Name

膻中

• Shan Zhong
• Tan Zhong
• Center of the chest
• Center of sincerity

Location

Above the sternum, at the level of the 4th intercostal space, on the line connecting the two nipples. Point tender to palpation

Nature

• Front-Mu point of Pericardium
• Hui-Gathering Points: Gathering Qi
• Crossing point of Spleen, Kidney, Triple Burner and Small Intestine
• Points of the Four Seas Sea of Qi

Actions

• Regulates the Qi of the upper burner, releases the chest and promotes Heart- and Lung-Qi: shortness of breath, chest pain, oppression of the chest, sighing, palpitations. Respiratory problems, cough, asthma, phlegm.
• Sadness, emotional blockage, anxiety, fear, nervousness, wanting to cry but unable to: CV-17 + CV-14
• Breast problems: pain and distension, fibrocystic, fibroadenoma, mastitis
• Cardiovascular disease: massage

Treatment

• Needling: oblique upward or downward 0.3 - 0.5 cun. If stimulating the breast is desired: transverse toward the breast, stimulate and remove the needle.
• Avoid perpendicular needling, some people have very thin sternums
• Can be moxaed and massaged

Interactions

• Insufficient lactation: due to Liver-Qi stagnation: LR-14, SI-1, LI-4
• Insufficient lactation: due to Stomach-Qi/Blood deficiency: ST-18, SI-1, LI-4
• Asthma crisis: PC-6, BL-13, CV-21, CV-22, Ding Chuan
• Precordial pain due to Heart-Yang Deficiency: CV-4, CV-14