SI11

Tianzong

Star

天宗 (Tiānzōng) — Celestial Gathering

Small Intestine channel · point 11

Traditionally used for

Cough & breathing
Menstrual & women's health
Pain & joints

Location

In the infraspinous fossa, in the depression at the junction of the upper third and lower two thirds of the line connecting the midpoint of the scapular spine and the inferior angle of the scapula.

How to locate: With the patient seated and the shoulders relaxed, draw a line from the midpoint of the scapular spine to the inferior angle of the scapula; the point is one third of the way down, in a usually tender depression in infraspinatus, roughly level with T4.

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

Body map, back: SI11 · Upper back — Fig. — SI11 · Upper back After Albinus, 1747

The vertebral column — Gray's Anatomy plate — The vertebral column 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

Techniques — the source gives these as alternatives:

Perpendicular insertion

Depth 0.5–1.5 cun

skindeeper
Oblique insertion

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)

Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. Hove: Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications; 1998 — p. 241 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

Depth: 0.5–1.0 cun

Angle: Perpendicular

Functions

Activates the channel and relieves shoulder and scapular pain
Benefits the breast
Regulates qi and unbinds the chest and lateral costal region

Indications

Pain of the scapula and shoulderfrozen shouldermastitis and breast painpain of the elbow and armasthma

Clinical Notes

Almost always exquisitely tender in shoulder and scapular disorders, and one of the most useful points for mastitis.

Similar Points

Tianchong 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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