Massaging the Tiantu acupoint can help relieve hiccups. Let's follow the editor to learn about the effects and location of the Tiantu acupoint.
[Location of the Tiantu Acupoint]
1. Standard location
The Tiantu acupoint is located in the neck, on the midline, in the center of the suprasternal notch.
2. Acupoint selection
One inch above the Renzhong acupoint, in the center of the suprasternal notch, sit upright and tilt the head back to select the acupoint.
Quick acupoint selection: Lie on your back and you can feel a depression below the laryngeal prominence, which is the Tiantu acupoint.
3. Anatomy of the acupoint
Below the Tiantu acupoint are the skin, subcutaneous tissue, the space between the left and right clavicular pectoralis major tendons (the two heads of the sternum), the superior border of the manubrium of the sternum, the left and right sternothyroid muscles, and the pretracheal space.
The superficial layer contains the nerves of the inner side of the clavicle. The subcutaneous tissue contains the sternocleidomastoid and the jugular venous arch. The deep layer contains the brachiocephalic trunk, the left common carotid artery, the aortic arch, and the brachiocephalic vein, among other important structures.
[Effects and Functions of the Tiantu Acupoint]
1. Massage for cough relief
Pressing firmly for 6 seconds on the Tiantu acupoint located in the middle of the clavicles can immediately stop coughing, whether it is acute cough or the presence of foreign bodies in the throat.
When using this method, you must exhale while applying pressure. Repeat three times for the desired effect. For children, it is recommended to reduce the pressure and increase the frequency to achieve the same cough-relieving effect.
2. Alleviating plum pit qi
Instruct the patient to use one finger to repeatedly press the suprasternal notch (Tiantu acupoint) with moderate pressure for about 10 repetitions each time, until a local sour, distending, and slightly painful sensation is felt.
Continuous treatment for 2 months usually yields noticeable results after about half a month of pressing.
3. Relieving hiccups
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, hiccups are caused by improper diet leading to the upward reversal of stomach qi. To relieve hiccups, it is necessary to clear the stomach qi and allow the reversed qi to return.
Moxibustion on our Tiantu acupoint is also a good method for treating hiccups. The Tiantu acupoint has the function of guiding qi, so moxibustion can help relieve or inhibit hiccups by guiding the qi out.
4. Warm moxibustion for inflammation reduction
During the massage of the Tiantu acupoint, the patient can perform swallowing movements and coordinate with breathing to swallow saliva. In addition to massage, applying heat to the Tiantu acupoint is also a good way to reduce inflammation.
Use a small cotton bag filled with soybeans and tightly sewn. Place the bag in the microwave for two minutes, then apply it to the Tiantu acupoint while it is still hot. This is a convenient moxibustion method.
5. Treating colds in children
Because infants and young children have small bodies, parents can use the pad of their thumb or index finger to gently press the acupoint in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, 2-3 times a day, for two minutes each time, to achieve significant results.
