Tip of the Elbow

肘尖Zhǒu Jiān

Anatomical location

At the tip of the olecranon, with the elbow flexed.

Main function

Dissolves nodules, drains damp-heat.

Therapeutic indications

Scrofula (cervical lymphadenopathy)
abscesses
boils

Name and classical tradition

Zhoujian, 肘尖, is the “tip of the elbow”: 肘, the elbow; 尖, the tip. It lies at the apex of the olecranon, with the elbow bent, and the name is a location instruction.

The Zhenjiu Dacheng (Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion) records it among the points outside the channels with a single indication: “肘尖二穴，在手肘骨尖上，屈肘得之，治瘰癧，可灸七壯” — it is found with the elbow bent and used for lymphadenopathy of the neck, scrofula, with seven cones of moxa. It lies between TE10, Tianjing, just above, and SI8, Xiaohai, in the groove on the inner side.

Location of point EX-UE1, Tip of the Elbow — Reusable plate · CC BY-ND 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

View point on the 3D modelEX-UE1 on the anatomy

Needling techniqueIndirect moxibustion with cones; rarely needled.

DepthNot applicable (mainly used with moxibustion)

MoxibustionMain technique at this point (3-7 cones).

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.