契脈 : Qimai : Spasm Vessel

Location Guides:

Location:

Posterior to the ear, in a small depression on the mastoid bone, one third of the distance along a curved line drawn between Yifeng SJ-17 to Jiaosun SJ-20 following the line of the rim of the ear.

Needling:

Subcutaneous insertion along the course of the channel 0.3 - 0.5 cun, or prick to bleed.

Classical Needling:

"The Shaoyang usually has little Blood and much Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be needled.
"The hand Yin and Yang receive their Qi via nearby paths so their Qi arrive swiftly. The depth of piercing must not exceed 2 fen and must not remain inserted for longer than one exhalation" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of one fen and is moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Benefits the ears
Calms and pacifies Wind

TCM Indications:

• Tinnitus, deafness, pain behind the ear.
  
• Headache, head wind, vomiting, diarrhoea, seminal emission, discharge from the eye, dimness of vision.
  
• Infantile fright epilepsy, clonic spasm, fright and fear.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Greater auricular nerve, from the cervical nerve plexus (branches from C2 - C3)

Dermatome Segment: C2

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

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

Major Combinations:

• Childhood Fright Wind, vomiting and diarrhoea:
    Qimai SJ-18 with Changqiang Du-1
    (Haungfu Mi, 皇甫謐, 282: Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing, 針灸甲乙經, Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Head Wind and pain behind the ear:
    Qimai SJ-18 with Wangu GB-12
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Wind headache:
    Qimai SJ-18 with Zanzhu Bl-2, Chenggyang Bl-6, Shenshu Bl-23, Sizhukong SJ-23 and Erheliao SJ-22
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).

Notes:

Galen recommended arteriotomy "behind the ear" and so probably at Yifeng SJ-17, or on the occipital artery at this point or Luxi SJ-19 for scotomatics (blind spots) and people with "chronic hot and spiritous pains in the head" (Brain, 1986, Galen on Bloodletting, p.97).

Aretaeus performed arteriotomy in front (probably Taiyang) and behind the ears for epilepsy (ibid.: p.97, footnote).

Avicenna describes venesection at this point in his treatise On Venesection:

"There are three small veins (posterior auricular veins) located behind the ear where it meets the hair. One of the three veins is more visible and is venesected at the start of water and vapour accumulation in the head coming from the stomach; for this reason it is beneficial in the case of ear and back-of-the-head sores, as well as in head disease. Galen rebuffs the notion that venesecting the veins behind the ears causes sterility [lowering of libido] as sought by reclusive individuals.
....
The arteries behind the ears, the posterior auricular arteries, are venesected incases of conjunctivitis, beginning of glaucoma, leucoma, night blindness and chronic headache. Their venesection is not free of risk, and the incision slow to heal." (Aspects of Treatment According to General Diseases, 21st section in Abu-Asab, Amri & Micozzi, 2013, Avicenna's 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