Fufen Point (BL-41 / Attached Branch)
Discover the exact location and acupressure method for Fufen (BL-41 / Attached Branch). Learn its benefits for shoulder and back tension, stiff neck, and elbow-arm pain – the meeting point of Small Intestine and Bladder – plus classic combinations for comprehensive treatment.
Indications
Shoulder and back tension with pain, stiff painful neck, elbow and arm numbness with pain, and upper limb immobility.
Precise Location
In the spinal region, below the spinous process of the 2nd thoracic vertebra, 3 cun lateral to the posterior midline.
Location Method
Bend the head down – from the prominent vertebra at the junction of the neck and back (C7, the 7th cervical vertebra), count down 2 vertebrae to the spinous process of the 2nd thoracic vertebra – the point is 4 finger-widths (approximately 3 cun) lateral to the lower edge of this spinous process.
Massage Method
① Massage: Press and knead with the thumb. ② Moxibustion: Apply mild-warm moxa stick. Press and knead Fufen with the thumb about 200 times, or for 3–5 minutes, to prevent and treat neck, shoulder, and back pain. Therapeutic actions: Relaxes the sinews and unblocks the collaterals, dispels wind and cold, unblocks the collaterals and relieves pain.
Compatibility
Stiff painful neck: Combine with Dazhui (GV-14).
Efficacy & Actions
This point belongs to the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian and is the meeting point of the Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian and the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian. It relaxes the sinews and unblocks the collaterals, dispels wind and cold, and unblocks the collaterals to relieve pain. It is a commonly used key point for treating shoulder, back, and neck disorders. First documented in Zhenjiu Jiayijing. "Fu" means to attach or adjoin; "Fen" means to divide or branch. Located on the back, this point is where the Bladder Meridian branches out, attached beside the spine – hence the name Fufen (Attached Branch).
