膏肓 穴,无所不治,主羸瘦虚损,梦中失精,上气咳逆,狂惑忘误。取穴法∶令人正
坐,曲
脊伸两手,以臂着膝前,令正直手大指与膝头齐,以物支肘,勿令臂得动摇,从胛骨上角摸
索全胛骨下头,其间当有四肋三间,灸中间。 根据胛骨之里肋间空处,去胛骨容侧指许,摩
KT肉之表筋间空处,按之自觉牵引胸户中,灸两胛中各一处,至六百壮,多至千壮。当觉气
下砻砻然,如流水状,亦当有所下出。若无停痰宿疾,则无所下也。若病患已困不能正坐,
当令侧卧,挽一臂令前求取穴灸之也。求穴大较,以右手从右肩上住指头表所不及者是也。
左手亦然,乃以前法灸之。若不能久正坐,常伸两臂者亦可伏衣袱上,伸两臂,令人挽两胛
骨使相离,不尔,胛骨覆穴不可得也。所伏衣袱,当令大小常定,不尔,则失其穴也。此灸
讫后,令人阳气康盛,当消息以自补养。取身体平复,其穴近第五椎,相准望取之。
论曰∶昔秦缓不救晋侯之疾,以其在膏之上肓之下,针药所不及,即此穴是也。时人拙
不能求得此穴,所以宿 难遣。若能用心方便求得灸之,无疾不愈矣。
膏肓 二穴,在第四 下两傍相去各三寸,主无所不疗,羸瘦虚损,梦中失精,上气咳
逆,发
狂健忘。又取穴之法∶令人正坐,曲脊伸两手,以臂着膝前,令正直手大指与膝头齐,以物
支肘,勿令臂动摇也。从胛骨上角摸索至骨下头,其间当有四肋三间,灸中间。从胛骨之里
,
去胛容侧指许,摩KT 去表肋间空处,按之自觉牵引于肩中,灸两胛中一处,至百壮,多至五
百壮。当觉下砻砻似流水之状,亦当有所下出,若得痰疾,则无所不下也。如病患已困,不
能正坐,当令侧卧挽上臂,令前取穴灸之。又以右手从左肩上住,指头所不及者是穴也。
左取亦然,乃以前法灸之。若不能久坐,当伸两臂,令人挽两胛骨使相离,不尔,即胛骨覆
其穴,灸之无验。此灸讫后,令人阳气康盛,当消息以自补养。论曰∶昔在和缓不救晋侯之
疾,以其膏之上、肩之下,针药不能及,即此穴是也。人不能求得此穴,所以宿病难遣。若
能用心以方便,求得灸之,无疾不愈,出《千金》、《外台》方。
Gao Huang (BL 43, Bladder-43) acupoint can treat various diseases. It mainly indicates emaciation and deficiency exhaustion, nocturnal seminal emission, rebellious Qi with coughing and wheezing, mania, confusion, and amnesia.
Acupoint location method: Have the patient sit upright, bend the spine, and extend both hands, placing the arms in front of the knees. Align the thumb of the extended hand with the knee cap. Support the elbow with an object to prevent arm movement. Palpate from the upper angle of the scapula down to its lower end. There should be four ribs and three intercostal spaces; moxa should be applied in the middle. Locate the empty space within the intercostal area inside the scapula, approximately one finger-width away from the scapular edge. Palpate the space between the muscles on the surface of the chest wall. Upon pressing, a sensation of traction towards the chest should be felt. Apply moxibustion at one point in the center of each scapula. The dosage is up to 600 moxa cones, or up to 1,000 cones if necessary. One should feel the Qi descending like flowing water, and pathological products may be expelled. If there are no retained phlegm or chronic diseases, nothing will be expelled. If the patient is too weak to sit upright, they should lie on their side, pull one arm forward to locate the acupoint and apply moxibustion. The general method for locating the acupoint is to use the right hand to press from above the right shoulder; the spot beyond the reach of the fingertips is the acupoint. The same applies to the left side. Then, apply moxibustion using the aforementioned method. If the patient cannot sit upright and extend both arms for long, they may lie prone on a cloth pad, extending both arms. Ask someone to separate the two scapulae. Otherwise, the scapulae will cover the acupoint, leading to inaccurate location. The cloth pad used for lying should remain fixed in size; otherwise, the accurate acupoint position will be lost. After this moxibustion treatment, the body's Yang Qi will become robust. The patient should adjust their diet and lifestyle for self-nourishment. When the body returns to balance and health, note that the acupoint is near the fifth thoracic vertebra (D5), and locate it according to standard measurements.
Discussion states: In ancient times, Bian Que (Qin Huan) failed to cure the Marquis of Jin because the disease was located above the Gao (heart fat) and below the Huang (diaphragm fat), where acupuncture and herbs could not reach. This refers to this acupoint. People at that time were incompetent and could not locate this acupoint, so chronic diseases were difficult to dispel. If one can diligently seek out this acupoint and apply moxibustion, no disease will remain uncured.
The two Gao Huang (BL 43) acupoints are located on both sides of the fourth thoracic vertebra (D4), three cun apart. They indicate universal curative effects for emaciation and deficiency exhaustion, nocturnal seminal emission, rebellious Qi with coughing, mania, and amnesia.
Another method for locating the acupoint: Have the patient sit upright, bend the spine, and extend both hands, placing the arms in front of the knees. Align the thumb of the extended hand with the knee cap. Support the elbow with an object to prevent arm movement. Palpate from the upper angle of the scapula down to its lower end. There should be four ribs and three intercostal spaces; apply moxibustion in the middle. From the inner side of the scapula, move one finger-width away from the scapula, palpating the intercostal space beneath the superficial muscles. Upon pressing, a sensation of traction towards the shoulder should be felt. Apply moxibustion at one point in the center of each scapula. The dosage is up to 100 moxa cones, or up to 500 cones if necessary. One should feel a downward flow resembling water, and pathological products may be expelled. If there is a phlegm-related disease, all such pathogens will be expelled. If the patient is too weak to sit upright, they should lie on their side, raise the upper arm, and locate the acupoint anteriorly for moxibustion. Use the right hand to press from above the left shoulder; the spot beyond the reach of the fingertips is the acupoint. The same applies to the left side. Then, apply moxibustion using the aforementioned method. If the patient cannot sit for long periods, they should extend both arms, and ask someone to separate the two scapulae. Otherwise, the scapulae will cover the acupoint, rendering moxibustion ineffective. After this moxibustion treatment, the body's Yang Qi becomes robust, and the patient should adjust their regimen for self-nourishment. Discussion states: In ancient times, He Huan (Bian Que) failed to cure the Marquis of Jin because the disease was located above the Gao and below the Jian (shoulder), where acupuncture and herbs could not reach. This refers to this acupoint. Since people could not locate this acupoint, chronic diseases were difficult to dispel. If one can diligently seek out this acupoint and apply moxibustion, no disease will remain uncured. Source: *Qianjin Fang* (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold) and *Waitai Miyao* (Essential Prescriptions from the Imperial Cabinet).