小海 (Xiǎohǎi) — Small Sea
Small Intestine channel · point 8
Traditionally used for
- Ears & hearing
- Mood & calm
- Nerves & recovery
Location
At the elbow, in the groove between the olecranon and the medial epicondyle of the humerus.
How to locate: With the elbow slightly flexed, find the deepest point of the groove on the line between the tip of the olecranon and the tip of the medial epicondyle, the ulnar nerve ('funny bone') groove.
Distances are in cun, a proportional unit — how to measure.
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:
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Oblique insertion — distal or proximalDepth 0.5–1 cunskindeeper
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Perpendicular insertionDepth 0.3–0.5 cunskindeeper
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. 239 Supports: techniques (names this point)
Site notes · not cited
Functions
- Clears heat and calms the spirit
- Activates the channel and benefits the elbow
Indications
Balance Method partners
Under Dr. Tan's six systems, SI8 at the elbow balances these channels at the regions its segment images.
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1. Same Chinese nameBladder channelKnee, Back of knee · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)Knee, Back of knee · Reversed mirrorUpper abdomen, Lower back · Image, head at the hand/footChest, Upper back · Image, head toward the elbow/kneeSolve for the Bladder channel →
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2. Branching (Bie Jing / Zang Fu Bie Tong)Spleen channelKnee, Back of knee · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)Knee, Back of knee · Reversed mirrorUpper abdomen, Lower back · Image, head at the hand/footChest, Upper back · Image, head toward the elbow/kneeSolve for the Spleen channel →
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3. Interior–exterior pairHeart channelElbow · Same segment, opposite sideUpper abdomen, Lower back · Image, head at the hand/footChest, Upper back · Image, head toward the elbow/kneeSolve for the Heart channel →
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4. Chinese clock oppositeLiver channelKnee, Back of knee · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)Knee, Back of knee · Reversed mirrorUpper abdomen, Lower back · Image, head at the hand/footChest, Upper back · Image, head toward the elbow/kneeSolve for the Liver channel →
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5. Chinese clock neighbourBladder channelKnee, Back of knee · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)Knee, Back of knee · Reversed mirrorUpper abdomen, Lower back · Image, head at the hand/footChest, Upper back · Image, head toward the elbow/kneeSolve for the Bladder channel →
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6. Same channelSmall Intestine channelElbow · Same segment, opposite sideUpper abdomen, Lower back · Image, head at the hand/footChest, Upper back · Image, head toward the elbow/kneeSolve for the Small Intestine channel →
Classical calendar method · 子午流注
When the tables open SI8
The hours Zi Wu Liu Zhu names this point at, by method. Times are the double-hour's start in America/New_York.
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丙寅 03:00–05:00 Na Jia Fa, 戊-day sequence · He-Sea (合)
「丙寅小海穴安然」
Next: Thu 22 Oct, 04:00
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未 13:00–15:00 Na Zi Fa, SI channel · reduce (瀉)
「瀉用未時，小海，為合土」
Next: Fri 16 Oct, 14:00
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 →
Combinations Using This Point
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.)
📝 Notes
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