ACUPUNCTURE
Wei Zhong: TCM Acupoint Guide
WEIZHONG
Name
Wei Zhong (Weizhong)
Location
At the back of the knee, on the popliteal crease, in a depression midway between the tendons of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus. Note: locate with the knee slightly flexed.
Needling
- Perpendicular insertion, 1 to 1.5 cun, or prick to bleed the superficial veins.
- Caution: the popliteal artery and vein lie deep at this point.
- For acute sprain of the lower back, prick the point to draw a few drops of Blood.
- Straight insertion, 0.5 to 1 cun, causing local distention and soreness or an electric numb sensation extending to the bottom of the foot.
Command Functions
- He-Sea point
- Earth point
- Lower He-Sea point
- Cao Wu Command point
- Ma Dan-yang Heavenly Star point
Actions
- Benefits the lumbar region
- Benefits the knees
- Activates the channel
- Alleviates pain
- Cools the Blood
- Clears Heat and toxins from the Blood
- Eliminates Blood Stasis
- Clears Summerheat and stops vomiting and diarrhea
- Benefits the Bladder
- Resolves Dampness
- Relaxes the sinews
- Removes obstruction from the channel
Indications
- Pain and stiffness of the lumbar spine
- Heaviness of the lumbar region and buttock
- Cold sensation of the sacrum, coccyx and thigh
- Low back pain
- Knee pain extending to the big toe
- Difficulty flexing and extending the hip and knee joints
- Contraction of the sinews around the popliteal fossa
- Contracture and pain of the knee
- Weakness of the legs
- Atrophy disorder of the lower limbs
- Bi syndrome of the lower limbs
- Wind Bi
- Windstroke
- Hemiplegia
- Clove sores
- Erysipelas
- Eczema
- Urticaria
- Sciatica
- Motor impairment of the hip
- Leprosy
- Heat exhaustion
- Acute gastroenteritis
- Arthritis of the knee
- Paralysis of the lower limb
- Twisting pain in the chest and abdomen
- Boils
- Herpes zoster
- Muscular tetany
- All knee joint diseases
- Any disorder due to poor Blood circulation
- Stomach cramps
- Cholera
- Cholera without diarrhea
- Foot without strength making walking difficult
- Exanthem of measles type
- Hot and Cold abscesses
- Chest pains
- Common cold
- Yin malaria
- Lower abdomen hard
- Night sweats
- Tympanitis
- Urinary incontinence
- Injury by Summerheat
- Febrile disease with absence of sweating
- Injury by Cold with Heat of the four limbs
- Alternating chills and fever
- Malaria
- Ceaseless thirst
- Sudden turmoil disorder with abdominal pain
- Fullness of the lower abdomen
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Dysenteric disorder
- Enuresis
- Difficult urination
- Dark urination
- Burning urination
- Distention and pain of the hypogastrium
- Epistaxis
- Pain of the lower teeth
- Headache
- Throat Bi
- Epilepsy
- Hemorrhoid pain
- Tidal fever
- Carbuncles
- Coma due to stroke
- Seizures
- Spasm of the gastrocnemius muscle
- Ulceration due to Damp-Heat
- Restless fetus disorder due to Heat in the Blood
- Convulsions
- Hip joint pain and restricted movement
- Sensation of heaviness in the big toe
- Colic
- Arthritis of the hip
- Muscular spasms of the foot
- Rheumatism in the leg
- All skin disorders
- Anthrax on the back
- Acne on the back
- Furuncles on the back
- Syncope
- Cerebral hemorrhage
- Sore throat
- Torticollis
- Muscular atrophy, motor impairment and pain of the lower extremities
Combinations
| Points | Indications |
|---|---|
| DU-26 Renzhong | Pain of the lumbar region and leg |
| KI-7 Fuliu | Pain of the lumbar spine |
| UB-23 Shenshu, KI-3 Taixi, UB-30 Baihuanshu | Lumbar pain due to Kidney Deficiency |
| GB-30 Huantiao | Lumbar pain |
| GB-30 Huantiao, UB-60 Kunlun | Lumbar pain that radiates up the back |
| ST-33 Yinshi, GB-30 Huantiao, GB-31 Fengshi, UB-60 Kunlun, UB-57 Chengshan, UB-62 Shenmai | Pain of the legs and lumbar region |
| GB-31 Fengshi, LIV-2 Xingjian | Lumbar pain with difficulty moving |
| DU-2 Yaoshu, KI-1 Yongquan, UB-27 Xiaochangshu, UB-28 Pangguangshu | Stiffness and pain of the lumbar region |
| UB-30 Baihuanshu | Back pain extending to the lumbar region |
| DU-26 Renzhong, LU-5 Chize, then needle UB-60 Kunlun, UB-65 Shugu, SJ-6 Zhigou, GB-34 Yanglingquan | Pain of the lumbar and lateral costal regions due to sprain |
| UB-12 Fengmen, GB-21 Jianjing, SJ-3 Zhongzhu, SJ-6 Zhigou, SI-3 Houxi, SI-4 Wangu | Pain of the shoulder and back |
| SJ-6 Zhigou, reduce the left point for right sided pain and vice versa | Pain of the chest and lateral costal region |
| LI-8 Xialian | Wind-Damp Bi |
| ST-36 Zusanli, UB-57 Chengshan | Feebleness of the legs |
| UB-57 Chengshan, UB-58 Feiyang, GB-38 Yangfu, KI-7 Fuliu, LIV-3 Taichong, GB-43 Xiaxi, REN-6 Qihai, REN-1 Huiyin, DU-1 Changqiang | The five types of hemorrhoids |
| UB-56 Chengjin, UB-36 Chengfu, SI-5 Yanggu | Hemorrhoids, swelling of the axilla |
| ST-22 Guanmen, HT-7 Shenmen | Enuresis |
| REN-24 Chengjiang | Ceaseless nosebleed |
| SP-1 Yinbai | Severe and incessant nosebleed |
| M-UE-1 Shixuan, DU-26 Renzhong | Heat exhaustion |
| DU-28 Yinjiao, Ahshi point of pain | Acute low back sprain |
Contraindications
Use moxibustion with caution. Some sources say that this point is forbidden to moxa. Do not use for very weak patients with pronounced Deficiency and Cold; substitute UB-60 Kunlun.
Notes
This is considered to be one of the most important acupuncture points, and an essential point for lumbar pain. One of the best points for controlling Blood. It is good for every general kind of skin disorder.
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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