue the needle enters the first dorsal interosseous muscle; the dorsal venous arch, the first dorsal metatarsal artery and the deep fibular nerve lie close by.

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

Body map, front: LV3 · Foot
Fig. — LV3 · Foot After Albinus, 1747
Body map, front: LV3 · Foot

LV3 · Foot · Albinus, Tabulae sceleti et musculorum, 1747

Bones of the foot, dorsal — Gray's Anatomy plate
Bones of the foot, dorsal Gray's Anatomy, 1918
Bones of the foot, dorsal — Gray's Anatomy plate

Bones of the foot, dorsal · Gray's Anatomy, 1918

3D view

3D view not available for this point: its position can't be carried onto the 3D model reliably (it failed a placement check). The 2D maps above show it.

Needling

Cited needling

  1. Insertion — in the direction of Yongquan KI1
    Depth 0.5–1.5 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)
  1. Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. Hove: Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications; 1998 — p. 477 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

  • Pregnancy
Depth: 0.5–1.0 cun
Angle: Perpendicular, or oblique proximally
⚠ Cautions: With LI4 forms the "Four Gates" to strongly move Qi and Blood — caution in pregnancy.

Functions

  • Spreads Liver qi and relieves constraint
  • Subdues Liver yang and extinguishes wind
  • Nourishes Liver blood and yin and benefits the eyes
  • Clears the head
  • Relieves spasm and pain
  • Regulates menstruation and the lower burner
  • Calms the spirit and relieves irritability

Indications

Irritability, frustration, anger and depressionheadache and dizzinesshypertensionred and painful eyes, blurred visionirregular menstruation, dysmenorrhoea and PMShypochondriac and breast distensioninsomniaepilepsy and convulsionsgenital pain and herniamuscle cramps and spasmsstroke and hemiplegia

Balance Method partners

Under Dr. Tan's six systems, LV3 at the foot balances these channels at the regions its segment images.

Classical calendar method · 子午流注

When the tables open LV3

The hours Zi Wu Liu Zhu names this point at, by method. Times are the double-hour's start in UTC.

  • 己丑 01:00–03:00 Na Jia Fa, 乙-day sequence · Yuan-Source (原), returning to the source

    「己丑太白太衝穴」

    Next: Mon 19 Oct, 01:00

  • 乙未 13:00–15:00 Na Jia Fa, 辛-day sequence · Shu-Stream (俞)

    「乙未太衝原太淵」

    Next: Wed 14 Oct, 13:00

A classical reference, not a recommendation: the tables say when the method opens this point, not that it is the point to needle. Open points by the hour →

Clinical Notes

The Yuan-Source of the Liver and one of the three or four most-used points in practice. With LI4 it forms the Four Gates — the standard prescription for moving stagnant qi and blood throughout the body.

Combinations Using This Point

Taichong and Qimen

LV3 and LV14, the Yuan-Source and Front-Mu points of the Liver — for hypochondriac pain, headache, irritability, insomnia and menstrual disorders.

The Four Gates

LI4 and LV3 needled bilaterally — the standard combination for moving stagnant qi and blood throughout the body.

Similar Points

Ranked by shared patterns and conditions

Sanyinjiao how are these connected? (Sanyinjiao) Neiguan how are these connected? (Neiguan) Yanglingquan how are these connected? (Yanglingquan) Fengchi how are these connected? (Fengchi) Guanyuan how are these connected? (Guanyuan) Xuehai how are these connected? (Xuehai)

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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