The point I have chosen to write about this time is Jingming, or as most of us know it, UB 1. Now, UB 1 is not usually among most acupuncturists' top 10 favorite points. On the contrary, UB 1 would probably be lucky to squeeze in as a bottom-dweller among most acupuncturists' top 50 points. Moreover, UB 1 is a point that many students and beginners are often wary of using due to its location. This is a shame, because Jingming, or in English "Bright Eyes," is a point that has many valuable qualities and in certain situations is an irreplaceable point.
The reason UB 1 is underutilized is, of course, its location and the inherent risk of causing a black eye when using the point. My own experience is that the risk of a hematoma is clearly outweighed by the point's clinical utility. In fact, I find a point like GB 1, which most students and practitioners are often quite comfortable using, a much more problematic point, which has more often left a bruise and even a black eye on significantly more of my patients over the years than UB 1 ever has. Correct insertion and removal of the needle in UB 1 is, however, extremely important, although in practice it is not very difficult.
One of my favorites
"So why is UB 1 one of my favorites?"
Firstly, UB 1 is a meeting point for several meridians. Here, the Bladder, Small Intestine, Stomach, Gallbladder, and San Jiao meridians meet, as well as the extraordinary meridians Du Mai, Yin Qiao Mai, and Yang Qiao Mai. Furthermore, the Heart, Small Intestine, Spleen, and Stomach divergent meridians pass through UB 1. This means that UB 1 can directly affect the movement of qi in all these meridians at the same time. Moreover, like other points in the area around the eye, UB 1 is an extremely important point in the treatment of all kinds of eye disorders and visual disturbances. In these situations, I will usually use UB 1 together with other local points such as ST 1, GB 1, the extra point Yuyao, as well as relevant distal points to the area and points to treat the underlying pattern of imbalance.
Regulating yin qi and yang qi up and down
While in the treatment of eye diseases and visual disturbances there is the option of replacing UB 1 with other points in the area, it is in the treatment of certain forms of insomnia that I find UB 1 irreplaceable. UB 1 is namely the place where the extraordinary meridians Yin Qiao Mai and Yang Qiao Mai meet. When treating certain forms of insomnia, I will use these two extraordinary meridians' 'opening points' KD 6 and BL 62 together with UB 1. Here, UB 1 cannot be replaced with UB 2 or other nearby points.
Originally, I learned that the reason these two meridians could be used for the treatment of insomnia and hypersomnia was that Yang Qiao Mai opened the eyes and Yin Qiao Mai closed the eyes. This made sense, as these two meridians regulate the movement of yin qi and yang qi upwards and downwards in the body. They do this by absorbing excess yin qi and yang qi and by releasing reserves when yin qi and yang qi are out of balance. They do this especially when there is too much or too little yin qi or yang qi in the head.
Another important explanation, however, is found in chapter 75 of Huang Di Nei Jing – Ling Shu. It states that the circulation of the yang wei qi has a daily cycle. At dawn, the yang wei qi rises to the eyes and opens them, then it circulates 25 times in the outer aspect of the body before returning to the eyes. When the day shifts from yang to yin and day turns to night, the wei qi returns to the eyes. The eyes close when the yang wei qi sinks downwards and inwards to the interior where it again circulates 25 times while we sleep. Regulating these cycles will therefore affect the ability to sleep.
Good for eye conditions, visual disturbances, insomnia, and headache
Some authors, e.g., Claudia Focks (Focks 2008 p.251) recommend using UB 2 or Yintang instead of UB 1,
if a practitioner is not comfortable using UB 1. Although this is an option in the treatment of local eye conditions and visual disturbances, it is not an option for me when I treat insomnia and hypersomnia. This is precisely because UB 1 is the meeting point of Yin Qiao Mai and Yang Qiao Mai and that UB 1 is the pivot point in the daily cycle of the yang wei qi, that it has the ability to regulate sleep.
In addition to treating insomnia, eye conditions, and visual disturbances, UB 1 can also be used to treat headaches, especially "Taiyang" headaches. This is both because UB 1 will be an effective local point when treating headaches that manifest with pain or pressure in the eye region, but also because UB 1 is the turning point where qi, which has arrived at the head from the arm Taiyang meridian (Small Intestine meridian), flows into the leg Taiyang meridian (Bladder meridian), before moving down from the head again. UB 1 can therefore regulate the flow of qi into the Bladder meridian and is referred to by some sources as the entry point for the Bladder meridian (Focks 2008 p.251)
I find that "de qi" is usually achieved simply by inserting a needle into UB 1. Therefore, I do not stimulate the needle further after insertion. This is to reduce the risk of bruising. Likewise, moxibustion is contraindicated when stimulating this point (Deadman et al. 1998).
Reference
Deadman, P. & Al-Khafaji M . (1998) A Manual of Acupuncture. Hove, Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications
Focks, C. (2008) Atlas of Acupuncture. Edinburgh, Churchill Livingstone
