Fengchi Point (GB-20 / Wind Pool)
Calms the liver and extinguishes wind, dispels wind and releases the exterior, clears the head and brightens the eyes, and unblocks the orifices and sense organs. Based on its properties, this point is mainly used for colds, migraine, dizziness, cerebrovascular accidents, epilepsy, tinnitus, deafness, eye disorders, nasal disorders, and cervical spondylosis.
Indications
Cold, headache, dizziness, stroke, stiff painful neck, tearing in wind, and tinnitus with deafness. (1) External wind disorders: Cold, febrile diseases, facial deviation, skin disorders. (2) Internal wind disorders: Vertigo, stroke, headache, manic-depressive disorders. (3) ENT disorders: Tinnitus, deafness, eye disorders (red painful eyes, optic atrophy, tearing, glaucoma), facial spasm, nasal disorders (allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, epistaxis), sore throat. (4) Neck disorders: Stiff neck, cervical spondylosis, frozen shoulder. (5) Others: Hypertension, lumbar and leg pain, various brain disorders, insomnia, hysteria, malaria, and many other conditions.
Precise Location
Located on the Gallbladder Meridian, on the back of the neck, below the occipital bone, in the depression at the lateral edge of the two large tendons (trapezius muscles), approximately level with the earlobes.
Location Method
Sit upright with arms raised, elbows at shoulder height, hands behind the ears, palms facing inward, fingertips pointing upward, four fingers gently supporting the sides of the head (above the ears) – the point is where the thumb pads rest.
Massage Method
Press and knead from bottom to top with the thumb pads – a sore, distending, and painful sensation will occur; firm pressure causes a sore-distending sensation in the nasal cavity. Apply once each morning and evening for 1–3 minutes on each side (or simultaneously). Therapeutic actions: Clears heat and removes toxins, calms the liver and extinguishes wind.
Compatibility
Eye pain with inability to see: Combine with Shangxing (GV-23), Naohu (GV-17), Fengfu (GV-16), and Fengchi (GB-20). Disease overview: Eye pain – daytime pain is yang pain, nighttime pain is yin pain; pain with restlessness indicates qi excess; pain with cold sensitivity indicates qi deficiency; dull intermittent pain indicates yin deficiency with fire movement; stabbing continuous pain indicates excess fire; dry painful sensation indicates fluid depletion or blood deficiency; red painful with excessive discharge indicates wind-heat accumulation. Massage sequence: Gently tap Shangxing, Naohu, and Fengfu for 2 minutes each, then massage Fengchi for 3 minutes. Stroke: Combine with Shuigou (GV-26), Baihui (GV-20), Fengchi (GB-20), Shixuan (EX-UE11), and Taichong (LR-3). Migraine: Combine with Sizhukong (TE-23), Taiyang (EX-HN5), and Fengchi (GB-20). Stiff painful neck: Combine with Dazhui (GV-14) and Jingjiaji (EX-B2). Eye disorders: Combine with Jingming (BL-1), Guangming (GB-37), and Taiyang (EX-HN5). Tinnitus and deafness: Combine with Tinghui (GB-2) and Yifeng (TE-17). Vertigo and headache: Combine with Baihui (GV-20), Taichong (LR-3), and Quchi (LI-11). Urticaria: Combine with Quchi (LI-11), Hegu (LI-4), and Xuehai (SP-10). Lumbar and leg pain: Combine with Yanglingquan (GB-34) and Houxi (SI-3). Frozen shoulder and upper limb joint pain: Combine with Quchi (LI-11) and Houxi (SI-3). General body pain: Combine with Hegu (LI-4) and Taichong (LR-3). Pain due to thoracic, lumbar, and sacral hyperostosis: Combine with Weizhong (BL-40) and Chengshan (BL-57). Cold with fever: Combine with Dazhui (GV-14), Hegu (LI-4), and Quchi (LI-11). Epilepsy: Combine with Shenmen (HT-7), Fenglong (ST-40), and Taichong (LR-3). Facial deviation: Combine with Yangbai (GB-14), Quanliao (SI-18), Jiache (ST-6), Hegu (LI-4), Dicang (ST-4), and Qianzheng (EX-HN16). Headache due to liver yang rising: Combine with Taichong (LR-3) and Fuliu (KI-7). Headache due to phlegm turbidity: Combine with Fenglong (ST-40) and Yinlingquan (SP-9).
Efficacy & Actions
Fengchi belongs to the Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian and is the meeting point of the Hand and Foot Shaoyang meridians and the Yang Wei Vessel, as well as the entry point of the Yang Qiao Vessel. It calms the liver and extinguishes wind, dispels wind and releases the exterior, clears the head and brightens the eyes, and unblocks the orifices and sense organs. It is a key point for treating wind disorders and a commonly used point for head disorders, with reducing technique commonly used. The Lingshu · Rebing states: "Wind is a yang pathogen, its nature is light and ascending – only wind can reach the top of the head. Fengchi is in the depression behind the temple at the hairline, the meeting of the Hand Shaoyang and Yang Wei – it treats stroke with hemiplegia, Shaoyang headache, and is where wind pathogens accumulate – hence the name Fengchi." This point treats headache, vertigo, febrile disease with anhidrosis, malaria, stroke with aphasia, goiter, stiff painful neck, blurred vision, red painful eyes, visual disturbances, ear disorders, nasal congestion, and convulsions. (1) Key Point for Eye Disorders: The Gallbladder Meridian originates at the outer canthus, its divergent channel connects to the eye system, and its sinew binds at the outer canthus – thus Gallbladder points treat eye disorders. The Lingshu · Dahuolun states: "The essence qi of the five zang and six fu all pour into the eyes to form vision... wrapping the essence of sinews, bones, qi and blood, combining with the vessels to form the optic system, connecting upward to the brain and emerging at the back of the neck." Located at the back of the neck, Fengchi is an important point connecting the brain and the eye channels – essential for treating both common and refractory eye disorders such as optic atrophy, glaucoma, retinitis, and ptosis. (2) Key Point for External Pathogen Disorders: As the meeting point of the Gallbladder Meridian and the Yang Wei Vessel – the Yang Wei Vessel connects all yang meridians and governs the exterior; Yang Wei disorders present with chills and fever. Related to the Lung and often associated with wind pathogens, Fengchi is a specific point for dispelling wind. Wind pathogens attack the upper body first – only wind reaches the top of the head – making it highly effective for headache, colds, and cough due to external wind-cold. (3) Treats Hypertension: Hypertension falls under headache and vertigo in TCM. Needling Fengchi is effective for mild to moderate primary hypertension. Modern research shows that needling Fengchi regulates the sympathetic nervous system, converting excitation to inhibition, thus through neurohumoral regulation slowing heart rate, reducing myocardial contractility, dilating peripheral arterioles, decreasing cardiac output, reducing peripheral resistance, and lowering blood pressure. (4) Key Point for Wind Pathogen Disorders: As a key wind-dispelling point, it treats both external wind invasion and internal liver wind. Wind is the chief of all pathogens – it can combine with dampness, heat, cold, or phlegm to affect various parts of the body. External wind causes stiff painful neck, facial deviation, sore throat, and skin disorders; internal wind causes headache, dizziness, and stroke – all within its effective scope. Fengchi is used for both external and internal wind disorders, which is its primary function. (5) Other Therapeutic Effects: Also used for nasal congestion, epistaxis, sinusitis, various brain disorders, epilepsy, insomnia, skin disorders, cervical spondylosis, and spastic disorders. Fengchi has broad applications beyond what can be fully described, with clinical use focused on dispersing external wind and calming internal wind.
Contraindications
The medulla oblongata lies deep to Fengchi – strict control of needling angle and depth is essential. The needle tip should point slightly downward; needling depth should be determined by the patient's body type, generally not exceeding 1.2 cun. Oblique needling 0.5–1 cun toward the tip of the nose, or horizontal needling through to Fengfu (GV-16). Moxibustion is permissible but rarely used.
