Stomach 36 – 足三里 Zúsānlǐ
This is one of the most commonly used, and well-known, points in the entire acupuncture channel system. It is one of those “panacea” points that can impact almost any organ system. If I can only do one point on a patient in the clinic, it’s likely to be this one. It is one point that often has fairly different locations on different people – not uncommon given the uniqueness of each person’s anatomy.
- English translations : Leg three miles, in other words, it allows one’s legs to travel three more miles (referring to its energy boosting effects)
- Point Properties :
- He-sea and Earth point of the Stomach channel
- Point of the “Sea of Water & Grain”
- Official location (Deadman) : Below the knee, 3 cun inferior to Dubi ST-35, one finger- breadth lateral to the anterior crest of the tibia.
- Chinese medicine functions : Harmonizes the stomach, fortifies the spleen, resolves dampness, supports the “right qi” and strengthens the “original qi,” tonifies qi, blood & yin, clears fire, calms the spirit, activates the channel to alleviate pain (in the leg)
- Common conditions treated:
- Stomach & epigastric pain as in ulcers
- Nausea, vomiting, hiccups, belching
- Stomach grumbling, intestinal gas, bloating, undigested food in the stool, general “upset stomach”
- Poor digestion or assimilation, failure to thrive
- Fatigue, weakness, chronic tiredness even with adequate sleep, poor exercise stamina
- Dizziness and palpitations
- Many kinds of symptoms that come with colds and flus, especially body aches and other pain that comes along with those types of infections
- Pain and swelling in the breast, insufficient lactation or difficult lactation