-IBIS-1.5.0-
rx
point
UB-23: III-23: shen shu
acupuncture

definition

shen shu = kidney's hollow/correspondence
Shu Associated point of the Shen (Kidney); receives a vessel from the Kidney(s)
location: 1.5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of L-2, level with Ming Men (GV-4).
actions: tonifies and regulates the Kidney; nourishes Yin, Xue (Blood) and Kidney Jing (Essence); strengthens the Brain and Marrow; prevents or relieves general stress fatigue or premature senility (Finkelstein, p. 44); benefits the ears and brightens the eyes; strengthens the Heart (Ross, 1985, p. 130); strengthens Kidney function of reception of Qi; spreads and clears Obstructed Kidney Qi; strengthens Yang and Qi Hai; influences adrenals; expels stones; counterbalances Liver Fire; drains Heat from the Lower Warmer; resolves Dampness; regulates fluid system, volatilizes the Bladder, and promotes diuresis; strengthens the spine, esp. the lower back; benefits the knees; controls the bones and teeth
indications: vacillating and weak-willed; forgetfulness; disorientation; poor concentration; lethargy; sexual dreams; nightmares; tidal fevers; edema; emaciation and thirst; diabetes; anemia; seizures; sequelae of infantile paralysis; sensation of heaviness of the head; alopecia; deafness; tinnitus; blurred and dim vision; eye fatigue; optic nerve atrophy; bronchial asthma (with difficult inspiration); diarrhea with undigested food; hemorrhoids; irregular menstruation; menopausal syndrome; amenorrhea; dysmenorrhea; leukorrhea; spermatorrhea; nocturnal emissions; premature ejaculation; impotence; prostatitis; nephritis; nephroptosis; renal colic; hematuria; urinary retention; chronic knee, sacral, or lower back pain; injury to soft tissues of lower back; pain in loins; cold and/or weak knees; cramp and paralysis of foot
needle technique: perpendicular insertion, angled slightly toward the spine, 0.5 - 1.0 cun, producing a sensation of distension in the lower back, or a numb, electrical feeling spreading to the buttocks and legs;
caution: be careful not to insert the needle too deeply or away from spine to avoid puncturing the underlying viscera
moxa: 3 - 7 cones of direct moxa; 5 - 15 minutes of indirect moxa with a pole
combinations:
» with UB-11, UB-13, UB-15, UB-17, UB-18 and UB-20 disperses Yang Shi (Excess) in the organs (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with UB-13 and UB-20 clears and disperse vicious Fire of the Triple Warmer (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with Kd-3 and UB-15 adjusts disharmony of Heart and Kidney (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with GV-4 reinforces "vital qi" of the Kidney (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with Sp-6 and Kd-12 strengthens the Kidney (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with Kd-3 (+) reinforces the Kidney and nourishes the Yin (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with Kd-2 (+) reinforces the Kidney and nourishes the Yin (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with CV-6 enhances the Water element of the Kidney (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with Sp-6 and Kd-12 strengthens the Kidney (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with GV-4 tonifies the Kidney; strengthens the Yang (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with Sp-6 tonifies the Kidney; nourishes the Yang (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with Kd-3 and GV-4 invigorates Kidney Yang (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with GV-4 and CV-17 (D) "tonifies in moderation" and reinforces Zhong Qi (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with Kd-3 and CV-4 (D) strengthens Kidney Jing (Essence) (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with UB-18 nourishes Kidney Yin and Liver Yin and pacifies Liver Yang (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with Lv-3 and LI-4 stops pain and convulsion, and treats opisthotonos (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with GB-20, LI-4, St-40, St-41 and UB-62 for Meniere's disease (Shanghai, p. 685);
» with Kd-7 and Kd-3 (+): reinforces Kidney to accept Qi (Flaws, 1989, p. 96; Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with St-3 for Xue Yu (Blood Stasis) in the chest and abdomen (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with UB-17, yi shu, UB-20 and pi re xue for diabetes (Shanghai, p. 206);
» with CV-4 and St-36 for diabetes (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with CV-4 tonifies the Kidney; treats Kidney Xu (Deficiency) diarrhea (Flaws, 1989, p. 79);
» with Lv-13 for Cold diarrhea with undigested particles (Shanghai, p. 209);
» with Kd-12 (+) reinforces the Kidney to retain Jing (Essence), e.g., treats spermatorrhea without dreams (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with UB-15 for Kidney Xu (Deficiency) dream emission with lumbar weakness (Ellis, et al, 1988, p. 210); communicates Heart and Kidney, and treats spermatorrhea without dreams (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with Sp-6 and Sp-4 regulates the function of the Spleen and Stomach, and dispels the Damp (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with GV-3 (D) dispels Cold-Damp (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with UB-28, CV-3 and Sp-6 for urinary tract infection (Shanghai, p. 209);
» with GV-4 for copious urine in the elderly (Shanghai, p. 209);
» with CV-3, Sp-6, Kd-7 and UB-58 and zi gong for nephritis (Shanghai, p. 209);
» with GV-4 and UB-58 relaxes the soft tissues and invigorates blood circulation in the back (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with GV-3 and UB-54/40 relaxes the lumbar muscles (Finkelstein, p. 44);
» with CV-4 (D) strengthens the foundation, excites Yang Qi, dispels Cold and Damp, and treats cold extremities (Finkelstein, p. 44).


footnotes

Reprinted from Zang Fu: The Organ Systems of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ross, Jeremy, 2nd ed, p. 130, 1985, by permission of the publisher Churchill Livingstone, a division of Elsevier Limited.