ST4

Dicang

Star

地倉 (Dìcāng) — Earth Granary

Stomach channel · point 4

Not yet clinically reviewed

Meeting point of the Stomach and Large Intestine channels with the Yang Qiao Mai

Traditionally used for

Teeth & mouth
Nerves & recovery

Location

On the face, 0.4 cun lateral to the corner of the mouth.

How to locate: With the patient looking straight ahead, find the corner of the mouth; the point is 0.4 cun lateral to it, roughly in line below the pupil, in the nasolabial groove or its downward continuation. Asking the patient to smile makes the groove easier to see.

Regional anatomy: The needle passes through the skin and subcutaneous tissue into orbicularis oris, risorius and buccinator; when threaded toward ST6 it runs laterally into the masseter.

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

Body map, front: ST4 · Head & face — Fig. — ST4 · 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

Transverse insertion — to join with such points as Jiache ST6, Yingxiang LI20, Chengjiang CV24 etc

Sources (1)

Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. Hove: Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications; 1998 — p. 132 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

Depth: 0.5–1.5 cun

Angle: Transverse, threaded toward ST6 for facial paralysis

Functions

Expels wind and activates the channel
Relaxes the facial muscles and relieves pain
Benefits the mouth and relieves deviation

Indications

Facial paralysis and deviation of the mouthdroolingtoothachetrigeminal neuralgiainability to close the mouth

Clinical Notes

The ST4-to-ST6 through-needling is the classical technique for Bell's palsy affecting the lower face.

Combinations Using This Point

Dicang, Jiache, Xiaguan and Yangbai

Dicang, Jiache, Xiaguan and Yangbai — mouth corner, jaw, joint and forehead — a four-point facial set to expel wind, stop pain and open the channels and collaterals.

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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