ACUPUNCTURE
Zhi Yin: TCM Acupoint Guide
Name
Zhi Yin (Zhiyin)
Location
On the dorsal aspect of the little toe, approximately 0.1 cun from the lateral corner of the nail, at the junction of the lines drawn along the lateral border of the nail and the base of the nail.
Needling
- Perpendicular or oblique insertion directed proximally, 0.1 to 0.2 cun, causing local pain, or prick to bleed.
- Puncture superficially, 0.1 cun.
- Moxibustion is applicable.
Command Functions
- Jing-well point
- Metal point
- Tonification point
- Exit point
Actions
- Expels Wind
- Clears the head and eyes
- Clears the brain
- Turns the fetus
- Facilitates labor
- Regulates pregnancy and childbirth
- Removes obstructions from the channel
- Invigorates the Blood
Indications
- Vertex headache
- Occipital headache
- Heaviness of the head
- Neck pain
- Nasal congestion
- Epistaxis
- Eye pain
- Pain of the inner canthus
- Superficial visual obstruction
- Deafness
- Tinnitus
- Pain of the lateral costal region and chest
- Agitation of the Heart
- Malarial disorders with no sweating
- Generalized body itching
- Parietal headache
- Lochioschesis
- Retained placenta
- Stroke
- Infantile convulsions
- Intercostal neuralgia
- Anhidrosis
- Nervousness
- Headache
- Nasal obstruction
- Dermatosis
- Itching over the whole body
- Hemiplegia
- Pain at the ankle joints
- Irritability
- Difficult urination
- Nocturnal emissions
- Retention of the placenta
- Malposition of the fetus
- Delayed labor
- Prolonged labor
- Difficult labor
- Difficult urination
- Painful urinary dysfunction
- Seminal emission
- Cold malaria
- Wind-Cold starting from the little toe
- Heat in the soles of the feet
- Clonic spasm
- Swelling of the knees
- Clear nasal discharge
- Dim vision
- Nebula
- Membrane on the eye
- Fear
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Hormonal secretions
- Spinal trouble
- Bi syndrome
- Cramps
- Ophthalmalgia
- Nervous headache
- Blocked nose
- All types of skin lesions
- Syncope
- Emergency care
- Swelling of the feet
- Pain sometimes in the chest and sometimes in the flanks
Combinations
| Points | Indications |
|---|---|
| ST-36 Zusanli | Hastens delivery |
| LIV-8 Ququan, REN-3 Zhongji | Seminal emission |
| REN-3 Zhongji, LIV-5 Ligou, UB-36 Chengfu, SP-7 Lougu | Difficult urination and seminal emission |
| ST-15 Wuyi | Itching with much pain |
| SP-9 Yinlingquan, GB-30 Huantiao, GB-38 Yangfu, KI-3 Taixi | Paralysis of the lower extremity |
| GB-30 Huantiao | Pain of the chest and lateral costal region that changes location |
| DU-20 Baihui, SI-3 Houxi | Vertex headache |
| GB-20 Fengchi, M-HN-9 Taiyang | Occipital headache |
Contraindications
Needling is contraindicated during pregnancy.
Notes
Clears fullness and Heat from the opposite end of the channel. Most effective for acute conditions. Relieves pain anywhere in the body. Best known for its ability to reposition the fetus, used with moxibustion; once the fetus has turned, discontinue moxibustion. A general equilibrium point that affects all hormones in general, especially the ovaries.
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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