Gallbladder 25, Jingmen Capital Gate, Capital Door

Gallbladder 25 is the 25th point along the primary acupuncture channel of the Gallbladder, or Leg Shaoyang channel. It is also the:

• Alarm or Front-Mu point of the Kidneys

Location of Gallbladder 25

Gallbladder 25 is just anterior and inferior to the free, lateral end of the 12th rib.

On most people this is on the back or side, not on the front of the body. It can be quite deep.

Needling Gallbladder 25

Perpendicular, up to 1 cun. Take care not to needle too deep. If acting as the Front-Mu or Alarm point, it will be sensitive.

Needling Sensation

Local burning or gripping sensation

Moxa:

up to 7 cones. When the point is very deep, it may be hard to decide exactly where to place the cones on the surface.

ACTIONS of Jingmen

• Alarm or Mu-point of the Kidneys
• Harmonises the action of the Kidneys
• Strengthens Kidney qi

Kidney Alarm or Mu-point

If tender on palpation this point suggests that Kidney qi, and possibly the kidney organs, are not functioning correctly. I haven’t found people spontaneously complaining about pain here, unless it is pressed.

• A fearful nature
• Anxiety
• Frequent worrying
• Tonifies Kidney Yang more than Kidney Yin and is used for cold-type diarrhoea with borborygmous and undigested food. In this way it supports the Spleen in its role of transforming.
• Difficulty breathing deeply or catching breath

Harmonises the action of the Kidneys

• Nephritis
• Painful or difficult urination with swelling in the face, caused by deficient kidney action
• Dark urine
• Thirst

Comment on Capital Gate or Door

The name of the point means Capital Gate or Door, where the word ‘Capital’ refers to the Chest and ‘Men’ means to its entrance from below. Consequently, the point has more importance than one might think.

For example, it is useful where people can’t properly catch their breath, as in some cases of asthma, and in otherwise unfit people who have started exercising vigorously too quickly, who then run out of steam and find they can’t recover.

For people who can’t catch their breath, as in asthma, I might use this point with Kidney 4 where the patient suffered from Kidney Qi deficiency.

The Kidneys provide the Yang needed by the Spleen to enable it to digest food, to transform and transport nourishment round the body.

So if Kidney Yang is deficient, probably Spleen Yang will be deficient, meaning that your body cannot absorb nutrients properly from what you eat, and that food may just flow through you without hindrance, causing diarrhoea, or at least, loose stools.

This point strongly supports Kidney Yang, along with other points such as Mingmen the Gate of Fire.

Please don’t be tempted to use this point if you are untrained in acupuncture. It can be quite deep, it’s round your side towards your back so it is not easy to control either the angle or depth of insertion, and there are many things that could go wrong.

Please see a trained or experienced acupuncturist! (And bear in mind that he or she may suggest other points that might be better!)

Read also:

• Gallbladder
• Gallbladder Damp Heat
• Gallbladder deficiency

Click here to return from Gallbladder 25 to Point Categories