Governing Vessel

Baihui DU-20

Chinese: 百会

Pinyin: Bái Huì

Location

At the vertex, at the junction of a line connecting the apex of the ears and the midline, in the depression 7 cun above the posterior hairline and 5 cun behind the anterior hairline. 

How to locate

Apply the spreading hands technique to locate Baihui DU-20. First place the hands on both sides of the head, with the little fingers touching the apex of the ears.

Join the thumbs on the midline and locate DU-20 in a shallow depression on the vertex of the head. 

Alternatively, apply a elastic tape between the apices of the ears, locate DU-20 which is the crossing points with the head midline. 

Main actions

  1. Expels Interior Wind
  2. Subdues or Raises Yang
  3. Benefits the Brain and the senses Organs
  4. Clears Mind
  5. Regains consciousness

Indications

Epilepsy Tinnitus Headaches Dizziness Hemiplegia Runny nose Depression Wind-stroke Poor memory Bloody nose Opisthotonos Blocked nose Anus prolapse Blurred vision Uterus prolapse Stomach prolapse Bladder prolapse Vaginal prolapse Urinary retention Frequent urination Impaired consciousness Feeling of bearing down

Needling

0.5–1 cun transversely towards the posterior (Reducing effect) or the anterior (Tonifying effect).

Caution: Apply pressure to head points after needle removal to avoid bleeding. 

Commentary for Baihui DU-20

Baihui DU-20 is located at the vertex of the head. This is where the body's energy is able to reach its maximum potential. It also happens to be the point many Yang Channels passes, thus it has a dual function at either subduing Excessive Yang from the head or raising Deficient or Sinking Yang to the head. 

Liver Yang Rising agitates Interior Liver Wind, thus causes symptoms like Wind-stroke, hemiplegia, opisthotonos, loss of consciousness, epilepsy, headache, dizziness, tinnitus and blurred vision. By applying Reducing method (inserting needle transversely towards the posterior) on Baihui DU-20, it subdues Liver Yang as well as clears Interior Wind. 

On the other hand, some Organs such as Uterus, Stomach, vagina, Bladder or anus can prolapses, because Deficient or Sinking Qi fails to hold them in their original position. Other symptoms can happen due to Sinking Qi such as urine retention, frequent urination and the general feeling of bearing down in the lower abdomen. 

Tonifying method on Baihui DU-20 is able to stimulate the raising of the Yang and Qi so as to ease above issues. It is especially effective in treating anus or vagina prolapse, as both of they lie on the Governing Vessel. 

The effectiveness can be greater if moxa is used. However, practitioners have to make sure the patients have no excessive Heat or high blood pressure. 

Another function of Baihui DU-20 is to benefit the Brain and sense Organs as it ascends the Yang to the head. Thus it is able to treat dizziness, brain noise, tinnitus, poor memory, nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, nosebleed and blurred vision. 

Thanks to the same Yang raising effect, DU-20 also strongly lifts and clears the Mind so as to treat symptoms like depression. 

Finally, it also stimulates resuscitation when the patients lose their consciousness.