Heart Channel

Question 1

1) Describe the pathway of the Heart Channel
2) What are the cun measurements for the Heart channel and their corresponding locations.

Answer 1

See picture

Question 2

He 1: JIQUAN Supreme Spring

1. Location: CICM
2. Location Anatomy book: (AB)
3. Point functions: CICM
4. Indications and functions: AB
5. Needling method & Precautions: AB

Answer 2

1.
Entry Pt. Put your finger on the anterior end of the axillary crease, where the upper arm joins the shoulder. Slide your finger down and under the muscle so that it is on the axilla. Ask the patient to abduct her arm and your finger will be on He 1.
Alternatively, raise the patient’s arm so that with her arm bent at a right angle, she has her hand pointing above her head. Rotate her forearm from pointing up, to pointing down to her feet. While you do this, look for an area at the apex of her axilla that becomes a deep hollow as her forearm points to her toes. This area is where the upper arm first joins the shoulder, just posterior to the pectoralis major muscle, and medial to the axillary artery.
(The point lies just medial to (or on the chest side of) the axillary artery. In order to feel the pulsation in the artery press out laterally against the arm.)
He 1
Reminder:
* With most of these chest points it is possible to needle into the pleural cavity and so potentially to collapse a lung.
* Patients with certain lung conditions (such as emphysema), and very thin people, are more at risk than others.
* Do not ask a patient to take a deep breath while you are needling these points.

3.
Entry Pt.
Action: Nourish Heart Yin. Clear Empty Heat. Expand and Relax the Chest..
Main use: Entry point. Strengthen the Spirit.

4.
INDICATIONS
Local disorders: Chest pain, pain of the arm and elbow, and paralysis of little finger.
Cardiovascular disorders: Mitral disease and angina pectoris. Neurological disorders: Intercostal neuralgia.
Respiratory disorders: Dyspnea.
FUNCTIONS
Regulates and stops heart and chest pain.

5.
NEEDLING METHOD
● Puncture perpendicularly upward 0.5–1.0 cun.
● Moxibustion 10–20 min.
PRECAUTIONS
● Avoid puncturing the axillary artery or axillary vein. ● Deep medial insertion toward the chest may cause
pneumothorax.

Question 3

He 2: QINGLING Blue-Green Spirit

1. Location: CICM
2. Location Anatomy book: (AB)
3. Point functions: CICM
4. Indications and functions: AB
5. Needling method & Precautions: AB

Answer 3

1.
3 cun above the flexure of the elbow (He 3), in the groove that is found medial to the biceps muscle when the arm is bent. It lies on the line connecting He 1- He 3.

3.
Action: Expand and Relax the Chest. Regulate Qi and Blood. Clear Heat.

4.
INDICATIONS
Local disorders: Shoulder pain and chest pain.
ENT disorders: Epistaxis and sore throat.
Neurological disorders: Neuralgia of the upper arm and facial palsy.
Other disorders: Fever.
FUNCTIONS
Clears obstructions in the channel and regulates qi and blood.

5.
NEEDLING METHOD
● Puncture perpendicularly or obliquely 0.5–1.0 cun, avoiding the brachial artery.
● Moxibustion of 5–10 min may achieve better results than acupuncture.
PRECAUTIONS
● Deeper needling may puncture the brachial artery.

Question 4

He 3: SHAOHAI Lesser Sea

1. Location: CICM
2. Location Anatomy book: (AB)
3. Point functions: CICM
4. Indications and functions: AB
5. Needling method & Precautions: AB

Answer 4

1.
At the medial end of the elbow crease when the elbow is slightly flexed, approximately half-way between the tendon of the biceps and the height of the prominence of the medial epicondyle of the humerus.
Find the area that is roughly half-way between the cord-like tendon of the biceps and the prominence of the epicondyle. As the elbow is raised and lowered (flexed and extended) the tendon stands up and the epicondyle remains perfectly stationary.
To pin-point He 3, bend the arm up as far as it will go. Place your finger on the medial end of the elbow crease. Bring the arm down to nearly straight (135°). Your finger will now be in a dip formed by the medial epicondyle of the humerus which will flatten out when the arm is fully straightened. The point lies in the centre of this dip.

3.
This is the he-sea point of the heart channel.

4. INDICATIONS
   Local disorders: Numbness of the arm, hand tremors, and contracture of the elbow.
   Cardiovascular disorders: Tachycardia and angina pectoris. Neurological disorders: Intercostal neuralgia, headache,
   dizziness, depression, seizures, and mental retardation.
   FUNCTIONS
   Clears obstructions in the channel and calms the mind.

5.
NEEDLING METHOD
● Puncture oblique distally or proximally 0.5–1.5 cun or perpendicularly 0.3–0.5 cun.
PRECAUTIONS
● Contraindicated to moxibustion.

Question 5

He 4: LINGDAO Spirit Way

1. Location: CICM
2. Location Anatomy book: (AB)
3. Point functions: CICM
4. Indications and functions: AB
5. Needling method & Precautions: AB

Answer 5

1.
11/2 cun proximal to He 7, in the groove. There is a small notch in the tendon (the size of a caterpillar bite) that some of you may feel at the level of this point.

2.
This is jing-river point of the heart channel

4.
INDICATIONS
Local disorders: Contracture of the elbow and arm. Cardiovascular disease: Cardiac pain.
Ophthalmic disorders: Eye disease.
Neurological disorders: Tension headache and mental
illness.
Circulatory disorders: Hemiplegia, hypertension, and
arteriosclerosis.
ENT disorders: Tinnitus. Dental disorders: Toothache.
FUNCTIONS
Clears obstructions in the channel.

5.
NEEDLING METHOD
● Puncture perpendicularly 0.3–0.5 cun or obliquely 0.5–1.0 cun.
● Moxibustion 1–2 min

Question 6

He 5: TONGLI Connecting Inside

1. Location: CICM
2. Location Anatomy book: (AB)
3. Point functions: CICM
4. Indications and functions: AB
5. Needling method & Precautions: AB

Answer 6

1.
1 cun proximal to He 7, in the groove as above.

2.
This is the luo- connecting point of the heart channel.

4.
INDICATIONS
Local disorders: Forearm pain.
Cardiovascular disorders: Angina pectoris and palpitations. Ophthalmic disorders: Pain of the eye and conjunctivitis. Neurological disorders: Aphasia, headache, and
neurasthenia.
ENT disorders: Tinnitus and hoarseness of the voice. Gynecological disorders: Menorrhagia.
Circulatory disorders: Hemiplegia.
FUNCTIONS
Regulates heart-qi, calms the mind, and tonifies the brain.

5.
NEEDLING METHOD
● Puncture perpendicularly 0.3–0.5 cun or obliquely 0.5–1.0 cun.
● Moxibustion 2–5 min.

Question 7

He 6: YINXI Yin Cleft

1. Location: CICM
2. Location Anatomy book: (AB)
3. Point functions: CICM
4. Indications and functions: AB
5. Needling method & Precautions: AB

Answer 7

1.
1/2 cun proximal to He 7, in the groove of the tendon as described above.

2.
This is the xi-cleft point of the heart
channel.

4.
INDICATIONS
Local disorders: Shoulder pain.
Cardiovascular disorders: Sudden chest pain and
palpitations.
Respiratory disorders: Tuberculosis and/or night sweating.

ENT disorders: Tonsillitis and epistaxis.
Neurological disorders: Anxiety, mental defect, and facial
palsy.
FUNCTIONS
Tonifies heart-yin and heart blood and calms the mind.

5.
NEEDLING METHOD
● Puncture perpendicularly 0.3–0.5 cun or obliquely proximally 0.5–1.0 cun.
● Moxibustion 1–2 min.

Question 8

He 7: SHENMEN Shen Gate

1. Location: CICM
2. Location Anatomy book: (AB)
3. Point functions: CICM
4. Indications and functions: AB
5. Needling method & Precautions: AB

Answer 8

1.
On the proximal radial corner of the pisiform bone, in the depression just radial to the tendon (the flexor carpi ulnaris).
Feel around the ulnar side of the wrist until you find the knob that is the pisiform bone. Roll your finger onto the proximal edge of the pisiform and ask the person to slowly raise and lower their hand to display the tendon that inserts into the pisiform bone (flexor carpi ulnaris). The heart channel runs in the groove just radial to this tendon.
He 7 lies at the proximal radial corner of the pisiform bone just radial to the tendon.
An easy method is to find the proximal corner of the pisiform bone on the ulnar edge of the wrist and then roll over to the radial side of the bone.

2.
3.
This is the shu-stream and yuan-source point of the heart channel

4.
INDICATIONS
Local disorders: Pain of the wrist and shoulder pain. Cardiovascular disorders: Angina pectoris, palpitations, and cardiac asthma.
Neurological disorders: Irritability, mania, mental defect,
hypertension, insomnia, epilepsy, and aphasia. ENT disorders: Glossitis.
FUNCTIONS
Regulates heart-qi and heart blood and calms the mind.

5.
NEEDLING METHOD
● Puncture perpendicularly 0.3–0.5 cun or puncture obliquely 0.5–1.0 cun.
● Moxibustion 1–2 min. PRECAUTIONS
● Deeper needling may puncture the ulnar artery and the ulnar nerve, which lie adjacent to this point