DU-14 Dazhui - Great Hammer
More Spirit Names: Big Vertebra
| English: | Great Vertebra |
| Also Known As: | Big Vertebra Great Hammer Large Spine |
Location
- On the midline of the spine at the base of the neck, in the depression below the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra., approximately at the level of the shoulders.
- Between the spinous processes of the seventh cervical vertebra and the first thoracic vertebra.
Needling
- Perpendicular-oblique superior insertion 0.5-1 cun. Sensation: Local distention and soreness extending downward to both shoulders.
Caution: The spinal cord lies between 1.25 and 1,75 cm below the skin surface , varying according to body build. If an electric sensation, numb sensation is felt in the limbs the needle should be immediately withdrawn. - Moxibustion is applicable according to age (e.g. if 30 years old use 30 cones)
Command Functions
- Meeting point of the Governing channel with the six Yang channels of the hands and feet
- Point of the "Sea of Qi"
- Influential point of Yang
- Crossing point of the six Yang channels (Secondary source).
Actions
- Expels Wind and Wind-Heat (Relieves the Exterior)
- Firms the Exterior (Tonifies Protective Wei Qi)
- Regulates Nutritive and Defensive Q
- Clears fire, Heat and summerheat
- Reduces fever
- Treats malaria
- Tonifies Deficiency
- Pacifies Wind
- Opens the Yang
- Regulates the Yang channels
- Clears the brain (mind)
- Calms the Shen
- Facilitates Qi flow
- Regulates Qi
- Tonifies Yang
- Restores collapsed Yin
- Relaxes the sinews
- Warms the four limbs (with moxa)
Indications
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Combinations
| DU-2 | ||
Malaria with much Heat and little Cold | Malaria with much Cold and little Heat | Malaria |
LI-11 | ||
Injury by Cold with great Heat that does not recede (use reduction technique) | Spleen Cold malaria | Spontaneous sweating |
DU-15 | ||
Epistaxis (use moxibustion) | Overlapping Tai Yang and Shao Yang patterns | Influenza |
| N-BW-8 | ||
Bronchitis | Leukopenia | Psychosis |
DU-2 | LI-11 | |
Tidal fevers | Lowers fever |
Contraindications
Notes
- This is a major point for lowering fever.
- This point has a unique ability to clear pathogens from the Tai Yang, Shao Yang and Yang Ming stages.
- This is one of the principle points to treat sweating.
- This point is often needled toward either shoulder when neck pain radiates laterally.
- This point induces everything into action.
- This point can have opposite effects depending on the needling method used.
With reducing method, it releases the Exterior fo treating wind-Heat, regulates the Ying and the Wei and clears Interior Heat.
With reinforcing method, or with moxa, it tonifies Yang, especially Heart Yang, clears the mind and stimulates the brain.
Five Elements Spirit Perspective
| Spirit of the Point | Great Hammer is used to get someone really moving, but only when they're really ready. Often, even with the right Causative Factor (CF), the Officials fail to respond; this point rouses them, like a kick in the backside and an order to get moving, like a hammer. The Officials, like ministers of the Emperor's court, can grow entrenched, stubborn and lazy and refuse to do their jobs, until the entire kingdom comes to a standstill. This is the reunion of the yang with the Governor Vessel, where every deep reserve pours out. When love and kindness have not worked, it acts like a hammer that knocks a stuck bolt free so things move again, giving all the Officials a major whack to break up a habitual pattern: it revitalizes, wakes, shakes and thumps them into action. The spinous processes were called hammers, and this is the biggest, a powerhouse of the body. |
|---|---|
| Worsley |
Location: On the back midline, in the dip between the C7 and T1 spinous processes. |
| When to Consider |
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| Notes |
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From Class
- LU-11 Shaoshang (bleeding): For high fever with sore throat (COVID-like): gua sha the bladder channel, neck and shoulders and bleed LU-11 and the opposite side of the thumb. (Resnick)
- Ren-22 Tiantu and Du-14 Dazhui — yin/yang pooling at the throat: All yin channels pool at Heaven's Chimney (Ren-22), all yang at the Big Hammer (Du-14); the still point between, mid-throat, is the meditation focus. (Johnson)
- Du-3 Yaoyangguan / Du-14 Dazhui: Wei Ke: open the spine to support wei qi and expel the pathogen — Du-3 (Du-4 reserved for life-cycle issues) and Du-14 with lift-and-thrust. (Yuen)
- Du-14 / Du-4 in sinew releases: Tendino-muscular tradition opens Du-14 and Du-4; teacher does this by hand instead of needles. (Alexander)
- Du-14 Dazhui: Lifts the head to see the world; Yuen links Du-14 to the eyes because one of the Du's four pathways begins at BL-1. (Yuen)
- Du-14 Dazhui (bleeding): Bleed for very high fever. (Resnick)
- Labor progression points: LU-7, SI-3 + BL-62, reduce Du-14, BL-40, BL-57, BL-31, BL-32, GB-41, GB-26–28: LU-7 descends Lung qi; back labor: open Du with SI-3 (+BL-62), reduce Du-14; BL-40/57 open the tailbone; BL-31/32 release; waist stall: GB-41, GB-26–28. (Lewis)
- Lower/mid/upper brain point groups: Lower brain (survival, wind): GB-14–16, BL-10, GB-20, GB-12, Du-14; midbrain: GB-16–20, BL-8–10, GB-7–12; upper brain: Du-20 to Yintang, BL-2–7, GB-8, ST-8. (Gioioso)
- Du Mai — four pathways: The Du has four pathways; one begins at BL-1 Jingming, explaining the Du-14/eyes connection. (Yuen)
- Sinew channels — treatment protocol: Start with needle-moxa on Du-4 and Du-14 to activate wei qi, palpate toward the jing-well, and needle binding areas superficially with chiseling/circular technique. (Juedemann)
- External (wai ke) relay: open Du-4, Du-14 and the sinuses: For bi syndrome/loss of movement and conduction issues, Du-4 and Du-14 must be open, and clear the sinuses. (Gioioso)
- Mantra sounds by body region (front/back): Ah at the Du-14 area, Hum heart through to back, So navel to Mingmen, Ha front of perineum, Ma coccyx; mapped on the hand like a microsystem. (Johnson)