Points

• Apertura: KI-6
• Cierre: LU-7
• Xi: KI-8
• KI-2
• BL-1
• ST-12
• ST-9
• CV-3

Pathway

Starts at KI-2, goes to KI-6 (opening), KI-8 (Xi), ascends along the inner face of the leg and thigh and penetrates the genitals. Then ascends along the abdomen and thorax. Goes toward the throat, passes through the cheek and ends at the inner corner of the eye. It has very few crossing points.

• Areas of influence: Inner face of the legs, unilateral abdomen and eyes.

Functions and symptoms

Yin Qiao Mai is a curious channel very important for women and less manifest in men.

It has a Yin/Yang relationship of complementary opposites with the Yang Qiao Mai channel. The symptoms of one of them in excess are the same as those of deficiency of the opposite.

Yin Qiao Mai and Yang Qiao Mai are used to treat the left-right balance of the lower limb and to regulate the day-night rhythm, the balance between wakefulness and rest.

When we want to balance sleep, we must see if it is due to excess fire of some meridian or due to deficiency. The Yin aspect of Kidney Jing circulates through Yin Qiao Mai.

Excess

• Daytime sleepiness, fatigue even after sleeping well
• Symptoms worsen during the day (daytime epilepsy)

Deficiency

• Insomnia.
• Symptoms that worsen at night
• Symptoms on one side of the body

To treat insomnia due to Yin Qiao Mai deficiency, we would treat with KI-6, BL-62 in dispersion (sedate the excess of Yang Qiao Mai) and BL-1 (crossing point of Yin Qiao and Yang Qiao Mai).

Due to its pathway and areas of influence, Yin Qiao Mai can carry Yin to:

• Throat: hoarseness, pharyngitis, dryness
• Eye: chronic conjunctivitis, pain, redness of the inner side of the eye
• Genital area: vaginal dryness, itching, lack of distribution in the lower burner, penile pain, orchitis, prostatitis. KI-2 and KI-6. Also palpate KI-8.
• Lower back pain (all curious channels can cause lower back pain). The lower back pain of Yin Qiao Mai is pain that radiates toward the iliac crest and genitals.

References in classical texts

Nan Jing:

• When Yin Qiao Mai is affected, Yang is weak and Yin precipitates, the patient cannot sleep. (Precipitates refers to accumulation, excess, fullness)

Zhen Jiu Da Cheng: