Acupuncture
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EX-HN-4
Safety Warnings
- Dangerous point - requires extra caution
- Deep needling contraindicated - shallow insertion only
- Moxibustion contraindicated
Needle Depth
0.3–0.5 cun
Needle Angle
10-15° (Transverse)
Body Area
Face — Periorbital, Face — Forehead
Location
When the patient looks straight forward, Yuyao EX-HN-4 is located directly above the pupil, in the midline of the eyebrow.
Main Actions
- Benefits the eyes
- Relaxes the sinews and reduces pain
Indications
Red eyes
Eye pain
Eye swelling
Eyelids drooping
Frontal headache
Eyelids twitching
Superficial visual obstruction
Commentary
Yuyao EX-HN-4 is mostly used to treat supraorbital pain as well as diseases of the eyes and eyelids.
It is often stimulated by through-needling from neighboring points such as Yangbai GB-14 or Zanzhu BL-2.
Classical Sources
Biǎn Què Shén Yìng Zhēn Jiǔ Yù Lóng Jīng (扁鹊神应针灸玉龙经): "Yúwěi [Fish Tail] is at Tóngzǐliáo; at the outer tip of the eyebrow above the eye, needle one fēn, along the skin threading inward to Yúyāo [Fish Waist], reducing technique, moxibustion prohibited." This is one of the earliest classical references describing the point location and noting the prohibition against moxibustion.
Yī Jīng Xiǎo Xué (医经小学): "Yúyāo at the eyebrow center treats eye pain." A concise classical indication emphasizing its primary use for ocular disorders.
Qí Xiào Liáng Fāng (奇效良方): "Yúyāo, two points, located in the middle of the eyebrow, treats drooping curtain membrane of the eye [corneal opacity], needle one fēn, along the skin toward both sides." This text confirms the bilateral nature of the point and its classical indication for visual obstructions.
How to Locate
Ask the patient to look straight forward and palpate the eyebrow directly above the pupil, superior to the supraorbital ridge. Locate Yuyao EX-HN-4 in a small depression on the superciliary arch. Shangming EX-HN is below Yuyao EX-HN-4, between the upper ridge of the orbit and the eyeball.
Caution
Located near the eye - strict attention to needle angle and depth is essential. Always needle subcutaneously (transversely along the skin) and never perpendicularly toward the orbit. The supraorbital nerve (branch of trigeminal V1) lies beneath this point, so patients may experience sharp sensations. Avoid in patients with bleeding disorders due to rich vascular supply in the periorbital region. Classical texts explicitly prohibit moxibustion at this location due to proximity to the eyes.
Needle Angle
10-15° (Transverse)
Depth Category
Shallow
Standard Depth
0.3–0.5 cun
Needling Directions
0.3–0.5 cun vertically or obliquely towards the eye.
Expected Deqi Sensation
Local distension and heaviness around the brow area. Sensation may radiate to the eyeball, producing a feeling of pressure or fullness in the eye. When needling toward the supraorbital foramen to treat trigeminal neuralgia, an electric or tingling sensation may propagate to the eye and forehead.
Moxibustion
Contraindicated
Duration: Not applicable - moxibustion contraindicated
Cupping
Contraindicated
Bloodletting
N/A
Gua Sha
Contraindicated
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