Verscienta
SI6

Yanglao

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養老 (Yǎnglǎo) — Nursing the Aged

Small Intestine channel · point 6

Not yet clinically reviewed

Xi-Cleft point

Traditionally used for

  • Eye health
  • Nerves & recovery
  • Pain & joints

Location

On the posteromedial aspect of the forearm, in the depression on the radial side of the head of the ulna, 1 cun proximal to the dorsal wrist crease.

How to locate: With the palm facing down, place a finger on the highest point of the head of the ulna, then turn the palm toward the chest — the finger drops into a cleft, which is the point.

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

Body map, front: SI6 · Wrist
Fig. — SI6 · Wrist After Albinus, 1747
Body map, front: SI6 · Wrist

SI6 · Wrist · 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

3D view

Approximate placement, carried over from our 2D body map onto a single adult male model (BodyParts3D) and checked against the point's location text. Shown on one side of the body. Locate the point on your patient by the location text and palpation, not by this model.

Cun on this part of the body
From the cubital crease to the wrist crease: 12 B-cun (WHO 2008, General Guidelines, Proportional Bone (Skeletal) Measurements, p. 12). On the model, the cubital crease = line between the humeral epicondyles. On the model, the wrist crease = line between the radial and ulnar styloid tips.
Needle angle and depth
  1. Oblique (45° to the skin), 0.5–1 cun, distally or proximally. Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K, p. 237
  2. Transverse-oblique (about 20° to the skin), 0.5–1 cun, distally or proximally. Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K, p. 237

3D anatomy: BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 International (licence). Subset, simplified and recoloured by Verscienta — changes and licence details.

Needling

Cited needling

Techniques — the source gives these as alternatives:

  1. Oblique insertion — distally or proximally
    Depth 0.5–1 cun
    skindeeper
  2. Transverse-oblique insertion — distally or proximally
    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)
  1. Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. Hove: Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications; 1998 — p. 237 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

Depth: 0.5–0.8 cun
Angle: Oblique, directed toward the elbow

Functions

  • Benefits the eyes and clears the vision
  • Activates the channel and relieves acute pain of the shoulder and arm
  • Relaxes the sinews

Indications

Blurred vision and failing eyesightacute shoulder, arm and back painstiff necklumbar pain with difficulty turningnumbness of the arm

Balance Method partners

Under Dr. Tan's six systems, SI6 at the wrist balances these channels at the regions its segment images.

  • 1. Same Chinese name
    Bladder channel
    Ankle, Heel · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
    Hip & groin, Buttock · Reversed mirror
    Front of neck, Nape of neck · Image, head at the hand/foot
    Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head toward the elbow/knee
    Solve for the Bladder channel →
  • 2. Branching (Bie Jing / Zang Fu Bie Tong)
    Spleen channel
    Ankle, Heel · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
    Hip & groin, Buttock · Reversed mirror
    Front of neck, Nape of neck · Image, head at the hand/foot
    Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head toward the elbow/knee
    Solve for the Spleen channel →
  • 3. Interior–exterior pair
    Heart channel
    Wrist · Same segment, opposite side
    Front of neck, Nape of neck · Image, head at the hand/foot
    Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head toward the elbow/knee
    Solve for the Heart channel →
  • 4. Chinese clock opposite
    Liver channel
    Ankle, Heel · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
    Hip & groin, Buttock · Reversed mirror
    Front of neck, Nape of neck · Image, head at the hand/foot
    Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head toward the elbow/knee
    Solve for the Liver channel →
  • 5. Chinese clock neighbour
    Bladder channel
    Ankle, Heel · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
    Hip & groin, Buttock · Reversed mirror
    Front of neck, Nape of neck · Image, head at the hand/foot
    Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head toward the elbow/knee
    Solve for the Bladder channel →
  • 6. Same channel
    Small Intestine channel
    Wrist · Same segment, opposite side
    Front of neck, Nape of neck · Image, head at the hand/foot
    Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head toward the elbow/knee
    Solve for the Small Intestine channel →

Clinical Notes

Its name records the classical use for the failing eyesight of age. Locating it requires the rotation manoeuvre — the cleft closes when the palm faces down.

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.

Sources

  • World Health Organization. WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region. Manila: WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2008. (Location.)

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