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The meridian system (simplified Chinese: 经络; traditional Chinese: 經絡; pinyin: jīngluò, also called channel network) is a concept in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) about a path through which the life-energy known as “qi” flows.1 The twelve standard meridians, also called principal meridians, are divided into Yin and Yang groups. The Yin meridians of the arm are Lung, Heart, and Pericardium. The Yang meridians of the arm are Large Intestine, Small Intestine, and Triple Burner. The Yin Meridians of the leg are Spleen, Kidney, and Liver. The Yang meridians of the leg are Stomach, Bladder, and Gall Bladder.2 The Pericardium Meridian or Pericardium Channel is one of the 12 principal meridians in TCM. It corresponds with the Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian of the Hand. The. The Flow Hours of this meridian are 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM.3
CONTENTS
ORGAN AND FUNCTION
ACUPOINTS
FLOWING ROUTES
ORGAN AND FUNCTION
As distinct from the Western medical concept of pericardium, this concept from Traditional Chinese Medicine is more a way of describing a set of interrelated parts than an anatomical organ.4 The Pericardium is also called the “heart protector,” and, for clinical purposes, is considered a yin organ paired with the yang organ San Jiao. In general theory, the Pericardium is not distinguished from the Heart. It is also the first line of defense against the Heart from External Pathogenic Influences.5 The Pericardium has a meridian named for it, which reflects the health of the organ. In terms of the Five Elements, these organs are both associated with the fire element. In treatment, it is often best to approach heart problems via the Pericardium, rather than directly. The peak time for the Pericardium is from 7 pm to 9 pm.6
ACUPOINTS
This meridian contains 9 acupoints in one side, that is 18 acupoints in total.
PC-1
Location: In the fourth intercostal space, 1 cun lateral to the nipple and 5 cun lateral to the anterior midline.
Indications: Suffocating sensation in the chest, pain in the hypochondriac region, swelling and pain of the axillary regIon.
Acupuncture Method: Puncture obliquely 0.2-0.4 inch. Deep puncture is not advisable.
Moxibustion is applicable.
Vasculature: The thoracoepigastric vein, the branches of the lateral thoracic artery and vein.
Innervation: The muscular branch of the anterior thoracic nerve, the fourth intercostal nerve
PC-2
Location: 2 cun below the level of the anterior axillary fold, between the two heads of m. biceps brachii.
Indications: Cardiac pain, distension of the hypochondriac region, cough, pain in the chest, back and the medial aspect of the arm.
Acupuncture Method: Puncture perpendicularly 0.5-0.7 inch. Moxibustion is applicable.
Vasculature: The muscular branches of the brachial artery and vein.
Innervation: The medial brachial cutaneous nerve and the musculocutaneous nerve.
PC-3
Location: On the transverse cubital crease, at the ulnar side of the tendon of m. biceps brachii.
Indications: Cardiac pain, palpitation, febrile diseases, irritability, stomachache, vomiting, pain in the elbow and arm, tremor of the hand and arm.
Acupuncture Method: Puncture perpendicularly 0.5-0.7 inch, or prick with a three-edged needle to cause bleeding. Moxibustion is applicable.
Vasculature: On the pathway of the brachial artery and vein.
Innervation: The median nerve.
PC-4
Location: 5 cun above the transverse crease of the wrist, on the line connecting Quze (PC-3) and Daling (PC-7), between the tendons of m. palmaris longus and m. flexor carpi radialis.
Indications: Cardiac pain, palpitation, epistaxis, hematemesis, haemoptysis chest pain, furuncle, epilepsy.
Acupuncture Method: Puncture perpendicularly 0.5-1.0 inch. Moxibustion is applicable.
Vasculature: The median artery and vein; deeper, the anterior interosseous artery and vein.
Innervation: The medial antebrachial cutaneous nerve; deeper, the median nerve; deepest, the anterior interosseous nerve.
PC-5
Location: 3 cun above the transverse crease of the wrist, between the tendons of m. palmaris longus and m. flexor carpi radialis.
Indications: Cardiac pain, palpitation, stomachache, vomiting, febrile diseases, irritability, malaria, mental disorders, epilepsy, swelling of the axilla, contracture of the elbow and arm.
Acupuncture Method: Puncture perpendicularly 0.5-1.0 inch. Moxibustion is applicable.
Vasculature: The median artery and vein; deeper, the anterior interosseous artery and vein.
Innervation: The medial and lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerves, the palmar cutaneous branch of the median nerve; deeper, the anterior interosseous nerve.
PC-6
Location: 2 cun above the transverse crease of the wrist, between the tendons of m. palmaris longus and m. flexor radialis.
Indications: Cardiac pain, palpitation, stuffy chest, pain in the hypochondriac region, stomachache, nausea, vomiting, hiccup, mental disorders epilepsy, insomnia, febrile diseases, irritability, malaria, contracture and pain of the elbow and arm.
Acupuncture Method: Puncture perpendicularly 0.5-0.8 inch. Moxibustion is applicable.
Regional anatomy: See Jianshi (PC-5).
PC-7
Location: In the middle of the transverse crease of the wrist, between the tendons of m. palmaris longus and m. flexor carpi radialis.
Indications: Cardiac pain, palpitation, stomachache, vomiting, mental disorders, epilepsy, stuffy chest, pain in the hypochondriac region, convulsion, insomnia, irritability, foul breath.
Acupuncture Method: Puncture perpendicularly 0.3-0.5 inch. Moxibustion is applicable.
Vasculature: The palmar arterial and venous network of the wrist.
Innervation: Deeper, the median nerve.
PC-8
Location: At the center of the palm, between the 2nd and 3rd metacarpal bones, but close to the latter, and in the part touching the tip of the middle finger when a fist is made.
Indications: Cardiac pain, mental disorder, epilepsy, gastritis, foul breath, fungus infection of the hand and foot, vomiting, nausea.
Acupuncture Method: Puncture perpendicularly 0.3-0.5 inch. Moxibustion is applicable.
Vasculature: The Common palmar digital artery.
Innervation: The second common palmar digital nerve of the median nerve.
PC-9
Location: In the centre of the tip of the middle finger.
Indications: Cardiac pain, palpitation, loss of consciousness, aphasia with stiffness and swelling of the tongue, febrile diseases, heat stroke, convulsion, feverish sensation in the palm.
Acupuncture Method: Puncture superficially 0.1 inch or prick with a three-edged needle to cause bleeding. Moxibustion is applicable.
Vasculature: The arterial and venous network formed by the palmar digital proprial artery and vein.
Innervation: The palmar digital proprial nerve of the median nerve.
FLOWING ROUTES
This meridian originates from the chest and pertains to the pericardium. Then, it descends through the diaphragm and successively links with the upper, middle and lower energizer. Its branch from the chest runs inside the chest, emerges from the costal region, and ascends to the subaxillary region from the point 3 cun below the axilla (Tianchi, PC-1). Then it runs along the medial line of the upper arm to the cubital fossa and passes through the wrist, entering the palm (Laogong, PC-8). Then, along the radial side of the middle finger, it comes out at its radial tip (Zhongchong, PC-9). Another branch from the palm runs along the ulnar side of the ring finger to its tip, where it connects with the shaoyang triple energizer meridian of the hand.7
Footnotes
- What Is Traditional Chinese Medicine – sciencebasedmedicine.org – 2012, https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/what-is-traditional-chinese-medicine/
- Advanced Pressure Point Fighting of Ryukyu Kempo – A Dillman Karate International Book – 1994, https://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Pressure-Point-Fighting-Ryukyu/dp/0963199633/
- Acupuncture points of the pericardium meridian of the hand – cnacupuncture.com – 2017, http://www.cnacupuncture.com/points-of-the-pericardium-meridian-of-hand-jueyin.html
- Chinese natural cures – Black Dog & Leventhal Publishing – 1994, https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/isbn/1579120563/
- The foundations of chinese medicine: a comprehensive text for acupuncturists and herbalists – Black Dog & Elsevier Churchill Livingstone – 2005, https://www.amazon.com/Foundations-Chinese-Medicine-Comprehensive-Acupuncturists/dp/0443074895
- Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion – Foreign Languages Press – 1987, https://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Acupuncture-Moxibustion-Seventeenth-Printing/dp/7119059947/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493125663&sr=1-1
- Jueyin Pericardium Meridian of the Hand – tcmwiki.com – 2017, https://tcmwiki.com/wiki/jueyin-pericardium-meridian-of-hand