Conception Vessel 4, Ren-4 Guanyuan

Location of Guanyuan

On the mid-line of the abdomen, 3/5 of the way down from the umbilicus to the superior edge of the pubic bone.

Unless there is scar tissue from an operation such as a Caesarean section, the point is nearly always exactly where it is supposed to be, so measure carefully!

Needling and Moxa on Ren 4

Needle perpendicularly half to 1 cun, or diagonally downwards slightly more. Because deep needling could penetrate the walls of the bladder, ask the patient to empty it first.

Sensation of needling Conception Vessel 4

Tends to be downwards towards and into the genitals and urethra.

Moxa 

Moxa is excellent on Conception Vessel 4 for patients who have lost their strength either through age or infirmity. The point has the power to strengthen both yin and yang, and with moxibustion it works more on Yang (though Yin benefits too.)

With needle, if Yang is already deficient, Yin benefits most and indeed, a patient with some Yang but little Yin may feel ‘flattened’ for a while after having just acupuncture here. (Meaning that your patient may need to sleep awhile!)

However, it is doubtful if moxa here on someone who is Yang deficient will make them feel over-energised.

The following can only give an indication of how this point works. There are many other conditions which benefit from the point.

Ren 4 Strongly tonifies Qi, Yin, Yang, and Blood 

• Increases immune-type function of body
• Weakness of the whole body
• Warming point
• Strengthening point
• For example, Conception Vessel 4 greatly strengthens Blood, perhaps because it is a meeting point (with the Kidney and Spleen channels) with the Liver Channel. It seems to act like a super Spleen 6, but with a special emphasis on Blood. (I’ve used it to great effect on people who felt weakenend from having lost or recently given blood.)