Zan (攒) means to accumulate or gather, while Zhu (竹) refers to the bamboo in the mountains. The name of this acupoint indicates the water and dampness qi that comes from the Jingming (睛明) acupoint. Due to its cold nature, it absorbs heat and rises. The amount of water and dampness qi is small, similar to the small end of a bundle of bamboo (the small end is the upper part, the leaving part, and the large end is the lower part, the coming part), hence the name. So, where is the exact location of Zan Zhu?
Exact Location of Zan Zhu Acupoint
Precise Location: Located on the face, in the depression between the eyebrows, at the supraorbital notch.
Easy Location: Zan Zhu acupoint is located at the inner end of the eyebrows, pressing it will feel sore and distended.
Functions and Effects of Zan Zhu Acupoint
Functions: Disperses wind, clears heat, opens meridians, and improves vision.
Mechanism of Action: Zan Zhu acupoint belongs to the bladder meridian, which is close to the eyes. The bladder meridian starts near the eyes, crosses the vertex of the forehead, and connects to the brain. Therefore, this acupoint has the function of dispersing wind, clearing heat, stopping pain, and relieving dizziness. It is used for wind-heat attacking the head and eyes, interfering with clear vision, eyebrow bone pain, and dizziness. As this acupoint is located near the eyes, it can disperse the stagnation of qi and blood around the eyes. Its needling sensation can directly reach the eyes, so it has the function of dispersing wind and clearing heat, treating eye disorders caused by external wind-heat invasion. In addition, it also has the function of promoting qi circulation, activating blood circulation, nourishing yin, improving vision, and unblocking meridians.
Main Indications of Zan Zhu Acupoint
1. Redness, swelling, and pain in the eyes caused by external wind-heat invasion, heat rising upwards; tearing when facing the wind; redness and soreness of the eyelids, itching of the eyes, headache, and other symptoms.
2. Dizziness, blurred vision, night blindness, drooping upper eyelid, twitching of the lower eyelid, unclear vision, and fear of near objects caused by liver and kidney deficiency, insufficient qi and blood.
3. Headache caused by external wind-cold invasion, pain in the eyebrow bone, crooked mouth and eyes, facial twitching, facial pain, cheek swelling, nosebleeds, and other symptoms.
Common Treatment Methods of Zan Zhu Acupoint
1. Combined with Jingming, Taiyang, Hegu, Shaoshang, Fengchi, Zulinqi acupoints, use acupuncture to promote bowel movement or use acupuncture at Taiyang and Zan Zhu to cause bleeding. This method disperses wind, clears heat, and treats symptoms such as red, swollen, and painful eyes, drooping upper eyelids, tearing when facing the wind, blurred vision, and red and sore eyelids.
2. Combined with Taiyang, Sibai, Xingjian, Fengchi acupoints, use acupuncture to promote bowel movement, expel wind, and clear liver heat. This method treats symptoms such as hot tears and facial pain caused by liver meridian heat.
3. Combined with Yangbai, Chengqi, Dicang, Jia Che, Xiaguan, Fengchi, Yifeng acupoints, use acupuncture for tonification and purgation, disperse wind evil, activate meridians, and treat symptoms such as facial paralysis and eyelid twitching caused by wind evil invasion.
4. Combined with Yangbai, Touwei, Taiyang acupoints, use acupuncture to promote bowel movement, dispel wind, and relieve pain. This method treats wind-cold headache.
5. Combined with Sizhu Kong, Sibai, Taixi, Ganshu, Shenshu, Dagukong, Xiaogukong acupoints, use acupuncture for tonification, nourish liver and kidneys, improve vision, and stop tears. This method treats night blindness, dim vision, and cold tears caused by liver and kidney deficiency.
6. Combined with Yangbai, Taiyang, Sizhu Kong, Sanyinjiao, Zusanli acupoints, use acupuncture for tonification, nourish qi and blood, and treat symptoms such as drooping upper eyelids, twitching of the lower eyelids, and unclear vision caused by insufficient qi and blood.
Healthcare Methods for Zan Zhu Acupoint
Use the fingertip to press from top to bottom, or use a scraping board to scrape along the supraorbital bone from the inner side of the bridge of the nose, from bottom to top, on the outer side of the eyebrows at Zan Zhu. Each time, do it for 1-3 minutes, which can relax tendons, relax the eyebrows, relieve eye fatigue.
