Governing Vessel

Dazhui DU-14

Chinese: 大椎

Pinyin: Dà Chuí

Location

On the midline at the base of the neck, in the depression below the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra (C7). 

How to locate

Firstly locate C6 by running the finger down the neck along the midline as it is the first palpable cervical vertebral spinous process. It becomes impalpable when the patients extend their neck. C7 is below C6 and it is still palpable despite that the neck is extended. 

Dazhui DU-14 is in the depression below C7. 

Main actions

  1. Clears Wind-Heat
  2. Releases the Exterior
  3. Tonifies Yang
  4. Clears Mind

Indications

Fever Chills Fatigue Epilepsy Body aches Depression Pale urine Poor memory Feeling of heat Aversion to cold Profuse urination Poor concentration Occipital headaches Occipital stiffness

Needling

0.3–1 cun strictly vertically to the skin or obliquely in an inferior direction, with the patient’s back straight or flexed in order to avoid puncturing the spinal canal.

Oblique insertions should only be carried out by experienced practitioners, as in small persons, irrespective of their body weight, the spinal canal may be reached after only 1.25 cun.

Commentary for Dazhui DU-14

Dazhui Du-14 has two distinct functions, depends if it is used by Reducing or Tonifying method.

When Reducing method is applied, it mostly clears Heat and release Wind from Exterior. The typical manifestations during a Wind-Heat invasion are fever, feeling of heat, aversion to cold, body aches as well as occipital headache and stiffness.

This external Wind-Heat also disturbs the normal circulation of Defensive and Nutritive Qi, thus causes the symptoms of fever, aversion to cold, fever and slight sweating. Dazhui DU-14 is able to ease the above symptoms. 

On top of that, this point is able to expel virtually any Exterior Wind or Heat regardless the Organs or Channels involved. Thus it can treat epilepsy. 

If Dazhui DU-14 is used with Tonifying method, particularly with direct moxa, it can strongly tonify the Yang, especially in the Heart and Kidneys. 

This is the Sea of Qi point and the meeting point of Governing Vessel and all Yang Channels. It stimulates the Brain by transporting clear Yang upwards to the Head. Therefore, the Mind is cleared in case that the patients are confused and depressed.