Kidney Channel

Youmen KID-21

Chinese: 幽门

Pinyin: Yōu Mén

Location

6 cun above the umbilicus and 2 cun below the sternocostal angle, 0.5 cun lateral to the anterior midline. 

How to locate

Divide the distance between the umbilicus center and the sternocostal angle into 8 equal parts. Each part is about 1 cun. 

Youmen KID-21 is 6 cun above the umbilicus (Shenque REN-8) and 0.5 cun lateral to the anterior midline. Juque REN-14 is located at the midline and at the same level as Youmen KID-21. 

Main actions

  1. Regulate Stomach Qi and subdues Rebellious Qi
  2. Removes Liver Qi Stagnation
  3. Benefits the breasts

Indications

Cough Nausea Vomiting Retching Diarrhoea Hiccuping Chest pain Breast pain Much spittle Poor appetite Abdominal pain Low milk supply Morning sickness Breast distension Sour regurgitation Clogged milk ducts Epigastric fullness Lower abdominal pain Difficulty swallowing Difficult breastfeeding Vomiting of foamy saliva Hypochondrial distention

Needling

Vertically 0.5–1 cun.

Caution: The liver is located on the right, the peritoneum on the left.

Caution during pregnancy. 

Commentary for Youmen KID-21

All the Kidney points on the abdomen (from Henggu KID-11 to Youmen KID-21) are also part of the Penetrating Vessel. Thus their indications are related to both the Channel and the Vessel. 

The Penetrating Vessel is the 'Sea of Blood', 'Sea of the 12 Channel' as well as the 'Sea of the abdomen avenue'. Thus its points are often able to invigorate the Blood and Qi and remove Stagnation, especially in the abdomen. 

Youmen KID-21 is one of the most important point for regulating Qi and subduing Rebellious Qi in the Stomach. Typical symptoms includes vomiting of foamy saliva, hiccup, sour regurgitation, retching, morning sickness, epigastric fullness, poor appetite, feeling of fullness below the xiphoid process and difficulty in swallowing. 

It is also the point where Penetrating Vessel leaves its superficial pathway and runs interiorly and spreads in the chest and breasts. In fact, it is how it gets its name 'Door of the Darkness'. Therefore, it regulates the Qi entering and exiting of the epigastric and chest area. Manifestations include chest pain, hypochondrial distension and coughing. 

KID-21 is also widely used for postpartum breastfeeding issues, especially if the patients suffer from Liver Qi Stagnation in the breasts and chest.