SP16

Fuai

Star

腹哀 (Fù'āi) — Abdominal Lament

Spleen channel · point 16

Not yet clinically reviewed

Meeting point of the Spleen channel with the Yin Wei Mai

Traditionally used for

Digestion
Bowel health

Location

On the upper abdomen, 3 cun above the umbilicus, 4 cun lateral to the anterior midline (3 cun above SP15, level with CV11).

How to locate: Using proportional cun (8 cun from the sternocostal angle to the umbilicus, not finger cun), measure 3 cun above the umbilicus and then 4 cun laterally, on the nipple line; depending on the shape of the chest it may fall on the lower margin of the ribcage.

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

Body map, front: SP16 · Upper abdomen — Fig. — SP16 · Upper abdomen After Albinus, 1747

The abdominal regions — Gray's Anatomy plate — The abdominal regions 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

Perpendicular insertion

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)

Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. Hove: Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications; 1998 — p. 201 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

Depth: 0.7–1.2 cun

Angle: Perpendicular

Functions

Regulates qi in the intestines and resolves food stagnation
Drains dampness

Indications

Abdominal pain and indigestiondysentery with blood and pusconstipation

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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