ACUPUNCTURE
Dan Shu: TCM Acupoint Guide
DANSHU
Name
Dan Shu (Danshu)
Location
1.5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the tenth thoracic vertebra, 1.5 cun lateral to DU-7 Zhongshu. Note: locate at the highest visible point of the paraspinal muscles.
Needling
- Oblique insertion towards the spine, 0.5 to 1 cun.
- Transverse-oblique insertion 1 to 1.5 cun.
- Caution: perpendicular needling, or oblique needling away from the spine, carries a substantial risk of causing a pneumothorax.
- Straight insertion slanted slightly toward the spine, 1 to 1.5 cun. Sensation: local distention and soreness, sometimes extending between the ribs.
- Transverse insertion pointed downward along the muscle, 1 to 2 cun. Sensation: local distention and soreness.
- Caution: care should be taken not to insert the needle too deeply, to avoid puncturing the Lung.
- Puncture obliquely 0.5 to 0.8 cun.
- Moxibustion is applicable.
Command Functions
- Back-Shu point
Actions
- Clears Damp-Heat from the Liver and Gall Bladder
- Cools and drains Heat from the Liver and Gall Bladder
- Clears pathogenic factors from the Shao Yang
- Tonifies and regulates Gall Bladder Qi
- Tonifies Deficiency
- Calms the Stomach
- Regulates Qi
- Expands the diaphragm
Indications
- Jaundice
- Yellow eyes
- Bitter taste in the mouth with a dry tongue
- Distention and pain of the chest and lateral costal region with inability to turn
- Vomiting
- Difficult ingestion
- Dry retching
- Cholecystitis
- Cholelithiasis
- Hepatitis
- Headache and chills
- Sore throat
- Distention and fullness in the abdomen and chest
- Pain in the flanks
- Sperm in the urine
- Myopia
- Conjunctivitis
- Optic nerve atrophy
- Scrofula
- Afternoon fever
- Fright palpitations with restless sleep
- Insomnia
- Steaming bone fever
- Deficiency-taxation tidal fever
- Dryness and pain of the throat
- Cold shivering with absence of sweating
- Swelling of the axilla
- Headache
- Gastritis
- Pulmonary tuberculosis
- Round worms in the bile duct and Intestines
- Tuberculosis of the lymph glands
- Abdominal distention
- Soreness of the chest and ribs
- Sciatica
- Swelling of the axillary lymph glands
- Pleurisy
- Pancreatitis
- Dream-disturbed sleep
- Intermittent fever and headache
- Belching
- Hiccup
Combinations
| Points | Indications |
|---|---|
| UB-17 Geshu (the Four Flowers), UB-48 Yanggang | Steaming bone taxation fever, deficiency taxation, tidal fever |
| DU-17 Naohu, UB-49 Yishe, UB-48 Yanggang | Yellow eyes |
| LIV-13 Zhangmen | Pain of the lateral costal region |
| REN-19 Zigong, REN-16 Zhongting | Difficult ingestion |
| LI-1 Shangyang, UB-27 Xiaochangshu | Dry mouth and tongue with difficult ingestion |
| UB-17 Geshu, UB-43 Gaohuangshu, M-BW-6 Huanmen | The hundred syndromes of Deficiency-taxation (use moxa on all points) |
| LI-5 Yangxi | Fright palpitations |
| GB-24 Riyue | Frequent indecision |
| DU-9 Zhiyang, ST-36 Zusanli, LIV-3 Taichong | Acute infectious hepatitis |
| GB-34 Yanglingquan, PC-6 Neiguan | Round worms in the bile duct |
| M-LE-23 Dannangxue | Cholecystitis |
| LIV-13 Zhongmen | Rib pain preventing sleep |
Notes
This is an important point to clear Damp-Heat from the Gall Bladder and Liver.
Sources and further reading
We cite classical materia medica and modern reference works. This article is health education, not medical advice.
- Shennong Bencao Jing (The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), Han dynasty.
- Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen, 1578.
- Chinese Pharmacopoeia, current edition — identity, quality and safety monographs.
- NCCIH and WHO reference material on traditional medicine safety.
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