ST2

Sibai

Star

四白 (Sìbái) — Four Whites

Stomach channel · point 2

Not yet clinically reviewed

Traditionally used for

Eye health
Nerves & recovery
Energy & fatigue
Skin

Cautions & contraindications

No deep needling

Location

On the face, directly below the pupil, in the depression of the infraorbital foramen.

How to locate: With the patient looking straight ahead, follow a vertical line down from the centre of the pupil to the infraorbital ridge, then palpate just below it until the finger sinks into the small depression of the infraorbital foramen, which often lies slightly medial to the pupil line.

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

Body map, front: ST2 · Head & face — Fig. — ST2 · Head & face After Albinus, 1747

The skull, from the front — Gray's Anatomy plate — The skull, from the front 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 0.2–0.4 cun

skindeeper
Transverse insertion — to join with such points as Quanliao SI18, Yingxiang LI20 etc
Oblique insertion — supero-laterally, along the infraorbital foramen

Depth 0.3–0.5 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. 131 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

No deep needling

Depth: 0.2–0.4 cun

Angle: Perpendicular or slightly oblique upward

⚠ Cautions: Do not needle deeply into the infraorbital foramen — the infraorbital nerve is easily struck.

Functions

Expels wind, clears heat and benefits the eyes
Activates the channel and relieves facial pain

Indications

Red and painful eyesblurred vision and eye fatiguefacial paralysis and trigeminal neuralgiatwitching of the eyelidssinus pain

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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