Liver 9 Yinbao Yin Wrapping

Yinbao, Yin Wrapping – Liver 9 – is a point on the Liver acupuncture channel. It is particularly useful for treating problems in the most Yin area of the body.  

I seldom used it, and then usually for local pain in the knee or thigh, until I researched it for this page.

Now I use it a lot more. What, besides its local action, does it do?

• It regulates the lower jiao – the part of the abdomen inferior to the umbilicus 

Liver 9 Location

On the medial surface of the thigh, 4 cun superior to the knee flexure, between the Sartorius muscle and the Vastus Medialis muscle.

This distance – 4 cun – is approximately the same as the vertical length of the patella.

If needed, the point is often tender, but so are other nearby parts of the Liver channel so you may need to choose the location you find most tender.

Needling Liver 9

Needle Liver 9 vertically or obliquely up to 2 cun depth.

Sensation at Liver 9

Needle sensation is mostly local, though on first insertion, before the needle goes at all deep, you may get sensation at skin level at the knee and up the thigh on the Liver channel.

Deeper deqi sensation does not travel – or so at least I have found, but patients may report ‘referred’ sensations in the abdomen on the same side as the needle.

Moxibustion on Liver 9

Moxa: up to 5x on Liver 9 seems safe.

Actions of Liver 9

• Acts to clear Qi Stagnation and Blood stagnation in the lower jiao
• Hence, useful for painful periods, menstrual irregularity
• Incontinence from Qi deficiency and stagnation
• Retention of urine from eg Cold or stress
• Lower back pain particularly if due to Liver or Gallbladder syndromes or channel problems (plus, I suspect, from any kind of stagnation in the lower jiao, see Comment below).

Comment

The name of the point, Yinbao, Yin Wrapping, suggests that where the point lies – between two important muscles each of which originates in the pelvis – may make it important in adjusting the fascia or membranes in the abdomen.

In that case it may be an unofficial point on the Chong Mo, a bit like Taichong, Liver 3.

That would explain its action not just on menstrual problems but also, because Chong mo vessel ascends both the abdominal part of the Kidney channel but also the Conception vessel up the anterior portion of the sacral and lumbar spine.

Although I have not seen it listed I would also expect the point to be useful when treating Liver syndromes affecting the genitals, probably more likely the female genitals (because Yin-bao). I haven’t tested this, however.

For lower backache with a Liver syndrome component, Liver 9 seems a possibly under-rated point.

Click here to find out about the Liver’s functions in Chinese medicine

Click to find out about the liver organ in WESTERN medicine

For points along the Liver channel, click below: