UB-40 Weizhong - Equilibrium Middle
More Spirit Names: Bending Center, Bend Middle, Entrusting Middle, Supporting Middle
| English: | Middle of the Crook |
| Also Known As: | Commission the Middle Equilibrium Middle Bending Center Perfect Equilibrium Commanding the Middle Supporting Middle Bend Middle |
Location
- At the back of the knee, on the popliteal crease, in a depression midway between the tendons of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus.
Note: locate with the knee slightly flexed. - At the middle of the transverse crease on the back of the knee.
Needling
- Perpendicular insertion 1 to 1.5 cun, or prick to bleed the superficial veins.
- Caution: the popliteal artery and vein lie deep at this point.
- Straight insertion 0.5 to 1 cun, causing local distention and soreness or an electric numb sensation extending to the bottom of the foot.
- For acute sprain of the lower back, prick the point to draw a few drops of Blood.
Command Functions
- He-Sea point
- Earth point
- Lower He-Sea point
- Cao Wu Command point
- Ma Dan-yang Heavenly Star point
Actions
- Benefits the lumbar region
- Benefits the knees
- Activates the channel
- Alleviates pain
- Cools the Blood
- Clears Heat and toxins from the Blood
- Eliminates Blood Stasis
- Clears Summerheat and stops vomiting and diarrhea
- Benefits the Bladder
- Resolves Dampness
- Relaxes the sinews
- Removes obstruction from the channel
Indications
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Combinations
| DU-26 | KI-7 | |
Pain of the lumbar region and leg | Pain of the lumbar spine | Lumbar pain due to Kidney Deficiency |
GB-30 | ST-33 | |
Lumbar pain | Lumbar pain that radiates up the back | Pain of the legs and lumbar region |
DU-2 | UB-30 | |
Lumbar pain with difficulty moving | Stiffness and pain of the lumbar region | Back pain extending to the lumbar region |
DU-26 | UB-12 | SJ-6 (reduce the left point for right sided pain and vice versa) |
Pain of the lumbar and lateral costal regions due to sprain | Pain of the shoulder and back | Pain of the chest and lateral costal region |
LI-8 | UB-57 | |
Wind-Damp Bi | Feebleness of the legs | The five types of hemorrhoids |
REN-24 | ||
Hemorrhoids Swelling of the axilla | Enuresis | Ceaseless nosebleed |
SP-1 | DU-28 | |
Severe and incessant nosebleed | Heat exhaustion | Acute low back sprain |
- UB-40 + DU-3 + UB-23: lower back pain (UB-40 as the command point of the back)
- UB-40 + SP-10 (Secondary source) + LI-11: skin disorders (cools the Blood)
Contraindications
- Use moxibustion with caution.
- Some sources say that this point is forbidden to moxa.
- Do not use for very weak patients with pronounced Deficiency and Cold (substitute UB-60 Kunlun).
Notes
- This is considered to be one of the most important acupuncture points.
- It is an essential point for lumbar pain.
- This is one of the best points for controlling Blood.
- It is good for every general kind of skin disorder.
- Relative amounts of Qi and Blood: Yangming has abundant Qi and Blood; Taiyang and Jueyin have more Blood than Qi; Shaoyang, Taiyin and Shaoyin have more Qi than Blood.
Five Elements Spirit Perspective
| Spirit of the Point | Equilibrium Middle balances fluids: it is earth within water, for water that is out of control, like an island in the middle of a stream. It contains the reserves, contains choppiness and maintains stability. As the Earth point, it gives a Water Causative Factor (CF) some stability, and its deep, steady Sea point energy helps a person scattered by fear to compose themselves and gather their thoughts. Gives the ability to expand and contract, as the Bladder does, helping a person find their center when they are uncontained and overflowing, or too tight and constricted. Water can take any shape; this point peacefully integrates the whole person, inner and outer, left and right, body, mind and spirit. |
|---|---|
| Worsley | Empowers us to draw great leverage from this place of moderation and harmony. By yielding humbly we gain strength and perspective, knowing life takes shape where Heaven and Earth are held in balance, and living from the center brings us ultimate peace and a heavenly existence.
Location: On the back of the knee, at the midpoint of the knee crease. |
| When to Consider |
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| Notes |
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From Class
- BL-40 Weizhong: Example of needling depth: for high lymphocytes needle superficial-deep-superficial at confluent points, for low lymphocytes deep-superficial-deep; 'superficial' scales with the area, e.g. BL-40. (Yuen)
- BL-40 Weizhong: Command point for the low back; needle with knees bent; used to open the back after needling a spinal ashi point. (Yuen)
- BL-40 Weizhong / GB-30 Huantiao (tui na): Press BL-40 (command point for low back, great for acute low back pain) with thumbs; hammer-fist or elbow on GB-30 in muscular patients. (Alexander)
- BL-60 Kunlun: Can match BL-40. (Yuen)
- Du-3, BL-23, BL-40, KI-3 + low back ashi (standardized low back pain protocol): Standardized chronic low back pain protocol: Du-3, bilateral BL-23, a low-back ashi point, bilateral BL-40 and KI-3; 20 min, twirling at 10 min and before removal. (Cherkin)
- Add-ons: Du-20, GB-21, HT-7 + BL-40: Scalloped tongue/deficient pulse: add Du-20; wiry liver/GB pulse: GB-21; heart fire: HT-7 with BL-40 (a Ma Danyang heavenly star point). (Alexander)
- 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)
- Month 7: BL-40, BL-57, ST-36, KI-3, Du-1; Gui Pi Tang: Tonify qi and blood, lift the Spleen, strengthen capillaries. (Lewis)
- Pelvic 'doors of earth': GB-30, ST-30, BL-40: Release the situation below (Shaoyang, Yangming, Taiyang) — these are also divergent confluent points. (Rabinowitz)
- Bladder & Kidney divergent channels: Bladder divergent begins at BL-40; Kidney divergent begins at KI-10, goes to BL-40, up to the low back, then loops into the Dai Mai (BL-32). (Yuen)
- Bladder/Kidney divergent: Diverges at BL-40, enters sacrum, connects bladder and kidneys, runs along the spine (Huatuojiaji latency), rejoins at BL-10; its points boost back-pain treatments. (Pannell)
- Bladder–Kidney divergent (1st confluence) & Dai Mai: Kidney divergent from KI-10 to BL-40, up to BL-23, wraps into the Dai Mai connecting Ren, Du and Kidney; frequent UTIs or hemorrhoids may be displaced latency. (Yuen)
- Divergent treatment: lower + upper confluent points: Treat divergents with lower and upper confluent points: BL-40/BL-10 (BL-KI), ST-30/BL-1 (ST-SP), GB-22/BL-1 (HT-SI), ST-12/LI-18 (LU-LI), GB-1 as both for LV-GB. (Yuen)