ACUPUNCTURE
San Yin Jiao: TCM Acupoint Guide
SANYINJIAO
Name
San Yin Jiao (Sanyinjiao)
Location
On the medial side of the lower leg, 3 cun superior to the prominence of the medial malleolus, in a depression close to the medial crest of the tibia, on the line drawn from the medial malleolus to SP-9 Yinlingquan. Note: this point is most readily located one handbreadth superior to the prominence of the medial malleolus.
Needling
- Straight insertion, pointed slightly posterior, 1 to 1.5 cun, for diseases of the leg. Sensation: a numb, electric sensation, possibly extending to the bottom of the foot.
- Slanted insertion pointed slightly upward, 1 to 1.5 cun, for diseases of the trunk. After Qi has been obtained, a strong needling method should be used for a short time. Sensation: distention and soreness possibly to the knee or along the medial aspect of the thigh.
- Straight insertion toward GB-39 Xuanzhong, 1.5 to 2 cun, causing local distention and soreness.
- Perpendicular or oblique proximal insertion, 1 to 1.5 cun.
- Caution: this point is contraindicated during pregnancy.
Command Functions
- Meeting point of the Spleen, Liver and Kidney channels
- Master point of blood
Actions
- Tonifies the Spleen and Stomach
- Regulates the Stomach
- Resolves Dampness and Damp-Heat
- Dries Dampness and Cold-Dampness
- Harmonizes the Liver
- Spreads Liver Qi
- Benefits the Kidneys
- Tonifies the Kidneys
- Stabilizes Kidney Qi
- Regulates menstruation
- Regulates the uterus
- Induces labor
- Calms the fetus
- Harmonizes the Lower Jiao
- Regulates urination
- Benefits the genitals
- Calms the Shen
- Invigorates the Blood
- Cools the Blood
- Eliminates Blood Stasis
- Activates the channel
- Removes obstruction from the Jing-Luo channels
- Alleviates pain
- Nourishes Blood, Yin and Jing
- Moistens Dryness
- Warms Cold
- Raises Middle Qi
- Softens hard masses
- Stimulates the adrenal, pituitary and ovaries
Indications
- Spleen and Stomach Deficiency
- Spleen Deficiency with a heavy body
- Heaviness of the four limbs
- Edema
- Borborygmus
- Diarrhea
- Undigested food in the stool
- Abdominal distention
- Abdominal pain
- Distention and fullness of the upper abdomen
- Cold abdomen
- Unbearable pain below the umbilicus
- Pain of the Spleen
- Fullness and distention of the Heart and abdomen
- No desire to eat and drink
- Vomiting of fluid after eating
- Sudden turmoil disorder
- Seminal emission
- Nocturnal emissions
- Seminal emission with dreaming
- Sexual hyperactivity in men
- Impotence
- Pain of the genitals
- Pain of the penis
- Contracted testicles
- Shan (hernia) disorder
- Pain due to Shan disorder
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Tinnitus
- Yawning
- Hypertension
- Damp painful Bi
- Painful Bi of the lower limbs
- Heat in the soles of the feet
- Eczema
- Counterflow Cold of the feet and hands
- Loss of consciousness
- Purple lips
- Vertigo from Blood Deficiency
- Itchiness of the scrotum or vagina
- Irritability
- Night sweats
- Feeling of Heat
- Hemafecia with dark Blood
- Lower abdominal pain
- Pancreatitis
- Spontaneous sweating
- Night sweating
- Leg Qi
- Dysenteric disorders
- Nephritis
- Prostatitis
- Emaciation
- Weakness
- Menopausal syndrome
- Hysteria with sudden laughing and crying
- Abdominal organ prolapse
- Splenomegaly
- Scrofula
- Hard abdominal masses or tumors
- Motor impairment and pain of the medial side of the ankle
- Fear
- Thrush
- Anorexia
- Cholera
- Orchitis
- Paralysis of the four limbs
- Postpartum hemorrhage
- Blepharocalasis, that is drooping of the eyelid
- Lower jaw relaxed so the mouth cannot be closed
- Arms and legs cannot be flexed
- Beriberi
- Irregular menstruation
- Uterine bleeding
- Uterine bleeding with dizziness
- Menorrhagia
- Amenorrhea
- Dysmenorrhea
- Abdominal masses in women
- Leukorrhea
- Uterine prolapse
- Infertility
- Restless fetus syndrome
- Transverse presentation
- Delayed labor
- Prolonged labor
- Difficult labor
- Retention of lochia
- Retention of dead fetus
- Postpartum dizziness
- Difficult urination
- Enuresis
- The five types of painful urinary dysfunction
- Cloudy urine
- White turbidity
- Palpitations
- Insomnia
- Gallbladder Deficiency
- Sudden fright disorder in children
- Leg pain
- Crane's knee
- Atrophy disorder
- Hemiplegia
- Shin pain
- Urticaria
- Collapse of Yang
- Aversion to Cold
- Urinary incontinence
- Urinary retention
- Neurasthenia
- Poor digestion
- Colic
- Mucus in the stools
- Constipation with small-bitty stools
- Dry mouth
- Blood Heat skin diseases
- Hyperthyroidism
- Enteritis
- Loose stools
- Fatigued extremities
- Flatulence
- Hepatitis
- Renal colic
- Urinary tract infection
- Lower back and knee pain
- Morning sickness
- Testicular mumps
- Liver cirrhosis
- Inguinal lymphadenitis
- Muscular atrophy of the lower limb
- Gonorrhea
- Syphilis
- Fungal infections
- Tetany
- Hemorrhoids persisting after childbirth
- Metritis
- Lower limb imperception and neuralgia
- Knee pain
- Long-standing foot swelling
- Postpartum syncope
- Neurodermatitis
- Painful rheumatism
- Four limbs cold and icy
Combinations
| Points | Indications |
|---|---|
| HT-7 Shenmen | Any kind of insomnia |
| SP-9 Yinlingquan | Diarrhea with undigested food |
| REN-8 Shenque, LIV-3 Taichong | Diarrhea with thin stools |
| REN-12 Zhongwan | Undigested food in the stools |
| ST-21 Liangmen, ST-36 Zusanli, UB-25 Dachengshu, REN-10 Xiawan, UB-22 Sanjiaoshu, DU-5 Xuanshu | Undigested food in the stools |
| ST-9 Renying, PC-6 Neiguan, SJ-1 Guanchong, ST-36 Zusanli | Sudden turmoil disorder, headache, chest pain and dyspneic rales |
| SP-5 Shangqiu | Spleen Deficiency constipation |
| GB-26 Daimai, REN-6 Qihai, REN-3 Zhongji, UB-23 Shenshu | Irregular menstruation |
| GB-41 Zulinqi, REN-3 Zhongji | Inhibited menstruation |
| LIV-3 Taichong or KI-8 Jiaoxin, KI-10 Yingu, LIV-3 Taichong | Profuse, ceaseless uterine bleeding |
| REN-5 Shimen | Women who have had too many children |
| LIV-3 Taichong, LI-4 Hegu | Difficult delivery (reduce SP-6 and LIV-3 and reinforce LI-4) |
| REN-3 Zhongji | Retention of the placenta (reduce both points) |
| REN-3 Zhongji, GB-21 Jianjing | Retention of the placenta |
| ST-36 Zusanli, SJ-6 Zhigou | Postpartum dizziness |
| REN-6 Qihai | Postpartum blood clot pain, white turbidity, chronic seminal emission |
| REN-1 Huiyin, REN-3 Zhongji | Sudden redness, swelling and pain of the vagina |
| UB-30 Baihuanshu, GB-26 Daimai, REN-4 Guanyuan, REN-6 Qihai, PC-5 Jianshi | Red and white leukorrhea |
| LU-10 Yuji, KI-3 Taixi, REN-3 Zhongji | Pain of the penis |
| ST-29 Guilai, LIV-1 Dadun | Sagging and swollen testicle without pain |
| ST-36 Zusanli, REN-12 Zhongwan, LIV-3 Taichong | Buerger's disease |
| KI-6 Zhaohai, LIV-8 Ququan | Lower abdominal pain from severe shan (hernial) disorder |
| SP-9 Yinlingquan, REN-6 Qihai, KI-10 Yingu, PC-7 Daling | Obstructed urination |
| REN-5 Shimen, REN-4 Guanyuan, REN-3 Zhongji, REN-2 Qugu | Inability to urinate |
| LIV-6 Zhongdu, LI-4 Hegu, LI-11 Quchi, SJ-3 Zhongzhu, SJ-2 Yemen, LIV-2 Xingjian, ST-44 Neiting, SP-9 Yinlingquan | Edema of the four limbs |
| LIV-14 Qimen, REN-4 Guanyuan, REN-3 Zhongji, REN-5 Shimen, SP-10 Xuehai | Running piglet Qi in women |
| LIV-13 Zhangmen, REN-5 Shimen | Running piglet Qi |
| ST-27 Daju, REN-6 Qihai | Palpitations and insomnia |
| SP-9 Yinlingquan, SP-1 Yinbai, SP-4 Gongsun, UB-13 Feishu, LU-9 Taiyuan | Insomnia |
| ST-36 Zusanli | Strongly tonifies Middle Jiao Qi, tonifies Blood to remove tiredness, Cold-Damp leg qi |
| GB-30 Huantiao, UB-65 Shugu, KI-8 Jiaoxin, KI-10 Yingu | Hip pain |
| GB-41 Zulinqi | Hip pain with difficulty walking, pain of the skin on the lateral aspect of the leg |
| ST-36 Zusanli, GB-39 Xuanzhong | Lig qi |
| HT-7 Shenmen, ST-36 Zusanli, M-HN-3 Yintang | Insomnia due to Heart and Spleen Deficiency |
| HT-7 Shenmen, KI-3 Taixi, KI-6 Zhaohai | Insomnia due to Disharmony between the Heart and Kidneys |
| HT-7 Shenmen, M-HN-54 Anmian, UB-18 Ganshu, UB-19 Danshu | Insomnia due to Liver Fire |
Contraindications
Contraindicated during pregnancy.
Notes
One of the most important and widely used acupuncture points. It is a primary point in the treatment of many digestive, gynecological, sexual, urinary and emotional disorders. It is an essential point to induce labor, assist in transverse presentation and alleviate pain of childbirth. It is one of the most important points to harmonize and cool the Blood and to promote and invigorate circulation. This point is for very deep depression, when the person is desperate and wants to run away and wants to throw up their jobs, family and food, the feeling that I cannot take it anymore. This point has a powerful effect in lowering temperature. It is a major point for insomnia.
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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