The Gallbladder Meridian of Foot Shaoyang is a long meridian that extends from the foot to the head, covering a wide range of areas. This indicates that it is an important meridian in the human body, and any blockage can have an impact on overall health. So, what are the symptoms of an obstructed Gallbladder Meridian?
Symptoms of an Obstructed Gallbladder Meridian
1. Difficulty in joint flexion and extension: The Gallbladder Meridian runs through important joints in the body. If there is stagnation of Qi and blood in the meridian, it can cause a sense of weakness and fatigue in major joints such as the neck, shoulders, and hips.
2. Liver and Gallbladder are closely related. When the Gallbladder Meridian is blocked, it can also affect the Liver Meridian, resulting in stagnation of Liver Qi, leading to symptoms such as dull pain in the sides, bitter taste in the mouth, and dry throat.
3. Obstruction of the Gallbladder Meridian directly affects the generation of body Qi. If Qi circulation is not smooth, it can lead to various breast diseases.
4. Blockage of the Gallbladder Meridian can cause Qi stagnation to transform into heat, which can then affect the Liver Meridian, resulting in excessive Liver Yang and subsequently leading to hypertension.
5. The Gallbladder Meridian is most active at midnight. If there are problems with Qi and blood in the meridian, it cannot generate Yang Qi well at midnight, which can eventually affect the body's righteous Qi and lower immune function.
6. Symptoms of excessive internal heat, such as irritability, insomnia, and oral ulcers, may occur.
Tapping to Unblock the Gallbladder Meridian
Location: Upper half of the lower extremities, from the buttocks to the lower end of the knee joint, in the middle line on the lateral side of the leg.
Sit on a chair with legs flat on the ground. Use fists to tap the sides of the thighs. The average person should tap each side 100 times, for a duration of 2-3 minutes. Since the thigh muscles are relatively thick, more force is needed.
You can tap the Gallbladder Meridian at any time, but avoid doing so immediately after meals. It is also advisable to refrain from tapping during irregular menstrual cycles. If any discomfort is experienced, stop immediately.
Main Conditions Treated by the Gallbladder Meridian
The acupuncture points of this meridian are mainly used to treat lateral headaches, eyes, ears, throat, liver and gallbladder diseases, mental disorders, febrile diseases, as well as other conditions along the meridian, such as bitter taste in the mouth, dizziness, malaria, headache, pain in the outer canthus of the eye, pain and swelling in the rib area, axillary swelling, chest pain, pain in the thigh and outer side of the lower extremities, pain and heat in the outer side of the foot, and more.
Special Acupoints for Nourishing the Gallbladder Meridian
Tinghui (GB2): Sit or lie down, and locate it in front of the tragus of the ear, in the depression behind the condyloid process of the mandible. Used for ear and oral disorders.
Fengchi (GB20): Sit, lie prone, or lie supine. It is located below the occipital bone, at the same level as the Wind Pool (GV16), in the depression between the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the upper end of the trapezius muscle. Used for headache, neck pain, cold, febrile diseases, dizziness, stroke, deviation of the mouth and eyes, and other disorders of the sensory organs.
Jianjing (GB21): Sit, lie prone, or lie supine. It is located on the shoulder, in the depression above the midpoint of the clavicle and the spine of the scapula. Used for neck and shoulder pain, inability to lift the arms, stroke, scrofula, difficult labor, hernia, and various deficiencies and damages.
Huan Tiao (GB30): Lie prone or lie on the side. It is located on the outer side of the thigh, with the leg flexed on the side, at the intersection of the outer 1/3 and middle 1/3 of the line connecting the most prominent point of the greater trochanter of the femur and the opening of the sacral canal. Used for lumbar and hip pain, leg weakness, hemiplegia, sprained lumbar pain, knee and ankle swelling and pain, rashes all over the body, and beriberi.
Yanglingquan (GB34): Lie supine or lie on the side. It is located on the outer side of the lower leg, below the head of the fibula. Used for rib pain, bitter taste in the mouth, vomiting, jaundice, hemiplegia, leg weakness, numbness, knee swelling and pain, beriberi, infantile convulsions, and more.
Precautions for Clearing the Gallbladder Meridian
1. Do not tap the Gallbladder Meridian too frequently, as it can cause the blood to rise too fast, speeding up the body's metabolism and potentially causing discomfort.
2. Pregnant women should not tap the Gallbladder Meridian at will to avoid affecting the fetus.
3. Some people may have severe blockage of the Gallbladder Meridian. When tapping the meridian, the skin may turn purple or develop a rash. This is often a sign of detoxification. Rest for a while and continue if the symptoms are not severe. If the symptoms are severe, it is best to seek medical treatment.
