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POINT: SI-3 (SMALL INTESTINE-3)  

English: Back Stream
Also Known As: Back Creek
Back Ravine
Creek at the Rear
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • 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
  • Stiffness and pain of the neck or upper back
  • Difficulty turning the neck
  • One-sided headache
  • Bilateral headache
  • Back pain
  • Shoulder pain
  • Elbow and arm pain
  • Contraction of the elbow
  • Contraction and pain of the fingers
  • Pain in all of the fingers
  • Lumbar and knee pain
  • Hemiplegia
  • Malaria
  • Night sweating
  • Cold shivering
  • Chills and fever
  • Febrile disease with absence of sweating
  • Aches down the spine and back
  • Psychosis
  • Intercostal neuralgia
  • Eyes red and painful
  • Red eyes with a veil before the eyes
  • Congestion of the eyes
  • Madness (calm type)
  • Dermatosis
  • Very bad digestion
  • Pain in the forearm
  • Deep depression
  • Sore throat
  • Scabies
  • Dizziness
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Muscular tetany
  • Whiplash
  • Spasms of the neck
  • Hypertension
  • Intercostal neuralgia
  • Fullness in the chest
  • Common cold
  • Plague
  • Cold abscess
  • Febrile diseases without sweating
  • Vertigo
  • Fullness of the chest
  • Jaundice
  • Dark, hesitant urine
  • Epilepsy
  • Manic-depression
  • Governing vessel disorders
  • Deafness
  • Tinnitus
  • Superficial visual obstruction
  • Redness and pain of the eyes
  • Swelling of the eyes with lachrymation
  • Epistaxis
  • Toothache
  • Swelling of the throat and cheek
  • Redness, swelling and pain of both cheeks
  • Loss of voice following Windstroke
  • Seizures
  • Hysteria
  • Deaf-mutism
  • Problems of the conjunctiva
  • Tidal fevers
  • Tremendous fears
  • Greasy stools
  • Slow recovery after shock or surgery
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Paralysis
  • Dry mouth
  • Bi syndrome with general aches
  • Occipital headache
  • Pain in the neck and head
  • Neck rigidity
  • Keratitis
  • Manic psychosis
  • Depressive psychosis
  • Membrane on the eye
  • Lower limb neuralgia
  • Hand tremor
  • Skin diseases with itching

HT-6
Yinxi

SI-1
Shaoze
SI-2
Qiangu

SJ-16
Tianyou

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

UB-10
Tianzhu
DU-13
Taodao
UB-11
Dazhu
LU-6
Kongzui

SJ-5
Waiguan

LI-10
Shousanli
LI-11
Quchi

Headache

Pain of the head and eyes

Pain of the forearm

LU-5
Chize
LI-5
Jianyu
SI-8
Xiaohai
PC-5
Jianshi

PC-7
Daling
LU-10
Yuji

SI-4
Wangu
UB-12
Fengmen
GB-21
Jianjing
SJ-3
Zhongzhu
SJ-6
Zhigou
UB-40
Weizhong

DU-14
Dazhui
PC-5
Jianshi
LI-11
Quchi

Contraction of the elbow

Pain of the shoulder and back

Malaria with much Heat and little Cold

REN-15
Jiuwei
HT-7
Shenmen

PC-6
Neiguan
REN-15
Jiuwei
HT-7
Shenmen
SP-1
Yinbai

UB-2
Zanzhu
SI-8
Xiaohai
DU-18
Qiangjian

The five types of epilepsy

Epilepsy

Epileptic convulsions, mad walking, inability to sleep and agitation of the Heart

HT-7
Shenmen
ST-42
Chongyang

PC-5
Jianshi
LI-4
Hegu

SI-2
Qiangu
LI-6
Pianli

Mania, desire to ascend to high places and sing, discards clothing and runs around

Sudden mania

Deafness

GB-18
Chengling
GB-20
Fengchi
UB-12
Fengmen
UB-45
Yixi

PC-8
Laogong

UB-62
Shenmai

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

UB-62
Shenmai

LU-7
Lieque

KI-6
Zhaohai

DU-14
Dazhui
PC-5
Jianshi

UB-37
Yimen
Pain points
Ahshi

Chronic lower back pain in women

Tertian malaria

Lower back spasm

GB-30
Huantiao

LI-11
Quchi

M-HN-30
Bailiao

LI-4
Hegu

Painful legs

Tidal fevers with more chills than fever

Join to SI-3 for finger spasm

LI-4
Hegu

or

KI-7
Fuliu

 

 

Regulates sweating

 

 

  • 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.