俞府 : Shufu : Shu Mansion

Location Guides:

Classifications:

Spirit point
Front Shu of the Chest governing all the front Shu points on the upper Chong Mai trajectory (Yuen, 2005, The Extraordinary Vessels, Cecil-Sterman, 2012, Advanced Acupuncture)
Trigger point (Travell & Simons, 1998, Trigger Point Manual)

Location:

In the depression on the lower border of the clavicle, 2 cun lateral to the midline.

Needling:

Transverse-oblique insertion, directed laterally along the lower border of the clavicle 0.5 - 1 cun

Warnings:

Deep perpendicular or oblique needling may puncture the lung.

Classical Needling:

"The Shaoyin usually has little Blood and much Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be needled.
"The foot Shaoyin is to be pierced 2 fen deep and remain inserted for three exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"Locate it with (the patient) lying supine. It is needled to a depth of four fen and is moxaed with five cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Unbinds the chest
Transforms Phlegm and alleviates cough and wheezing
Harmonises the Stomach and lowers rebellious Qi

TCM Indications:

• Cough, chronic cough with vomiting of phlegm, wheezing, dyspnoea, chest pain, oppression of the chest with chronic dyspnoea.
  
• Abdominal distension, nausea, vomiting, inability to eat and drink.
  
• Reckless movement of hot blood in women, Steaming Bone Disorder.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Anterior cutaneous thoracic nerve from T2

Dermatome Segment: T2

Trigger Point Associations:

Muscle:
Subclavius

Pain Referral Pattern:
Across top of chest and down bicep, radial aspect of forearm and hand to thumb and first two fingers

Indications:
Vascular thoracic outlet syndrome (pain in hands, arms, across shoulder and neck)

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

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

Major Combinations:

• Vomiting with fullness of chest:
    Shufu Kid-27, Shencang Kid-25, Lingxu Kid-24 and Juque Ren-14
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
  
  
• Rebellious Qi with dyspnoea and inability to catch the breath:
    Shufu Kid-27 with Shencang Kid-25 and Tianfu Lu-3
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Coughing and wheezing with phlegm:
    Shufu Kid-27 with Rugen St-18
    (Yu Long Fu, 玉龍賦, Ode of the Jade Dragon. First recorded in Gao Wu, 高武, 1529: Zhen Jiu Yu Jing, 針灸聚英, Glorious Anthology of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

Notes:

One of the twelve shu points of the chest mentioned in the Su Wen Ch. 58, along with Bulang Kid-22, Shenfeng Kid-23, Linxu Kid-24, Shencang Kid-25 and Yuzhong Kid-26.

In TCM these are employed for wheezing, dyspnoea and coughing due to 'fullness above and deficiency below' due to weak kidney qi not grasping lung qi (Deadman et al, 2001).
for wheezing, dyspnoea and coughing due to 'fullness above and deficiency below' due to weak kidney qi not grasping lung qi (Deadman et al, 2001).

Yuen (2005, The Extraordinary Vessels) believes these points, when related to the front Shu points of the Chong mai are located at 5 fen (0.5 cun) from the midline.

In five element acupuncture indicated for depleted spirit, helps to tonify the spirit of a person.

The inner line of Tung's 12 Monkeys (Shi Er Hou) would be located slightly lateral (5 fen) to this point.

In Mayan medicine:
Combined with Tiantu Ren-22 and Xuanji Ren-21 for treatment of asthma (Garcia, Sierra, Balam, 1999: Wind in the Blood)

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