: Shiqizhuixia : Below the Seventeenth Vertebra

Ex-BW-8 : Extra Back/Waist 8

Location Guides:

Classifications:

Master Tung's Three Rivers

Meetings:

Meeting of Extra Back/Waist with Destiny Cultivation Line (Xiuming Xian


Location:

On the midline of the lower back, in the depression below the spinous process of the fifth lumbar vertebra (L5).

Needling:

Perpendicular insertion 0.5 - 1 cun

Warnings:

The spinal canal lies between 1.25 and 1.75 cun deep to the skin surface, varying according to body build.


TCM Actions:

Tonifies the Kidneys and promotes unination
Activates the channel and alleviates pain

TCM Indications:

  • Pain of the lumbar region and legs, difficult urination, foetus pressing on the bladder.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Medial branches of dorsal rami of L5
Dermatome Segment: S3


Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

See Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com for explanation of effects.

Major Combinations:



Notes:

The Destiny Cultivation line (Xiuming Xian 修命線) is an internal line used in inner cultivation arts (Neigong Shu 內功術) that connects Qihai Ren-6 with the sacrum at this point or Yaoshu Du-2 (Wang, 2019, Daoist Internal Mastery ).



Master Tung's Three Rivers (San Jiang) are three lines of points, one along the midline below each spinous process from L1 to S2 with the another two either side 3 cun lateral to the midline from L2 to S2. They are pricked to bleed a spot of blood.
They relate to the water phase and Kidneys and are indicated for lumbar pain and conditions of the abdomen, bowels and uterus. Those 3 cun from the midline can also be used for sciatica and as distal points pain of arm, elbows or shoulders (McCann, 2014, Pricking the Vessels).



In Tibetan medicine:
Edelweiss flowers are burnt in cones like moxa over crushed garlic at this point as a urinary bladder point to treat urinary stones, urine retention and frequency of urine.
There are a further two points below this on the sacrum which are the reproductive fluids point, to treat premature ejaculation and impotence, and the downward cleansing mLung point that treats incontinence of the bowels, constipation and mucus diarrhoea (Bradley, 2000: Principles of Tibetan Medicine)


Reference Notes:

Basic information on location, needle depth, TCM actions, indications and combinations is taken from Deadman et al (2001): A Manual of Acupuncture with additional anatomical information researched by reference to Gray's Anatomy (38th Ed., 1995) unless otherwise referenced. Images were found on acupunctureschoolonline.com and can be traced back to Claudia Focks (2008) Atlas of Acupuncture originally. I cannot claim any credit or rights over them. Other sources should be quoted in the text.

For some of the more unusual terms I have created a glossary here