SP-6 Sanyinjiao - Three Yin Crossing
More Spirit Names: Three Yin Meeting, Three Yin Junction, Great Yin, Lower Three Li
| English: | Three Yin Intersection |
| Also Known As: | Three Yin Junction Three Yin Meeting |
Location
- On the medial side of the lower leg, 3 cun superior to the prominence of the medial malleolus, in a depression close to the medial crest of the tibia. This point is most readily located one handbreadth superior to the prominence of the medial malleolus.
- At the posterior margin of the tibia, 3 cun directly above the medial malleolus of the ankle.
- 3 cun above the medial malleolus, on the posterior border of the tibia, on the line drawn from the medial malleolus to SP-9.
Needling
- Perpendicular or oblique proximal insertion, 1 to 1.5 cun.
Caution: This point is contraindicated during pregnancy. - Straight insertion toward GB-39 Xuanzhong, 1.5 to 2 cun causing local distention and soreness.
- Straight insertion, pointed slightly posterior, 1 to 1.5 cun, for diseases of the leg. Sensation: a numb, electric sensation, possibly extending to the bottom of the foot.
- Slanted insertion pointed slightly upward, i to 1.56 cun, for diseases of the trunk. After Qi has been obtained, a strong needling method should be used for a short time. Sensation: distention and soreness possibly to the knee or along the medial aspect of the thigh.
Command Functions
- Meeting point of the Spleen, Liver and Kidney channels
- Master point of blood
Actions
- Tonifies the Spleen and Stomach
- Regulates the Stomach
- Resolves (Transforms) Dampness and Damp-Heat
- Dries Dampness and Cold-Dampness
- Harmonizes the Liver
- Spreads Liver Qi
- Benefits the Kidneys
- Tonifies the Kidneys
- Stabilizes Kidney Qi
- Regulates menstruation
- Regulates the uterus
- Induces labor
- Calms the fetus
- Harmonizes the Lower Jiao
- Regulates urination
- Benefits the genitals
- Calms the Shen
- Invigorates the Blood
- Cools the Blood
- Eliminates Blood Stasis
- Activates the channel
- Remove obstruction from the Jing-Luo
- Alleviates pain
- Nourishes Blood and Yin and Jing
- Moistens Dryness
- Warms Cold
- Raises Middle Qi
- Softens hard masses
- Stimulate adrenal, pituitary and ovaries
Indications
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Combinations
| HT-7 | SP-9 | |
Any kind of insomnia | Diarrhea with undigested food | Diarrhea with thin stools |
REN-12 | ST-21 | |
Undigested food in the stools | Undigested food in the stools | Chest pain and dyspneic rales, Headache, Sudden turmoil disorder |
SP-5 | ||
Spleen Deficiency constipation | Irregular menstruation | Inhibited menstruation |
LIV-3 Or | REN-5 | |
Profuse, ceaseless uterine bleeding | Women who have had too many children | Difficult delivery (reduce SP-6 and LIV-3 and reinforce LI-4) |
REN-3 | ||
Retention of the placenta (reduce both points) | Retention of the placenta | Postpartum dizziness |
REN-6 | UB-30 | |
Postpartum blood clot pain White turbidity Chronic seminal emission | Sudden redness, swelling and pain of the vagina | Red and white leukorrhea |
Pain of the penis | Sagging and swollen testicle without pain | Buerger's disease |
Lower abdominal pain from severe shan (hernial) disorder | Obstructed urination | Inability to urinate |
LIV-6 | LIV-14 | |
Edema of the four limbs | Running piglet Qi in women | Running piglet Qi |
SP-9 | ST-36 | |
Palpitations and insomnia | Insomnia | Strongly tonifies Middle Jiao Qi Tonifies Blood to remove tiredness Cold-Damp leg Qi |
GB-41 | ||
Hip pain | Hip pain with difficulty walking Pain of the skin on the lateral aspect of the leg | Lig Qi |
Insomnia due to Heart and Spleen Deficiency | Insomnia due to Disharmony between the Heart and Kidneys | Insomnia due to Liver Fire |
Contraindications
- Contraindicated during pregnancy.
Notes
- This is one of the most important and widely used of the acupuncture points.
- It is a primary point in the treatment of many digestive, gynecological, sexual. urinary and emotional disorders.
- It is an essential point to induce labor, assist in transverse presentation and alleviate pain of childbirth.
- It is one of the most important points to harmonize and cool the Blood and to promote and invigorate circulation.
- This point is for very deep depression when the person is desperate and wants to run away and wants to "throw up" their jobs, family and food/ "I can't take it anymore".
- This point has a powerful effect in lowering temperature.
- It affords temporary contraception.
- It is am major point for insomnia.
Five Elements Spirit Perspective
| Spirit of the Point | Three Yin Crossing is where the leg's three yin meridians, Liver, Kidney and Spleen, meet. It is known as the Strengthener and Calmer point, and it calms the spirit when a person is in despair or agitated, feeling burdened. Think of it as a point of movement, crossing and moving, the Qi above all. With all that yin, it roots and steadies, keeps the Heart and Kidney well connected through the Spleen, and helps Earth stay flexible and not lose itself in worry and overthinking. It helps a person take themselves on and move the force of the mountain, grounding and rooting and strengthening the trunk. |
|---|---|
| Worsley |
Location: On the inner lower leg, behind the edge of the tibia, 4 ACI above the medial malleolus prominence. |
| When to Consider |
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| Notes |
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From Class
- SP-6 + GB-39 (symmetrical points) for anemia: SP-6 tonifies yin and is symmetrical with GB-39 (influential point of marrow); needle both at the water level with Jueyin energy to open the marrow. (Hiltbrand)
- SP-6 / Ren-6 / Ren-4: Moxa on these to build spleen blood for low hematocrit. (Yuen)
- SP-6 Sanyinjiao: Used in dispersing mode to help expel/reduce a mass (same logic as inducing labor). (Yuen)
- SP-6 Sanyinjiao: Meeting of the three foot yin (Liver, Spleen, Kidney): working it affects all three and generally tonifies yin throughout the body. (Hiltbrand)
- SP-6 Sanyinjiao: Not on the divergent, but meeting of the three leg yin — supports Kidney Jing, Liver blood and the Stomach/Spleen production of Jin-Ye to consolidate. (Yuen)
- SP-9 + SP-6 + SP-3 with moxa; add ying-spring if heat: Strengthen the Spleen with moxa on SP-9, SP-6, SP-3; with a wiry pulse at risk of heat, add ST-40 and a ying-spring point. (Yuen)
- KI-2 & SP-8 (classical) vs SP-6 & SP-9 (TCM): For Kidneys to support the Spleen, TCM uses SP-6 and disperses fluid with SP-9; the classical choice is KI-2 and SP-8. (Yuen)
- PC-3 Quze (water point) for fluid phlegm/edema: For fluid phlegm with edema, use PC-3 (water point) with Spleen points (SP-6, ST-40, SP-3, Ren-4) plus Ren-17 and digestive Pericardium points (PC-7, PC-6). (Yuen)
- LV-14 Qimen: Combination LV-14, ST-36, SP-6, ST-25, BL-23 for liver-qi stagnation causing low hematocrit and hemoglobin. (Yuen)
- Ectopic/missed miscarriage: SP-6, SP-10, LI-4, GB-21: When the embryo has died, normally contraindicated points can activate the uterus; post-surgery Yunnan Baiyao, Dan Shen, Yi Mu Cao, Tao Ren reduce scarring. (Lewis)
- Full-body protocol: ST-36 to ST-40/42, SP-6/7/8, LV-3, LI-4, ST-25, Ren-12, Ren-6, Ren-17: Earth School 'treat the center' approach; feel ST-36 qi descend to ST-40/42. (Alexander)
- Labor: LV-3, LI-4, ST-36, SP-6: Difficult labor: LI-4 stimulates the uterus, ST-36 moves bowels and qi, SP-6 encourages contractions, plus LV-3 — open the Bao, release the Dai. (Lewis)
- Uterine cramping in pregnancy: SP-4, PC-6, HT-7 → SP-6 → LI-4: Treat the pattern and relax the uterus with SP-4, PC-6, HT-7; if still cramping add SP-6, then LI-4 — safe only in experienced hands. (Lewis)
- Earth School 'three triangles' for early diabetes: In the insulin-resistance/damp-phlegm stage: upper triangle clears heat; lower triangle (ST-36, Ren-12) broadly applicable; add SP-6, LV-13, GB-25, SP-13. (Rabinowitz)
- Nine Needles to Return Yang — as death medicine: Three stages: Separation (Du-15, PC-8, PC-6, SP-6); Transition (KI-1, KI-3, Ren-12); Deliverance (GB-30, ST-36 or ST-37, LI-4), giving yang momentum for passage. (Lewis)
- Nine Points to Return Yang (soul-summoning, used counterflow): Used counterflow so souls don't separate before business is done: PC-8, PC-6, SP-6, KI-1, KI-3, Ren-12, GB-30, ST-36, LI-4, from Jing to Qi to Shen. (Lewis)
- Postnatal depression — Heart-Blood deficiency points: HT-5, HT-7, Ren-14, Ren-15, BL-15, LV-8, Du-20, Ren-4, ST-36, SP-6, Du-19, PC-6; reinforcing (Du-19 even); moxa applicable. (Maciocia)
- Principle: same point, changed intention: At end of life the point and its function don't change but the clinical intention does — e.g., SP-6 for discomfort rather than tonification, PC-6 for nausea or gastric distress. (Lewis)