Kidney Channel

Dazhong KID-4

Chinese: 大钟

Pinyin: Dà Zhōng

Location

Posterior and inferior to the medial malleolus, in the depression medial to the Achilles tendon, superior to its insertion at the calcaneus. 

How to locate

From the tip of the medial malleolus, draw a horizontal line to the medial border of the Achilles tendon. From there, measure 0.5 cun in a distal direction.

Dazhong KID-4 is in a depression anterior to the Achilles tendon, slightly superior to its insertion at the calcaneus.

Or: the point is located posterior to the midpoint of a line connecting Taixi KID-3 and Shuiquan KID-5 anterior to the Achilles tendon.

Main actions

  1. Strengthens the Kidney's receiving of Qi
  2. Calms and lifts the Mind
  3. Benefits the urination
  4. Strengthens the back

Indications

Fear Cough Anger Anxiety Sadness Wheezing Somnolence Palpitation Breathlessness Manic behavior Lower back pain Urinary dribbling Urinary retention Mental retardation Urinary difficulty Rattling sound in the throat Feeling of fullness in the chest Coughing with blood-streaked sputum

Needling

Vertically 0.3–0.5 cun.

Avoid puncturing the tendon. 

Commentary for Dazhong KID-4

Being the Connecting-Luo point of the Kidney Channel, Dazhong KID-4 plays an important role in regulating the relationship between the Kidneys and the Lungs. It strengthens the Kidneys' receiving of Lung Qi, so as to treat symptoms such as cough, coughing of blood, wheezing, breathlessness, rattling sound in throat as well as feeling of oppression of the chest. 

Secondly, it has a powerful effect on calming the Mind and lifting the spirit, if the patients suffer from fatigue and depression due to long-term Kidney Qi Deficiency. Other manifestations include palpitations, agitation, mental retardation, manic behavior, propensity to anger, somnolence, fright and sadness. 

The symptom of strong desire to sleep may be caused either by Spleen Deficiency due to Phlegm and Dampness accumulation, or by Kidney Yang or Kidney Essence Deficiency. Dazhong KID-4 is a major point for somnolence due to Kidney Deficiency.

Finally the Luo-Connecting Channel runs to the lumbar spine, therefore Dazhong KID-4  is able to enhance the back, so as to treat symptoms such as lower back pain.

It also benefits urination and treat symptoms such as difficult urination, dribbling of urine or retention of urine.