Ju Que: TCM Acupoint Guide

Name

Ju Que (CV-14)

Location

On the midline of the abdomen, 6 cun above the umbilicus and 2 cun below the sternocostal angle.

Note: in some patients the xiphoid process may extend to this point.

Needling

• Perpendicular insertion 0.5 to 1 cun.
• Puncture perpendicularly 0.3 to 0.8 cun.
• Straight insertion 1.5 to 2 cun. Sensation: local distention and discomfort, with soreness extending upward.
• Oblique insertion directed inferiorly 1 to 1.5 cun.

Caution: deep insertion, especially in thin patients, may damage the left lobe of the Liver or the Heart if either is enlarged. Oblique superior insertion toward the Heart is contraindicated. Moxibustion is applicable.

Command functions

Front-Mu point of the Heart.

Actions

• Calms the shen and regulates the Heart
• Regulates qi and descends rebellious qi
• Unbinds the chest and benefits the diaphragm
• Descends lung qi
• Pacifies the Stomach and harmonizes the Stomach
• Alleviates pain and transforms phlegm

Indications

Heart and chest

• Pain in the Heart and chest
• Angina pectoris and heart pain due to Cold
• Chest pain radiating to the back or to the lateral costal region
• Fullness of the chest with shortness of breath
• Stifling sensation in the chest, with a sensation of malaise and heat
• Accumulation of phlegm in the chest, with excess mucoid sputum
• Rebellious qi; qi rebellion with cough, fullness of the chest and shortness of breath with pain radiating to the back
• Palpitations, including fright palpitations with diminished qi
• Tachycardia and cardiac failure
• Pericarditis and pleurisy

Mind and spirit

• Psychosis, insanity and mania-depression
• Mania disorder with raving, fury and cursing
• Agitation of the Heart
• Agitation and fullness of the Heart
• Sudden turmoil disorder
• Heart disorientation, mental instability
• Loss of consciousness and syncope with the four limbs icy like a cadaver
• Epilepsy with vomiting of foam, and seizures
• Mutual overacting of the five phases
• Fear, anguish and hysteria
• Clonic spasm and spasms of the Stomach and abdomen

Stomach and abdomen

• Abdominal distention and sudden abdominal pain
• Focal distention, distention and fullness
• Upper abdominal distention
• Stomach pain and gastric spasm
• Gastric ulcer and stomach cancer
• Sensation of a bar in the Stomach
• Nausea, acid regurgitation and vomiting
• Incessant vomiting; the patient vomits all he eats
• Vomiting long after ingestion of food
• Hiccup and esophageal constriction
• Diaphragm pain from fluid accumulation that is difficult to endure; diaphragmatic spasms
• Obstruction of the diaphragm and discomfort in the diaphragm
• Cholera
• Diarrhea and incessant dysentery
• Jaundice, acute jaundice and shan disorder
• Gastric ulcer, chronic hepatitis and intestinal tuberculosis with hard knots in the abdomen

Other disorders

• Syncope during pregnancy
• Motion sickness
• Bronchitis and coughing fits
• Lack of vitality, lack of energy and lassitude
• Cold extremities
• Syncope during pregnancy; heart pain from Cold
• Injury by Cold (shang han), including injury by Cold leading to agitation of the Heart
• Plague and febrile disease
• Collapsing syndrome with chills
• Nine types of pain in the Heart and back with a sensation of Cold
• Spitting blood and drooling
• Sudden Heart pain
• Intestinal parasitosis, including round worms in the bile duct and parasites in the intestines or bile duct
• Pains in the lower abdomen due to intestinal parasitosis
• Chest pain related to round worms
• Infantile parasitosis
• Hernia
• Pains due to Cold
• Rectus spasms
• Dysphagia
• Depression, poor memory and mental disorders
• Aversion to fire, tendency to curse and scold others, anger and disorientation
• Agitation and heat, diminished qi

Combinations

Notes

This point is indicated for disorders of the Heart and shen. It is particularly important when Cold attacks the Heart, and is considered the ST-36 Zusanli of the upper jiao. It is a first-aid point.