T.B.-1

Guanchong "Penetrating the Gate"

Triple Burner ChannelWell (Jing) PointMetal Point

Location

Actions

Clears Heat
Expels exterior Wind
Clears Pericardium-Heat
Benefits the ears

Key point: A great teaching example: as the Well point right where the Pericardium channel's Qi flows into the Triple Burner at the fingertips, T.B.-1 inherits a lingering influence of Pericardium-Qi — like a tributary's current still visible just past its confluence with a larger river — which explains its otherwise puzzling tongue-related indications.

Indications

Heat / Exterior

Red eyes, dry mouth, thirst, bitter taste, febrile disease, aversion to cold, fever, alternating cold and heat.

Tongue / Heart

Heart pain, stiff or curled tongue, pain at the root of the tongue, cracked tongue.

Ear

Tinnitus, deafness, earache.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

Earache specifically points to invasion via the Triple Burner channel in exterior Wind-Heat.
Effective for both the Greater Yang and (especially) the Lesser Yang stage.
Distinguish Triple Burner_pencil_sketch/Gall Bladder ear problems (acute, infective, from Wind-Heat) from Kidney-channel ear problems (chronic, slow-onset, from Essence deficiency).
Distal point for shoulder pain, combined with T.B.-14.

T.B.-2

Yemen "Fluid Door"

Triple Burner ChannelSpring (Ying) PointWater Point

Location

Actions

Clears Heat in the head
Regulates the Lesser Yang
Benefits the ear
Removes obstructions from the channel

Key point: A key distal point for earache from middle-ear infection and for tinnitus, plus a strong action clearing Heat from the head and eyes, including Liver-Fire-type eye problems.

Indications

Head / Eyes

Red eyes, red face, dry eyes, swelling and pain of the throat, toothache, bleeding gums.

Exterior

Alternating cold and heat, malaria.

Ear

Earache, tinnitus, deafness, sudden deafness.

Musculoskeletal

Pain in the arm, inability to raise the arm, contraction of fingers, neck ache, wrist ache.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

A pronounced action on the Lesser Yang pattern (alternating cold and heat).

T.B.-3

Zhongzhu "Middle Islet"

Triple Burner ChannelStream (Shu) PointWood PointTonification Point

Location

Actions

Clears Heat in the head
Regulates the Lesser Yang
Benefits the ear
Subdues Liver-Yang
Removes obstructions from the channel

Key point: Distinguished from T.B.-2 by its added ability to subdue Liver-Yang — specifically effective for temporal headaches from Liver-Yang rising, and, via the Gall Bladder-Liver Lesser Yang link, for lifting depression from Liver-Qi stagnation.

Indications

Head

Redness and pain of the eyes, itchy or red face, headache, dizziness, headache on the temple.

Exterior

Febrile disease, alternating cold and heat, malaria.

Ear

Tinnitus, deafness, earache.

Musculoskeletal

Inability to flex or extend fingers, redness and swelling of the arm.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

Combine with Du-20 to lift a depressed Mind - the author describes it as “extremely effective” for this.

T.B.-4

Yangchi "Yang Pond"

Triple Burner ChannelSource (Yuan) Point

Location

Actions

Removes obstructions from the channel
Benefits the ears
Regulates the Lesser Yang
Promotes fluid transformation
Benefits the Original Qi (Yuan Qi)
Tonifies the Penetrating and Directing Vessels

Key point: Not just an ordinary Source point, but the Source point of the Triple Burner itself — the very organ that acts as intermediary for the Original Qi (Yuan Qi) emerging from the Kidneys, giving T.B.-4 a uniquely direct line to the body's foundational Qi.

Indications

Musculoskeletal

Wrist pain, neck ache, shoulder and arm pain, redness and swelling of wrist.

Ear / Exterior

Tinnitus, deafness, earache, febrile disease, alternating cold and heat, malaria.

Fluid / Urinary

Swelling of the legs, urinary difficulty or retention, oedema of the legs.

Constitutional

Tiredness, poor appetite, backache, weak knees, irregular periods, amenorrhoea.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

Combine with BL-64 to stimulate transformation and excretion of Lower Burner fluids.
Combine with ST-42 to tonify Stomach and Spleen and boost energy in chronic tiredness.
Per Japanese acupuncture tradition (not the Chinese classics), also connects to the Penetrating and Directing Vessels - used for irregular or painful periods and amenorrhoea.
Effective for occipital headache from exterior Wind invasion.

T.B.-5

Waiguan "Outer Gate"

Triple Burner ChannelConnecting (Luo) PointOpening Point — Yang Linking Vessel (Yang Wei Mai)

Location

Actions

Expels Wind-Heat
Benefits the ears
Clears Heat in the head

Key point: The main point to release the Exterior and expel Wind-Heat, especially when earache is present — and, via the Lesser Yang, the primary point for the classic “alternating chills and fever” half-Exterior/half-Interior pattern.

Indications

Exterior

Febrile disease, aversion to cold, fever, earache, alternating cold and heat.

Ear / Eyes

Tinnitus, deafness, itching or redness of the ear, redness and pain of the eyes, nosebleed, mumps.

Head

Headache, dizziness, one-sided or vertical headache, neck ache.

Musculoskeletal

Shoulder and neck pain, stiff neck, elbow and wrist pain, arm paralysis, tremor of hand.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

Some sources say it can expel all six pathogenic factors: Wind, Heat, Cold, Dampness, Dryness and Fire.
A major point for arm, shoulder and neck Bi Syndrome from Wind.
Via the Gall Bladder link, a distal point for temporal migraine from Liver-Yang rising.

T.B.-6

Zhigou "Branching Ditch"

Triple Burner ChannelRiver (Jing-River) PointFire Point

Location

Actions

Regulates Qi and benefits the chest and costal region
Clears Heat in the head
Benefits the Large Intestine
Removes obstructions from the channel
Expels Wind
Regulates the Directing Vessel (Ren Mai)

Key point: The best point on the whole channel to stimulate the Triple Burner's core function — the transformation and free passage of Qi through all Three Burners — which is why its effects reach far beyond its local costal-region indications.

Indications

Chest / Abdomen

Pain in the lateral costal region, abdominal pain, chest pain, oppression of the chest.

Head / Heat

Redness and heat of the face, febrile disease, sudden loss of voice, red and painful eyes, sore throat.

Digestive

Constipation.

Musculoskeletal

Pain in the axilla, shoulder and arm, elbow Bi Syndrome, tremor of hand, numbness of hand.

Skin

Skin rashes from Wind and Heat.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

Combine with G.B.-34 for Liver-Qi stagnation (hypochondrial pain, depression, mood swings).
Clears Heat-type constipation and abdominal pain in febrile disease.
Combine with G.B.-31 for Wind-Heat skin disease (urticaria, herpes zoster), especially on the lateral costal region.
Unusually strong effect on the chest specifically, more than the Luo point T.B.-5, via its connection with the Pericardium channel - reducing it relieves chest oppression and heart pain from rebellious Pericardium-Qi.

T.B.-7

Huizong "Converging Channels"

Triple Burner ChannelAccumulation (Xi) Point

Location

Actions

Removes obstructions from the channel
Benefits the ears

Key point: An Xi point for acute arm, elbow and finger pain and ear problems; also notably effective for muscle ache in postviral fatigue syndrome.

Indications

Musculoskeletal

Pain in the arm, shoulder, elbow, and contraction of the fingers.

Ear

Tinnitus, deafness, earache.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

T.B.-8

Sanyangluo "Connecting Three Yang"

Triple Burner ChannelMeeting Point — 3 Arm Yang Channels

Location

Actions

Removes obstructions from the channel
Benefits the throat and voice

Key point: Especially effective for Bi Syndrome pain spanning more than one Yang channel of the arm or shoulder, since it is their shared meeting point.

Indications

Musculoskeletal

Pain in the arm, shoulder, elbow, and contraction of the fingers.

Other

Sudden loss of voice.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

T.B.-10

Tianjing "Heavenly Well"

Triple Burner ChannelSea (He) PointEarth PointDrainage Point

Location

Actions

Resolves Phlegm and dissipates nodules
Subdues rebellious Qi
Calms the Mind

Key point: Resolves Phlegm and Dampness broadly (swollen glands and tonsils, lymph nodes) while also relieving elbow Bi Syndrome and, like T.B.-3, easing depression and mood swings from Liver-Qi stagnation.

Indications

Phlegm

Scrofula, coughing of phlegm.

Chest

Chest pain, cough, pain in the lateral costal region.

Mental

Manic behaviour, sadness, fright, palpitations.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

T.B.-13

Naohui "Shoulder Convergence"

Triple Burner ChannelPoint of the Yang Linking Vessel (Yang Wei Mai)

Location

Actions

Dissipates nodules
Removes obstructions from the channel

Key point: A minor point energetically, but an important local shoulder and upper-arm tenderness point worth checking.

Indications

Phlegm

Goitre, scrofula.

Musculoskeletal

Pain in the arm and shoulder, inability to raise the arm.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

T.B.-14

Jianliao "Shoulder Crevice"

Triple Burner ChannelNo special Five-Element classification

Location

Actions

Removes obstructions from the channel

Key point: An important local shoulder point — check for tenderness against L.I.-15 when choosing between the two for shoulder Bi Syndrome.

Indications

Musculoskeletal

Pain in the arm and shoulder, inability to raise the arm, numbness in the arm, heaviness of the shoulder.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

T.B.-15

Tianliao "Heavenly Crevice"

Triple Burner ChannelPoint of the Yang Linking Vessel (Yang Wei Mai)Meeting Point (Triple Burner • Gall Bladder)

Location

Actions

Removes obstructions from the channel
Opens the chest and regulates Qi
Clears Heat

Key point: Nearly always tender in shoulder pain and stiffness — gives especially good results when needled with moxa.

Indications

Musculoskeletal

Pain of the shoulder and arm, stiffness and pain of the neck, pain in the clavicle.

Chest / Heat

Oppression of the chest, feeling of heat, febrile disease.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

T.B.-16

Tianyou "Window of Heaven"

Triple Burner ChannelWindow of Heaven Point

Location

Actions

Regulates the ascending and descending of Qi and subdues rebellious Qi
Brightens the sense orifices

Key point: A textbook Window of Heaven point — subdues rebellious head-Qi (Liver-Yang headache and dizziness) while also brightening the sense orifices by promoting clear Qi's ascent, the same mechanism producing opposite-looking effects.

Indications

Head

Headache, dizziness, swollen face, scrofula.

Senses

Sudden deafness, blurred vision, excessive lacrimation, sneezing, nosebleed, loss of sense of smell.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

T.B.-17

Yifeng "Wind Screen"

Triple Burner ChannelMeeting Point (Triple Burner • Gall Bladder)

Location

Actions

Expels Wind
Benefits the ears

Key point: A major local point for virtually any ear problem regardless of cause — exterior Wind-Heat infection, or interior Liver-Yang, Liver-Fire, or Kidney-deficiency-type deafness and tinnitus.

Indications

Facial

Deviation of eye and mouth, tetany.

Ear

Tinnitus, deafness, ear discharge, itching inside the ear, redness, swelling and pain of the ear.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

Also treats trigeminal neuralgia and facial paralysis via Wind expulsion - needle fairly deeply (at least an inch) if there is tenderness over the mastoid area.

T.B.-21

Ermen "Ear Door"

Triple Burner ChannelNo special Five-Element classification

Location

Actions

Benefits the ears
Expels Wind

Key point: A local ear point similar to T.B.-17, especially indicated when tinnitus or deafness derives from Liver-Yang rising.

Indications

Ear

Tinnitus, deafness, ear discharge, redness and swelling of the ear.

Facial

Deviation of eye and mouth, toothache, gum pain, stiff lips, stiff neck.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

T.B.-23

Sizhukong "Silk Bamboo Hole"

Triple Burner ChannelNo special Five-Element classification

Location

Actions

Extinguishes interior Wind
Brightens the eyes

Key point: A local point for eyebrow-region headache from Liver-Yang rising, and for facial paralysis specifically when the outer eyebrow cannot be raised.

Indications

Head

Headache, dizziness, tetany, epilepsy.

Eyes

Deviation of eye, blurred vision, red eyes, twitching of eyelids.

Clinical Pearls (summarized from Comments)

Combine with S.I.-19 for ear problems.