Verscienta
SI3

Houxi

Star

後谿 (Hòuxī) — Back Ravine

Small Intestine channel · point 3

Not yet clinically reviewed

Shu-Stream pointWood pointWood point of the Small Intestine channelTonification (mother) pointConfluent point of the Du Mai

Traditionally used for

  • Headaches
  • Ears & hearing
  • Mood & calm
  • Nerves & recovery
  • Pain & joints

Location

On the ulnar side of the hand, in the depression proximal to the fifth metacarpophalangeal joint, at the border between red and white flesh.

How to locate: Slide a finger along the ulnar border of the hand from the wrist toward the little finger until it settles in the depression just proximal to the fifth metacarpophalangeal joint. With a loose fist, this is at the ulnar end of the distal palmar crease, just behind the small bulge that forms there.

Regional anatomy: Beneath the skin and subcutaneous tissue the needle enters abductor digiti minimi and runs between flexor digiti minimi brevis and the fifth metacarpal.

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

Body map, front: SI3 · Hand
Fig. — SI3 · Hand After Albinus, 1747
Body map, front: SI3 · Hand

SI3 · Hand · Albinus, Tabulae sceleti et musculorum, 1747

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

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

Needling

Cited needling

  1. Perpendicular insertion — directed towards Sanjian LI3
    Depth 0.5–2 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. 233 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

Depth: 0.5–1.0 cun
Angle: Perpendicular, or toward LI4 for stubborn cases

Functions

  • Opens and regulates the Du Mai
  • Relaxes the sinews and benefits the neck and spine
  • Expels wind and clears heat
  • Calms the spirit and settles convulsions

Indications

Acute stiff neck and neck painoccipital headachelumbar and spinal painepilepsy and manianight sweatstinnitus and deafnessfinger contracture and elbow painmalarial disorders

Balance Method partners

Under Dr. Tan's six systems, SI3 at the hand balances these channels at the regions its segment images.

Classical calendar method · 子午流注

When the tables open SI3

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

  • 丙午 11:00–13:00 Na Jia Fa, 壬-day sequence · Shu-Stream (俞)

    「丙午小腸後谿俞」

    Next: Thu 15 Oct, 11:00

  • 申 15:00–17:00 Na Zi Fa, SI channel · reinforce (補)

    「補用申時，後谿，為俞木」

    Next: Tue 13 Oct, 15:00

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 Du Mai opening point, paired with BL62. The first choice for acute torticollis: needle bilaterally and ask the patient to rotate the neck while the needles are retained.

Combinations Using This Point

Balance Method for Sciatica

Sciatic pain treated from the arm — the Small Intestine channel for posterior distribution, the Triple Energiser for lateral — on the opposite side.

Balance Method for Neck Pain and Stiff Neck

Neck pain balanced from the ankle — the Bladder channel of the neck imaged onto the Small Intestine of the wrist, or onto the ankle by the reversed image.

Du Mai Pair — SI3 and BL62

The opening pair of the Governing Vessel and Yang Qiao — for the spine, the neck and disorders of yang.

Yinxi and Houxi

HT6 and SI3, paired Heart and Small Intestine points — for cardiac pain, night sweats, malaria, red painful eyes and tinnitus.

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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