Quepen ST-12
Chinese: 缺盆
Pinyin: Quē Pén
Location
About 4 cun lateral to the anterior midline, in the supraclavicular fossa, superior to the midpoint of the clavicle.
How to locate
From the anterior midline, palpate 4 cun along the clavicle to the midpoint. Quepen ST-12 is located at the upper border of the clavicle in the supraclavicular fossa, lateral to the clavicular head of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.
Main actions
- Subdues Rebellious Qi
- Removes Obstructions from the Channel
- Calms the Mind
Needling
Vertically 0.3–0.5 cun. The needle should be guided along the posterior border of the clavicle.
Caution: Pneumothorax, especially with emphysema; superficial and deep cervical arteries.
According to some authors, this point is contraindicated during pregnancy
Commentary for Quepen ST-12
Quepen ST-12 is an important point. It is the meeting point of Stomach, Large Intestine, Small Intestine, Triple Burner and Gall Bladder Channels, thus it has a powerful effect on all above Yang Channels.
Its main function is to subdue Rebellious Qi such as Stomach and Lung Qi. Typical symptoms are breathlessness, asthma or coughing.
Furthermore, it removes Obstructions from the Channel so as to ease pain or stiffness from the region around neck, shoulder, upper limbs and supraclavicular fossa.
Finally, some practitioners claim that it also calms the Mind by descending Excess Qi downwards. Manifestations include anxiety, nervousness and insomnia.