Points

• Opening: BL-62.
• Closing, paired: SI-3 (opens Du Mai).
• Xi: BL-59.

• BL-61.
• BL-59.
• GB-29.
• SI-10.
• LI-15.
• LI-16.
• GB-20.
• GV-16.
• BL-1: connects with Yin Qiao Mai.
• ST-1.
• ST-2.
• ST-3.
• ST-4.

Pathway

It originates at BL-62 and then moves toward BL-61. It ascends behind the external malleolus and then reaches BL-59, continues ascending up the lateral aspect of the leg (Gall Bladder). It ascends up the lateral aspect of the thigh and reaches GB-29. Then it ascends up the lateral trunk area and ascends behind the shoulder to SI-10, then it curves around the shoulder to LI-15, it goes to LI-16, ascends up the side of the neck and reaches the face and goes to cross with ST-4, ST-3, ST-2, ST-1 and crosses to the inner canthus of the eye at BL-1. It curves around the head backward until it crosses with GB-20 and then GV-16 (there is a branch that enters the brain).

Areas of influence: external aspect of the legs, back, neck, head and eyes.

Functions and symptoms

Qiao means heel, agility. Yang Qiao is related to movement.

Like Yin Qiao Mai beginning at the heel, Yang Qiao ascends up the external Yang side of the leg while Yin Qiao ascends up the internal Yin side of the leg.

Yin and Yang Qiao Mai have an action of balancing the body at the right-left level and especially the lower limbs.

They also regulate the nyctohemeral rhythm: in the morning, when opening the eyes, Yang Qiao Mai receives energy and the person gets moving. At night, when closing the eyes, energy enters Yin Qiao and sleep occurs. Both meridians share point BL-1. Sleep problems, both insomnia and drowsiness, may be related to the Qiao Mai.

Problems of this meridian in general reveal themselves as painful. Qiao means agility, mobility problems that limit the initiation of movement, especially in the lower limb, may be related to Yang Qiao Mai. Often the symptoms are very few.

By the pathway of Yang Qiao Mai we can treat:

• Pain of the lateral aspect of the leg.
• Hip pain.
• Lower back pain where the torso inclines to one side.
• Shoulder pain.
• Pain in the neck area.
• Facial pain: trigeminal neuralgia.
• Eye pain.
• Headache.

Fullness

• Insomnia.
• Symptoms that worsen at night (nocturnal epilepsy).
• Pains that are all localized on the same side of the body almost always are related to Yang Qiao Mai. Sequelae of wind stroke (hemiplegia, ...).

Empty

• Daytime drowsiness although having slept well.
• Symptoms worsen during the day.

References from classical texts

NB: "prospera" and "precipita" mean the.

• Nan Jing: "when Yang Qiao Mai is affected the Yin energy becomes weak while the Yang energy is prosperous, the sick person cannot sleep".
• Mai Jing: "in case of Yang Qiao Mai affected the the Yin is delayed Yang precipitates" the same the other way around for YinYang is delayed, Qiao Mai ( Yin precipitates). That is: the Yang that precipitates creates a tense full leg and the Yin part that is delayed stays relaxed. For example: bowlegged legs from riding or X-shaped legs (knees in varus and valgus).
• Zhen Jiu Da Cheng: "pain of the lower back, upper back and legs (eg: sciatica), fear of wind, spontaneous sweating, headache (like lightning), red and painful eyes, supraciliary pain, contracted hands and feet and cold arm, deafness, epistaxis, epilepsy, painful malaise of the joints, swelling of the whole body, sweating of the head. In these cases first needling BL-62".

Treatments

• Hip: palpate GB-29, BL-59 (Xi point of Yang Qiao Mai), and BL-62 may be tender. If not, I look at Shao Yang (GB-30). If the person is older it may be from Kidney, it will be a chronic problem. Whereas if it is Yang Qiao it has acute pains.

• Lower back pain: lower back pain of Yang Qiao Mai is lateral with torso inclined to one side and hip that compensates. It runs along the Bladder and Gall Bladder meridians. It is the classic of the herniated disc. Fundamental points: SI-3, GV-1, BL-62. Also palpate: BL-59, BL-61, and the others of Yang Qiao Mai. If it hurts at rest: conventional medicine says there is inflammation. It may be a problem of Yang Qiao Mai fullness.

• Shoulder problems. In this case Yang Qiao Mai is probably contaminated by other meridians. Palpate LI-15, LI-16, SI-10.

• Headache, with ophthalmic pain and red eye in the internal part. Crisis at dusk and night, may wake up at night. Points: GB-20 (many meridians!) if tender, GV-16 if tender, BL-2.

• Facial algias. Think of those of the headache but also BL-1 and BL-2. Facial sensitivity is the trigeminal nerve and motility is the facial nerve. To treat the trigeminal nerve, 5th cranial. Look at stomach points first, Yang Qiao and possibly Liver and Gall Bladder may also be affected. Points: ST-4, ST-3, ST-2, ST-1.

• Hyperthyroidism: Yang Qiao Mai and Du Mai absorb Yang at the head level. Sweating only at the head level or only on one side of the head.

• Daytime type epilepsy.

Formulas

• Lower back and back pain with rigidity and difficulty of flexion and extension: use BL-62, GV-2, BL-43, BL-40 (bleeding the dark vein, or just needling).
• Hemiplegia: BL-62, LI-10, SI-4, LI-4, GB-39, LR-2, GB-31, SP-6.
• Lower back pain with difficulty to initiate movement: BL-62, KI-2, BL-43, BL-40, BL-23.
• Neck rigidity with difficulty to turn: BL-62, SI-3 ,LI-4, CV-24.
• Pain of the whole body: BL-62, LU-9, LI-10, ST-36, LI-11.