SI-3 Houxi - Back Ravine
More Spirit Names: Back Stream
| English: | Back Stream |
| Also Known As: | Back Creek Back Ravine Creek at the Rear |
Location
- On the ulnar border of the hand, in the substantial depression proximal to the head of the fifth metacarpal bone.
Locate when the hand is made into a fist. - When the hand is clenched in a fist this point is found behind and lateral to the head of the fifth metacarpus, at the top of the transverse crease formed by the clenched fist.
- When a loose fist is made, the point is on the ulnar end of the distal palmar crease, proximal to the fifth metacarpalphalangeal joint at the end of the transverse crease and the junction of the red and white skin.
Needling
- Perpendicular insertion 0.5 to 2 Cun directed toward LI-3 Sanjian.
Needle with the hand in a loose fist with the metacarpal bones in the same plane. - Puncture 0.5-0.7 Cun.
- Moxibustion is applicable.
Command Functions
- Shu-Stream point of the Small Intestine channel
- Wood point of the Small Intestine channel
- Confluent (Master) point of the Governing vessel (DU channel)
- Coupled Point of the Yangqiao channel
- Tonification point
- Vitality point
- Reunion point of the SI, LI, ST, SJ, GB, LU, REN and DU channels
Actions
- Benefits the occiput, neck and back
- Activates the channel
- Alleviates pain
- Clears Wind and Heat
- Treats malaria
- Resolves jaundice
- Clears Fire, Heat and Summerheat
- Calms the Shen
- Treats epilepsy
- Benefits the sensory orifices
- Regulates the Governing vessel (DU channel)
- Eliminates Interior Wind from the Governing vessel
- Benefits the sinews
- Benefits the joints
- Resolves Dampness
- Clears the mind
- Relaxes the Muscle channels
- Drains pathogenic influences from the Heart
- Regulates sweating
Indications
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Combinations
| HT-6 | SJ-16 | |
Severe night sweating | Clears both Exterior and Interior Heat from the Small Intestine channel in the head, especially the ears and eyes and benefits the sensory orifices | Stiffness of the neck with inability to turn the head |
SJ-5 | ||
Headache | Pain of the head and eyes | Pain of the forearm |
LU-5 | SI-4 | |
Contraction of the elbow | Pain of the shoulder and back | Malaria with much Heat and little Cold |
The five types of epilepsy | Epilepsy | Epileptic convulsions, mad walking, inability to sleep and agitation of the Heart |
Mania, desire to ascend to high places and sing, discards clothing and runs around | Sudden mania | Deafness |
PC-8 | UB-62 | |
Epistaxis with stifled breathing | Jaundice | Activates the Governing vessel and can be used to affect the whole spine in both acute and chronic cases (do not use for one-sided pain) Tonifies the Kidneys (primarily in men) Releases ACTH and sex hormones |
Chronic lower back pain in women | Tertian malaria | Lower back spasm |
GB-30 | LI-4 | |
Painful legs | Tidal fevers with more chills than fever | Join to SI-3 for finger spasm |
LI-4 Or KI-7 | ||
Regulates sweating |
Contraindications
Notes
- This point has a significant influence on the spine as a whole and is frequently used for pain of the upper spine and scapula as well as the lumbar spine.
- This point may be needled deeply towards LI-3 when all four fingers are affected.
- This is an important point to expel febrile disease.
- It is most effective in acute rather than chronic cases.
- Reinforce to create sweating in fever.
- Reduce to stop night sweats.
- This is a first aid point for convulsions.(especially Intestinal spasms with loss of consciousness).
- To regulate sweating, reduce to stop sweating and reinforce to create sweat.
Five Elements Spirit Perspective
| Spirit of the Point | Back Ravine is the Wood point: springtime, establishing that deep self-identity inside and out into the world and spurring it forward. This is me, this is who I am: establishing your space in the world. It is useful for the mental level of the Small Intestine, helping clear it and give it more structure, and it brings clarity. New ideas are born with its help, birth where there has been stagnation. With Wood in mind, we should check whether the Fire is ashed over. It lends the Sorter the clarity of Wood, bringing vision and discrimination, and gives flexibility and smoothness to sorting so that clear distinctions can be made. |
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| Worsley |
Location: On the ulnar border of the hand, about halfway down the 5th metacarpal; run a finger along the bone to find a notch, then move from that notch toward the palm side, roughly where the skin texture changes. |
| When to Consider |
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| Notes |
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From Class
- SI-3 + BL-60: Open Du Mai with SI-3 needled strongly (fire), then contralateral BL-60 gently (water); men start left, women right (per Jeffrey Yuen). (Alexander)
- SI-3 Houxi: Combine for nervous sweating; small intestine relates to morality. (Gioioso)
- SI-3 Houxi (Wei Ke): Wei Ke opens the spine via SI-3 to move blood upward, e.g. for vertigo. (Yuen)
- SI-3 Houxi / GB-41 Zulinqi: Small intestine and gallbladder flush heat out of the body; uric acid relates to small intestine; use SI-3 with GB-41 for elevated BUN pattern. (Yuen)
- 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)
- Origin of opening points (Neo-Confucian 'destiny in our own hands'): Neo-Confucian belief that destiny is in our hands made the eight extras channels to tap destiny; many opening points are luo points, finalized by Yang Jizhou. (Yuen)
- Epilepsy — Ren points anchoring Du; Yang Qiao series: Ren-24, Ren-15, Ren-12, Ren-7, Ren-4 anchor yang; open Du with SI-3 and BL-62/63/64; seizures when the eyes open suggest Yang Qiao, treated in a series of three. (Gioioso)
- Epilepsy: release stuck vertebrae; 'Du points of the Ren' to anchor yang: Palpate for stuck vertebrae; anchor yang with Ren-24, Ren-15, Ren-12, Ren-7, Ren-4; open Du with SI-3 plus BL-62, BL-63, BL-64. (Gioioso)