Pericardium 6 Location
- With the hand supine, Pericardium 6 is located 2 cun proximal to Pericardium 7, between the tendons of the palmaris longus and the flexor carpi radialis.
Pericardium 6 Needling
- To needle Pericardium 6 use a perpendicular insertion to a maximum depth of 0.5 cun.
- If you find that the patient’s tendons are very close together, you can use the guide tube to press gently but firmly onto the tendons, which should create a space for the needle.
Pericardium 6 TCM Theory
Pericardium 6 is the closing point for the Chong Mai which is one of the Extraordinary Channels. It is used in combination with Spleen 4 to open the Chong Mai.
To open the Chong Mai, Spleen 4 is needled first and classically on the right foot on women. Pericardium 6 is then needled after Spleen 4 and on the left arm in women.
In men, the left and right sides are reversed so that Spleen 4 is needled first on the left ankle followed by Pericardium 6 on the right arm.
At the end of the treatment, the needles are removed in reverse order so that Pericardium 6 is removed first followed by Spleen 4.
The main actions of Pericardium 6 are:
- It opens the chest in cases of stuffiness in the chest or chest pain.
- To calm the Shen in cases of anxiety or palpitations.
- It regulates the Liver in cases or irritability and anger.
- It harmonises the Stomach by descending rebellious Stomach Qi in cases of nausea and acid regurgitation.
- It opens the Chong Mai when combined with Spleen 4.
