Gallbladder Channel (GB 1-44) Comprehensive Study Notes

Attendance & Housekeeping

• Quick roll-call at the start; class then moves directly into Gall-bladder (GB) channel.
• Reminders
  • GB channel is LONG (44 points) – know landmarks & cun measurements.
  • Constant theme = Wind, Liver-Yang, Damp-Heat, Sense-organ disorders, Shao-Yang regulation.
  • Safety: eyeball, scalp, lungs, brain-stem, pregnancy.

General Anatomical Landmarks & Cun Rules Re-stated

• Anterior hairline ↔ glabella = 3 cun; each third = 1 cun.
• ST 8 ↔ GB 7 (posterior temporal hairline) ≈ 4 cun; divide into ¼s to locate GB 4-6.
• Apex of ear (SJ 20) to GB 8 = 1.5 cun superior.
• Posterior hairline ↔ anterior = 12 cun (used for GB 16-20).
• Axilla apex ↔ 11th rib tip = 12 cun (helps GB 22-25).
• Umbilicus ↔ upper border pubis (REN 8↔4) = 3 cun (GB 26-28 reference).
• Popliteal crease ↔ lateral malleolus = 16 cun (GB 31-40 reference).
• Patella apex ↔ greater trochanter = 19 cun (GB 29-33 reference).

Needling Techniques & Cautions (Global)

• Scalp/temple (GB 1, 4-10, 13-19): Sub-cutaneous/transverse 0.3-0.5 cun; direction flexible.
• GB 20: perpendicular 0.5-0.8 cun toward nose, NOT toward foramen magnum.
• GB 21: 0.5-1 cun perpendicular/oblique posterior; beware pneumothorax & pregnancy (induces labour).
• Chest points (GB 22-24): oblique along rib space; risk pneumothorax.
• GB 25: short perpendicular 0.3-0.5 cun (kidney close by).
• Hip/thigh (GB 29-33): perpendicular 1-1.5 cun; avoid sciatic nerve at GB 30.
• Leg (GB 34-40): perpendicular 0.5-1.2 cun depending on tissue.
• Feet (GB 41-44): perpendicular 0.2-0.5 cun or prick to bleed (GB 44).
• No moxa at GB 1 (too close to eye).

GB 1 – GB 3 : Eye & Ear Gate

• GB 1 Tong-ziliao (Pupil Crevice)

• 0.5 cun lateral to outer canthus, on orbital bone.
• Crossing GB + SI.
• Sub-q 0.3-0.5 cun; NO moxa.
• Expels Wind-Heat, benefits eyes (itch, burn, vision change), facial deviation.

• GB 2 Ting-hui (Meeting of Hearing)

• Ant. to inter-tragic notch, mouth open to locate; needle then close mouth.
• Ear disorders from Liver Yang/Fire: tinnitus, deafness, otitis, TMJ, cheek swelling.
• Local pain, deviation mouth/eye.

• GB 3 Shang-guan (Above the Joint)

• Depression above ST 7 on zygomatic arch.
• Crossing GB + SJ + SI; perpendicular 0.5-1 cun.
• Eliminates Wind; ear, jaw, tooth, facial pain; lock-jaw, deafness.

GB 4 – GB 7 : Temporal Quartet

Location trick: ST 8 ⇄ GB 7 = 4 cun. Divide into 4 equal 1-cun segments.

• GB 4 (Upper ¼), GB 5 (Mid-way), GB 6 (Lower ¾), all sub-q 0.3-0.5 cun.
• Cross-channels vary (SI/SJ/LI/ST).
• Shared actions: Dispels Wind, subdues Liver Yang/Fire, clears heat, reduces temporal migraine, vertigo, tinnitus, facial & tooth swelling.
• GB 7 (1 finger-breadth ant. to SJ 20): extra jaw/mouth benefits (lock-jaw, cheek swelling).

GB 8 – GB 12 : Around the Mastoid

• GB 8 Shuai-gu (Leading Valley)

• 1.5 cun above ear apex, slight depression.
• GB + UB cross.
• Migraine with nausea/vomiting (harmonises Stomach & Diaphragm), Wind headache.

• GB 9 Tian-chong

• 0.5 cun post. to GB 8, directly above posterior auricle root.
• Calms fright, epilepsy, fearful palpitations, subdues Liver Wind.

• GB 10–11

• Curve posterior-superior to mastoid (GB 10 midway GB 9↔11).
• Wind, local ear/neck pain; resolve phlegm.

• GB 12 Wan-gu (Mastoid Point) ★★★

• Depression post-inferior mastoid.
• Great for insomnia from Liver Yang, stiff neck (SCM attachment), exterior Wind colds, earache.
• Slightly oblique/perpendicular 0.5-1 cun.

GB 13 – GB 19 : Frontal & Parietal Scalp

(use 0.5 cun within hairline + 1.5 cun steps)

• GB 13 Ben-shen (Root of Spirit) – 0.5 cun hairline, 3 cun lat. to DU 24 (align outer canthus). Calms mind, gathers Essence, anxiety/insomnia.
• GB 14 Yang-bai (Yang White) – 1 cun above pupil-eyebrow mid; tears, frontal HA, ptosis.
• GB 15 Tou-linqi – 0.5 cun hairline above GB 14; eyes & sinus.
• GB 16 (1.5 cun post.) – Window of Eye; visual vertigo, rhinitis.
• GB 17 (→1.5) – Pacifies Stomach (nausea with migraine).
• GB 18 (→1.5; level DU 20) – Supports Spirit; rhinitis, eye pain.
• GB 19 Nao-kong (Brain Hollow) – 1 cun above GB 20, lateral to DU 17; head & sense-organs, fright.

GB 20 Feng-chi (Wind Pool) ★★★★

• Depression between SCM & trapezius, level DU 16, 1 cun below occipital protuberance.
• Perpen. 0.5-0.8 cun toward nose (never superiorly).
• Major point for all Wind (ext & int), Liver Yang rising, colds/flu, hypertension, eye/ear/nose issues, neck-shoulder pain, hemiplegia, insomnia.

GB 21 → GB 25 : Shoulder & Lateral Trunk

• GB 21 Jian-jing – Midpoint DU 14↔acromion; lowers Qi (induces labour), transforms phlegm, benefits breast, traps tension. Pneumothorax caution & pregnancy contraindication.

• GB 22 Yuan-ye – 5th ICS, 3 cun below axilla apex (mid-axillary line). Opens chest, axillary swelling.
• GB 23 Zhe-jin – Same ICS, 1 cun anterior GB 22; descends rebellious Qi, sad sighing, chest stuffiness.

• GB 24 Ri-yue (Sun & Moon) – Front-Mu of GB. 7th ICS, 4 cun lat. midline. Resolves GB Damp-Heat, harmonises MJ, jaundice, cholecystitis, mastitis.

• GB 25 Jing-men – Front-Mu of Kidney. Free end 12th rib. Tonifies Kidneys, regulates water, lumbar pain, diarrhoea.

Dai-Mai Trio GB 26 – 28

• Band-like channel that "binds" Qi ‑ treats leucorrhoea, genital damp, lumbar heaviness.

• GB 26 Dai-mai – Level umbilicus, below tip 11th rib on mid-axillary line. Regulates Dai, drains damp, gyn.

• GB 27 Wu-shu – Just ant-inf to ASIS (3 cun below umbilicus, level REN 4). Dai + lower jiao, hernia, leucorrhoea.

• GB 28 Wei-dao – 0.5 cun ant-inf to GB 27; same actions.

GB 29 – 33 : Hip & Knee Zone

• GB 29 Ju-liao – Midpoint ASIS↔greater trochanter (ant). Hip pain.

• GB 30 Huan-tiao – Junction medial 2/3 & lat 1/3 line sacral hiatus (BL 54) ↔ greater trochanter. ★ Sciatica, hip/glute pain, lower limb atrophy, eczema around anus.

• GB 31 Feng-shi – 7 cun above popliteal crease (where middle finger touches). Expels Wind, itchy skin/urticaria, leg pain.

• GB 32 Zhong-du – 2 cun below GB 31. Wind-damp-cold of leg, numbness.

• GB 33 Xi-yang-guan – Depression above lateral femoral epicondyle, between bone & biceps femoris tendon. Knee swelling.

GB 34 Yang-ling-quan ★★★

• Depression ant-inf to fibular head.
• He-Sea (Earth), Lower He-Sea of GB, Influential of Sinews.
• Smoothes Liver-Qi, clears Damp-Heat, best distal point for tendon/ligament disorders, spasms, gallbladder disorders, hypochondriac pain, nausea from LV→ST attack.

Fibula Line Points GB 35 – 39

Ankle & Foot GB 40 – 44

• GB 40 Qiu-xu – Yuan-Source. Depression ant-inf lateral malleolus. Regulates Shao-Yang, spreads Liver-Qi, ankle pain.

• GB 41 Zu-lin-qi ★★★

• Between 4th/5th MT bones, lateral to extensor digitorum minimi tendon (find tendon by wiggling 5th toe).
• Shu-Stream (Wood → Mother) & Confluent of Dai-Mai. Opens Dai, benefits breast, lateral costal pain, gyn damp-heat, migraine.

• GB 42 Di-wu-hui – Same space but medial to tendon nearer MT heads. Clears GB Heat, dorsum foot pain.

• GB 43 Xia-xi – 0.5 cun prox web 4th/5th toes; Ying-Spring (Water); clears GB Heat, reduces swelling, vertex HA.

• GB 44 Zu-qiao-yin – Jing-Well (Metal) lateral corner 4th toe nail. Prick/0.1 cun; clears Heat, revives consciousness, insomnia, nightmares.

Special Groupings & Formulas Mentioned

• Wind trio for External Wind: GB 20 + DU 16 + LI 4.
• Liver-Yang Rising HA: GB 20 + GB 38 + LV 3.
• Eye heat: GB 37 (Luo) + GB 43 (Spring) + Tai-Yang (Ex-HN5).
• Sciatica root & branch: GB 30 (root), GB 34 (branch), BL 40.
• Dai-Mai discharge: GB 41 (open) + SJ 5 (couple) + GB 26 local.

Safety / Ethical Reminders

• GB 1: no moxa, avoid globe.
• GB 20: angle toward nose; excess depth → medulla oblongata.
• GB 21: risk pneumothorax & induces labour – contra preg.
• GB 22-24: oblique, short depth; lung field behind.
• GB 30: large sciatic nerve – insert toward genital notch, depth 1.5-2.5 cun in larger patients but direct away from nerve.

Practical Tips Shared in Class

• Scalp: think “crevices = qi & vessel paths”; always look/feel for depressions.
• Sub-cutaneous = almost transverse (<10°) when on scalp or over ribs.
• Use finger breadths & visible tendons (e.g. GB 41) to speed location.
• TENS unit experimentation can help feel channel trajectories; avoid over-stimulation.
• For GB 34, if fibular head hard to discern, slide finger up inter-bone notch between tibia/fibula until it stops – that depression is the point.

Quick Revision Table (Nature Points)

• Jing-Well Metal – GB 44
• Ying-Spring Water – GB 43
• Shu-Stream Wood (Mother) – GB 41
• Jing-River Fire – GB 38
• He-Sea Earth – GB 34 (Lower He-Sea)
• Yuan-Source – GB 40
• Luo-Connecting – GB 37
• Xi-Cleft – GB 36 (GB); GB 35 (Yang Wei)
• Front-Mu – GB 24 (GB) & GB 25 (KI)
• Back-Shu of GB = BL 19 (reviewed earlier course)
• Influential of Sinews – GB 34; Influential of Marrow – GB 39
• Confluent Dai-Mai – GB 41
• Coalescent Dai-Mai – GB 26-28

Common Clinical Themes Across GB Channel

1. Wind (internal & external): temporal & occipital HA, dizziness, convulsion.
2. Liver Yang / GB Fire: migraines, eye & ear disorders, hypertension, irritability.
3. Shao-Yang stage (alt. chills & fever, malaria) – GB 34/38/40.
4. Damp-Heat of GB or Dai: jaundice, hypochondriac pain, leukorrhoea, genital itch (GB 24, 26-28, 41).
5. Musculo-tendinous / sinew problems: hip (GB 29-30), knee (GB 33-34), ankle/foot (GB 40-42).
6. Sense-organ branch: eye (GB 1, 37, 43), ear (GB 2-3), nose (GB 15-19).