Tip of the Medial Malleolus

内踝尖Nèi Huái Jiān

Anatomical location

At the most prominent point of the medial malleolus.

Same point as 146PC · Nèi Huái Jiān — Curious Points catalog

Main function

Activates the local collateral.

Therapeutic indications

Ankle pain
calf cramps
toothache

Name and classical tradition

Neihuaijian, 内踝尖, is the “tip of the medial malleolus”: 内 (內), inside; 踝, ankle; 尖, tip. It is at the most prominent point of the bone, and the name is the location.

The Zhenjiu Dacheng (Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion) lists it among the extra points: «內踝尖二穴，在足內踝骨尖是穴，灸七壯，治下爿牙疼，及腳內廉轉筋», seven cones of moxa for pain in the lower teeth and cramps on the inner side of the leg. Its counterpart on the other side of the ankle is EX-LE9.

Location of point EX-LE8, Tip of the Medial Malleolus — Reusable plate · CC BY-ND 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

View point on the 3D modelEX-LE8 on the anatomy

Needling techniqueMoxibustion; occasional shallow oblique needling.

DepthShallow if needled

MoxibustionTechnique of choice.

PrecautionsNone in particular.

Protocols for the 20 patterns you see most in practice

Each pattern with its tongue, its pulse, the treatment principle and the points to tonify and disperse. Made for the treatment table, not the bookshelf.