CMAC121

Point Location
Session 24
Foot Tai Yang (Bladder) Channel

Chinese Medicine Department

All channel diagrams used with permission.
Deadman, P., Al-Khafaji, M., & Baker, K. (2007). A manual of acupuncture (2nd ed.).
Hove, East Sussex: Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications.

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 Session 24 Content
• Review
• Points of the Bladder Channel
o Location BL 36 – BL 67
o Categories
o Actions, indications, contraindications &
cautions

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 Review
Class Discussion

Any questions arising from last session.

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BLADDER CHANNEL

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 Group Work
Investigating the Bladder Channel Points

Break into at least 3 small groups

• One or more groups look at Back Shu
points.
• One or more groups look at points on
calf.
• One or more groups look at points on
foot.

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 Discussion
• Take ten minutes for each group to investigate
actions, indications, contraindications, cautions &
point categories of one or two points each.
o Deadman has grouped indications for each
point.
o Summarize indications for each point into one
or two words for each group of indications in
the text.
o Note how actions and point categories are
reflected in indications.

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 Discussion
• Which Bladder channel points are
contraindicated in pregnancy?
• Which BL points treat the Bladder fu?
o Which points indicated for
o haemorrhoids?
o lower back pain?
o neck pain?
o insomnia?
o malpositioned foetus?

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Indications of Bladder Channel
Portion of Channel Indications
Head & Face • Head, neck, eyes, nose
• Mental disorders
Back T1-T7 Chest, Heart, Lung
T9-L1 Gastric, Intestinal
(chest & Lungs)
L2-S4 Gyne, Intestinal,
Genitourinary
Upper Leg • Local
• Intestinal
Lower Leg & Foot • Head, neck, eyes, nose
• Back and lumbar
• Haemorrhoids
• Posterior leg
• Mental disorders
Ellis, Wiseman, Boss & Cleaver (2004, pp. 57,237-242)

Table 1. Indications BL Channel

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 Points Contraindicated
in Pregnancy
• LI 4
• SP6
• GB21
• BL60
• BL67
• Sacral Points BL 31, 32, 33, 34
• Points located over the uterus
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 Points Contraindicated in
Pregnancy
• Points on the lower abdomen and
lumbosacral region during the first trimester.
• After the third month, points on the upper
abdomen and lumbosacral region, and points
which cause strong sensations should be
avoided.
• Ear acupuncture points that may induce
labour

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Indications of Three Leg Yang

Stomach Gallbladder Bladder

Head & Face Head Head & Face
Head, face, eyes, Head, neck, Head, neck, eyes,
nose, mouth, teeth sensory organs nose,
(especially eyes and mental disorders
ears)
Ellis, Wiseman, Boss & Cleaver (2004, pp.
57,140-143, 237-242, 327-330)
Table 2. Indications 3 Leg Yang Channels Head and Face

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 Indications of Three Leg Yang
cont’d
Stomach Gallbladder Bladder
Neck & Chest Neck & Back
Throat, chest, Shoulders T1-T7 Chest, Heart, Lung
lung Head, neck,
shoulders T9-L1 Gastric, Intestinal
Upper Abdo Chest & Lateral (chest & Lungs)
Gastric, Costal
Intestinal, Local L2-S4 Gyne, Intestinal,
Mental disorders Genitourinary
Free ribs to
Lower Abdo Pubis
Genitourinary, Gyne, Genital,
Gyne Intestinal
Ellis, Wiseman, Boss & Cleaver (2004, pp. 57,140-143, 237-242,
327-330)
Table 3. Indications 3 Leg Yang Channels Neck and Trunk

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 Indications of Three Leg Yang
cont’d
Stomach Gallbladder Bladder
Upper Leg & Knee Hip to knee Upper Leg
Local Lumbar & Knee Local (intestinal)

Ellis, Wiseman, Boss & Cleaver (2004, pp.

57,140-143, 237-242, 327-330)
Table 4. Indications 3 Leg Yang Channels Upper Leg

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 Indications of Three Leg Yang
cont’d
Stomach Gallbladder Bladder
Lower Leg Lower Leg & Foot Lower Leg & Foot
Gastric, Intestinal, Ear, eyes, throat Head, neck, eyes,
Mental disorders Lateral costals, nose
Mental disorders back and lumber,
Foot Heat disease. haemorrhoids
Head, face eyes nose, posterior leg
mouth teeth, throat Mental disorders
Stomach, intestines
Mental disorders
Heat disease.
Ellis, Wiseman, Boss & Cleaver (2004, pp.
57,140-143, 237-242, 327-330)
Table 5. Indications 3 Leg Yang Channels Lower Leg

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 What do you
notice about
points on the
lower leg & foot

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 Bladder Channel Case Study
Stan has lower back pain following a car accident
two months ago.
MRI revealed herniated discs at L3/4 and
L4/5. The pain is centred around the midline
around L4 and L5 and is accompanied by
muscle spasms in that area. Physiotherapy
has helped but he is still in a lot of pain.
TCM Dx: Qi and blood stagnation in GV and
BL channels of lower back
Treatment principle: Move qi & blood in GV and
BL channels of lower back
Low Back Pain (Nucleus Medical Media, 2015)

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 Group Work
Break into small groups of 4 or 5 students.
Create a simple point prescription for Stan based
upon actions, indications and location of points.
• Select a least three points on the Bladder channel.
• Select two points from other channels.
• Include at least one hui-meeting (influential) points &
one confluent in your prescription.
• Include local & distal points in your prescription.
What point categories do your chosen points belong to?
Would any of these points need caution when needling?

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Review Point Location
Bladder Channel

Bladder Primary Channel (Deadman, Al-Khafaji & Baker, 2007, p. 251)

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Review Cun Measurements
Body and Leg

Cun Measurements Body & Leg (Deadman et al., 2007, p. 63)

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 Point Location
Demonstration & Group Work
Lecturer demonstrates on a student how to use
proportional measurements and anatomical landmarks
to the points of the Bladder channel from BL35 – BL67.

Students form pairs or groups of three and locate all the

points of the Bladder Channel on each other.

Use appropriate coloured chinagraph pencils or

markers for the individual element points.

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 Coming Events
• Session 25
o Extra (non-channel) points
o Bladder Channel

• Learn location of all leg channel

points in preparation for marking
these in session 26 next week.

• Do activities and pre and post

reading outlined in SSG.

Cinemaaustralia (De Sousa, 2006)

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 References
De Sousa, F. (2006). Cinemaaustralia [Image]. Retrieved June 17, 2015, from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cinemaaustralia.jpg
Deadman, P., Al-Khafaji, M., & Baker, K. (2007). A manual of acupuncture (2nd ed.). Hove, East Sussex: Journal of
Chinese Medicine Publications.
Ellis, A. W., Wiseman, N., Boss, K., & Feit, R. (1993). Fundamentals of Chinese acupuncture. Brookline, MA: Paradigm
Publications : Distributed by Redwing Book Co.
Nucleus Medical Media. (2015). Low Back pain Relieved by Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy (IDET) [Image]. Retrieved
August 13 2015, from http://ebsco.smartimagebase.com.ezproxy.endeavour.edu.au/low-back-pain-relieved-by-
intradiscal-electrothermal-therapy-idet/view-item?ItemID=36934
Giuliani, S. (2011). Listening1. Retrieved February 21, 2017 from
https://simonegiuliani.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/listening1.jpg

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