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Channel: HT, hand lesser yīn (shào yīn) heart channel

Modern location: An acupoint located in the center of the armpit, inferior to the axillary artery.

Classical location: Amid the sinews of the armpit, on the inner side of the arm, where the pulsating vessel enters the chest. From The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion (针灸大成 zhēn jiǔ dà chéng)

Local anatomy: Laterally, the axillary artery. The ulnar nerve, median nerve and medial brachial cutaneous nerve.

Action: Rectifies qì and loosens the chest; frees the channels and quickens the network vessels.

Modern indications: Heart pain; dry pharynx and vexation and thirst; chest and rib-side pain: scrofula; elbow and arm pain.

Classical indications: Heart impediment (xīn bì); dry retching; heart pain; thirst with desire to drink; fullness and pain in the rib-side; reversal cold in the arm and elbow.

Needle stimulus: Needling: 0.5 cùn perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 1‒3 cones; pole 5‒10 min.

Point name meaning:

• 极 jí: extreme, most venerable, best
• 泉 quán: spring (source of water); name of an ancient coin

The qì of the heart channel issues at this point and flows down the channel toward the hand. This is analogous to water bubbling forth from a spring and flowing toward the sea. The heart is the sovereign organ because of its crucial role in the body; therefore, the epithet highest or most venerable is applied to the first point on this channel. Note that the rendering Highest Spring is not meant to imply that this spring is the highest one in the body, but the most respected one. Ridge Spring (CV-22) is above Highest Spring in physical position. See acupoint names: origins, meanings, and translations.

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