These two points, also called Chong Zi (Double Sons - 22.01) and Chong Xian (Double Saints - 22.02) are located on the palmar surface of the hand on the thenar eminence next to the 1st metacarpal bone.
Double Sons 22.01 is located approximately 1 cun below the skin fold at the thumb and palm along the edge of the 1st metacarpal bone.
Another way to describe this is at the intersection of the C line of the index finger and a line drawn perpendicularly from the joint line at the base of the thumb to the C line. That may sound confusing, but I find it an easier way to reliably located Double Sons. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here's one now to show you what I mean:
Double Saints 22.02 is located 1 cun closer to the wrist crease than Double Sons if you follow the 1st metacarpal bone proximally and toward the center of the wrist crease.
Want me to make that easier for you to find? It's the palmar side of Ling Gu.
To needle:
For both of these points, slide the needle down next to the bone. Use a 1 cun needle.
Does this hurt? Yep. I'd encourage you to prep the point much like you would when needling Kidney 1 or any point on the sole of the foot. Here are some words of advice I wrote up for the Shang Liu point then modified for these points. They work just as well for the thenar and lesser eminence regions on the palm of the hand as they do on the sole of the foot.
Needling on the palm of the hand can be painful because there are so many nerve endings here. I have a method I find this to be far more effective than the "cough for me" and insert method I learned in acupuncture school for needling the sole of the foot. The method I use employs a long slow breath + a very strong exhale - like you're trying to blow out 50 birthday candles at once kind of strong exhale. Here's how it goes.
Drop your needle into your guide tube (assuming you use a guide tube - some people don't - I love guide tubes) and hang onto it with your non-dominant hand. With the fingertip of your dominant hand, massage the point on the palm firmly for 5-10 seconds. Massage in a circular motion for a bit, then press the tissue from the point outward 1/2 cun or so, visualizing making a space for the needle. You can even mentally ask the tissue to desensitize so that the point doesn't hurt when it is inserted. Yes, that's a little woowoo. So sue me!
After you've massaged for a bit, press the guide tube to the point and massage in tiny circles. While you are doing this, coach your patient through the long, slow breath exercise + very strong exhale exercise above. Demonstrate it, then do it along with them. Correct the breath if they aren't blowing out hard enough. You're still massaging with the tip of the guide tube while you're doing this.
Have them practice this one more time. Tell them you will insert on the next out blown breath and have them do the long slow breath one last time and on the strong exhale insert quickly and firmly.
This works well for any points on the sole of the foot or palm of the hand or anywhere there are a lot of nerve endings and/or sensations.
By the way, "long, slow breath" is a more effective way to phrase this than "deep breath." Long, slow breath draws the breath very deep into the belly and is a calming breath which activates the parasympathetic nervous system.
If you say deep breath, most people will breathe into the upper body, which activates the sympathetic nervous system, causing more anxiousness about getting a pointy object inserted in the bottom of the foot/palm of the hand!
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