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What Is The GB39 Acupuncture Point?
The GB39 acupuncture point gets its name due to its relationship with the gall bladder. This point is also known by its traditional Chinese name, Xuanzhong, and its English name, the hanging bell point. This acupuncture point has influence over disfunction in the gall bladder as well as many other areas of the body and brain. With the proper treatment of this one simple area, you will be able to maintain your physical and mental health better.
Where Is The GB39 Acupuncture Point Located On The Body?
The GB39 acupuncture point location runs up the back of both legs. Start with your finger on the lump of your ankle that faces outward, which is known as the external malleolus. From the lump of your ankle, lay your four fingers flat such that the knuckles of your fingers align with your ankle and your fingers are perpendicular to your leg. The width of your four fingers, excluding your thumb, should be the exact distance from your ankle to the GB39 acupuncture point.
This unit of measurement is historic, and it is known as cun. The GB39 acupuncture point is three cun directly above the protrusion of the outer ankle. It lays close to the base of the fibula, the thin bone parallel to the outer edge of your shin bone, also known as the tibia. This bone is covered by muscle and tendons, so it is okay not to feel it distinctly when applying pressure to the area.
Once you get a sense of where your fibula is, slide your finger horizontally until it is closer to the back of that bone, and you feel some tendons. Here, 3 cun above the outer ankle is the GB39 acupuncture point between the rear fibula and tendons. It can be hard to visualize where this point is in the body, so multiple images of the location can help you identify it.
What Does Pain Feel Like At The GB39 Acupuncture Point?
Pain in relation to the GB39 acupuncture point location appears in various areas of the body. It is known as the converging point of marrow in the body, a substance that fills the bones and performs many life-sustaining functions. This characteristic makes the GB39 point relate to:
- Ankle pain
- Complications with knee movement
- Generalized leg pain
- Sciatica
- Bone pain
- Distention and discomfort in the abdomen from improper gall production and can manifest into a reduced appetite and blockages in some cases.
- Tightness or rigidity in the neck
- Discomfort beneath the lower section of the ribs where the gallbladder and liver lay. (Hypochondrium)
- This acupoint can also be used as a massage for neuropathy in the feet.
- Many other specific yet less common complications
Pain in any of these areas is linked back to the GB39 point, and all pain levels are valid. It is best to start massaging this acupuncture proactively or when discomfort is experienced to avoid experiencing full-blown pain and related complications.
How Do I Massage The GB39 Acupuncture Point?
Now that you have located the GB39 acupuncture point, you can use it to help with the complications listed above whenever they arise. Just because this is an acupuncture point does not mean needle activation is necessary. There is always an easy and accessible method of massage to stimulate this powerful point.
When massaging the GB39 acupuncture point location, be sure you have correctly located it using the instructions above. There are many other beneficial points in that area, but to obtain the specific GB39 acupuncture point benefits, it is best to be exact in your massaging location.
In the practice of acupuncture, this point would be activated with a small needle. It would be inserted at about 0.3 to 0.5 cun deep in a perpendicular orientation to the leg. This translates to about half an inch, so when you massage the area, apply perpendicular pressure to the GB39 point until you have pushed your skin about half an inch inward. You can use your finger or any other precise yet dull tipped object, such as a pen cap or the wide, dull end of a chopstick.
The pressure will result in a variety of sensations, but none of them should be painful. You should feel pressure and sometimes a warm sensation at this point while you gently massage in tight alternating circular patterns. Massage the GB39 acupuncture point location on both legs and do so until you start to feel relief from the physical pains you are experiencing in relation to the point. If you experience any skin damage or bruising at the site, you are likely pressing too hard. Each person’s body is different so take some time to discover your perfect motion and pressure when massaging the GB39 point for your best results.
How Does This Point, In Combination With Others, Help Maintain My Health?
This point is commonly combined with UB23, GB30, GB41, and GB34 to address incidents of sciatica and other motor complications in relation to the lower extremities. By gently massaging each of these points through acupressure, you can improve mobility and comfort for a more active lifestyle.
GB39 can also be combined with GB43 and GB20 to alleviate extreme internal head pain, like migraines. This combination promotes clearer thinking and overall function for a stronger mindset.
The wide range of physical impact the GB39 acupuncture point location expresses through pressure based massages makes it a powerful self-healing tool. With the improved mobility, comfort, and clarity provided by GB39, you are sure to maintain proper health through everyday life hardships.
Photo by Ümit Bulut, bruce mars, Andre Hunter, Katherine Hanlon, and Rodion Kutsaev on Unsplash
