Functions and indications of the Governor vessel
The Governor meridian is primarily used for the following:
1/ to treat disorders of the spine and back. This range of action extends the entire length of the spine, encompassing the sacral area, the Lumbar spine and the thoracic and cervical areas. However it is most commonly used for the Lumbar spine.
2/ The Governor meridian, being the summation of the Yang of the body, is naturally used to strengthen the Yang energy of the body, and this action is primarily mediated through the action of GV. 4
3/ GV. 1 to GV. 5 and GV. 26 are used to treat the two lower Yin – the rectum and genitals, treating such disorders as hemorrhoids and rectal prolapse, disorders of urination and menstruation .
4/ The Governor vessel, being the ‘Sea of the Yang meridians’ can naturally Clear Heat and treat fevers, especially GV. 13 and 14.
5/ points on the Governor vessel treat Wind, both External Wind, GV. 12, 13, 14 and 16, and Internal Wind, from GV. 8 upwards.
6/ Points on the Governor vessel frequently treat disorders of the Zang Fu of the corresponding Back Shu points or anatomically underlying Zang Fu. For example GV. 4, on the level of UB. 23, treats the Kidney Yang Qi. GV. 6, on the level of UB. 20, the Spleen Back Shu point, Strengthens the Spleen and drains Damp. GV. 8, on the level of UB. 18, the Back Shu point of the Liver, treats Liver Wind uprising. GV. 9 on the level of UB. 17, the Back Shu point of the diaphragm, unbinds the chest (interestingly it also treats many symptoms of Spleen and Stomach in disarray). GV. 10 on the level of
UB. 16, the Back Shu point of the Governor vessel, treats Heat skin lesions, an indication it shares in common with both UB. 16 and UB. 17. GV. 11 on the level of UB. 15, the Back Shu point of the Heart, treats primarily Heart Spirit disorders and secondarily Lung disorders. GV. 12, on the level of UB. 13 the Back Shu point of the Lungs, primarily treats Lung disorders and secondarily Heart Shen disorders.
7/ From GV. 15 upwards points on the Governor Vessel treat disorders of the sense organs, especially the eyes and the nose.
8/ Points on the Governor vessel can treat Heart syndromes, especially Heart Bi pain and palpitations. An interior branch of the meridian passes through the Heart, also the Governor vessel, representing the summation of Yang is the Yin Yang-balance to the extreme of Yin manifested in the Shao Yin of the Heart.
9/ Points on the Governor vessel treat the Shen Spirit. The pathways of the Governor vessel also penetrate three Shen related organs – the Heart, the Kidneys and the Brain, clearly pointing to the strong effect of the Governor vessel on mental and emotional balance. The Shen Spirit has two aspects. One aspect is represented as the Shen, the Spirit which abides in the Heart. This is the representation of the Fire of the body refined from Heat to Qi to light. This Shen, the most refined substance of the body, is supported by the overflowing of the Kidney Jing (Water) to fill the Spine and Brain. As it ascends it is transformed from Yin substance to Yang substance. This again represents the transformation of Jing into Qi and Qi into Shen Ming, the Light of the Spirit in the Head, collecting at Ni wan, the central chamber of the Brain. At its upper portion this Shen Ming is the most refined of the Human level Qi, it is the material support for the Shen which resides in the Heart. Because of this yin-yang reciprocity between Heart Fire and Kidney Water in the formation and support of the Shen, points on the Governor vessel are often used to calm the Shen.
GV. 1
Chang Qiang Long Strong
** The Luo point of the Governor vessel
Locally treats problems of the two lower Yin openings –
So treats hemorrhoids, rectal prolapse and difficult defecation by moving Qi and Blood stagnation in the anal region;
GV. 1 treats urinary disorders with dysuria, retention and dark urine;
GV. 1 treats seminal emission from fear.
GV. 1 treats lumbar and sacral pain.
GV. 1 Treats heaviness of the head, shaking of the head, (Luo channel deficiency) stiff spine (Luo channel excess) and Heart pain.
As it is the Luo point it can eliminate obstruction from both the Conception and Governor vessel.
GV. 2
**
Yao Shu Lumbar Shu
Local indications based on its location in the sacro-coccygeal hiatus.
GV. 2 Treats Sacral and Lower back pain, especially chronic sacral Backache and pain that radiates to the Hips and down the legs.
GV. 2 Calms internal Wind to treat seizures and epilepsy.
GV. 2 treats irregular menses.
GV. 2 treats enuresis, especially incontinence due to paraplegia.
GV. 3
***
Yao Yang Guan Lumbar Yang Gate
TREATS PAIN OF BULGING INTERVERTEBRAL DISCS
GV. 3 is an important point for Lumbar and leg pain,
Also for knee pain and inability to walk. It is a distal point for knee and leg pain, as well as for lower back pain radiating to the legs.
GV. 3 primarily treats Back pain and Wei atrophy syndrome from Kidney Yang deficiency.
GV. 3 also treats white vaginal discharge, diarrhea, seminal emission and premature ejaculation and irregular menstruation – all of these from Kidney Yang deficiency and Jing and Blood insufficiency.
It has been said that like the relationship of CV. 3 to CV. 4, GV. 3 is more dispersing, while GV. 4 is more nourishing or building.
GV. 4
*****
Ming Men Gate of Life
STRENGTHENS THE YANG QI OF THE BODY.
On the same level as the Back Shu of the Kidneys.
The most important function of GV. 4 is to strengthen the Yuan Source Qi of the body. Specifically GV. 4 strengthens the Yang Qi of the body or Ming Men Fire. As such GV. 4 can treat general fatigue and weakness, convalescence from illness, low vitality, low sex drive etc. and all of the above especially when accompanied by signs of cold.
GV. 4 is specific for strengthening the Yang to treat such symptoms as impotence and infertility, Lower back pain, early morning diarrhea, uterine bleeding, dysmenorrhea, leucorrhea, seminal emission, copious urination and incontinence, all from Kidney Yang deficiency or diarrhea and abdominal pain from Spleen Yang deficiency.
GV. 4 is an important point for treating the Lumbar spine, spinal rigidity and stiffness, and for treating low back pain from any cause, but especially from Kidney Deficiency.
GV. 4 also treats insufficiency of the Jing with such symptoms as developmental retardation, malformation or incomplete development of the Spine, head shaking, tinnitus and deafness.
GV. 4 Clears Heat especially ‘steaming bone disorder’, malaria and Heat in the five Zang organs.
GV. 4 can pacify Internal Wind in the Governor vessel causing opisthotonos, shaking, splitting headache and fainting.
As the Governor Vessel passes through the anus GV. 4 is indicated for rectal prolapse, hemorrhoids and blood in the stool.
GV. 5
**
Xuan Shu Suspended Pivot
Treats Stiffness and pain of the Lumbar vertebrae.
Treats undigested food in the stool, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Treats running piglet Qi, Shan disorder, rectal prolapse and testicular retraction. As such the indications of GV. 5 stand between the Spleen tonifying indications of GV. 6 and the Kidney tonifying indications of GV. 4 .
GV. 6
**
Ji Zhong Center of the Spine
On the Same level as the Back Shu of the Spleen
Treats such signs of Spleen Qi Deficiency as abdominal pain and fullness, low appetite, abdominal masses, diarrhea, blood in the stool, hemorrhoids and rectal prolapse. It also treats seizures, fever, jaundice and hepatitis.
GV. 7
**
Zhong Shu Central Pivot
On the Same level as the Back Shu of the Gall Bladder
Treats abdominal pain and fullness, lack of appetite, jaundice, stomach ache and cholecystitis.
GV. 7 also treats amenorrhea and spinal stiffness with inability to bend and raise the head.
GV. 8
***
Jin Suo Sinew Contraction
On the Same level as the Back Shu of the Liver
Clears Wind in epilepsy, the abnormal movement, contraction and stiffness of the spine, spasms of the sinews, epilepsy etc.
Treats ‘anger injuring the Liver’ with such symptoms as mania and mad walking and incessant talking.
Treats stomach pain, cholecystitis and hepatitis.
GV. 9
***
Zhi Yang Reaching Yang
On the Same level as the Back Shu of the Diaphragm
Acts on both the middle and upper Jiao. In the middle Jiao treats the Liver and Gall bladder with such symptoms as jaundice, cholecystitis, hepatitis, round worm in the bile duct and malaria.
In the middle Jiao it also treats Spleen Qi and Yang Deficiency with cold in the Stomach, stomach pain, borborygmus, inability to eat, emaciation, heaviness of the four limbs and malaise.
In the upper Jiao GV. 9, being on the same level as the diaphragm Shu, can unbind the chest and treat panting, dyspnea, coughing, and fullness in the chest and lateral costal region.
GV. 9 also treats stiffness of the spine and thoracic back pain, for which it is commonly used.
GV. 10
**
Ling Tai Spirit Tower
GV. 10 On the Same level as the Back Shu of the Governor Vessel.
Similarly to UB. 16, which it is on the same level as, and UB. 17, GV. 10 clears Heat and treats the skin, being used for clove sores and carbuncles (boils), furuncles and lymphangitis.
` GV. 10 is also indicated for Dyspnea, bronchitis and asthma.
GV. 11
***
Shen Dao Spirit Pathway
On the Same level as the Back Shu of the Heart
GV. 11 Treats the Zong ancestral Qi that gathers at the Chest and is responsible for the Flow of respiration and the rhythmicity of the Heart.
When this Qi is deficient there may be Both Lung and Heart Qi deficiency with the following Shen disturbances – fear and fright, absent-minded and trance-like states, memory loss and poor memory, anxiety and sadness, timidity with shortness of breath, lack of Qi and taxation consumption.
GV. 11 can also clear Heat, both heat in the Lungs with cough and dyspnea, Heat in the Liver with malaria and dizziness and Liver Wind with spasms and epilepsy, childhood fright Wind and lockjaw.
GV. 12
**
Shen Zhu Body Pillar
On the Same level as the Back Shu of the Lungs
Clears Heat in the Lungs and Chest and treats, fever, dyspnea and sudden cough, bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma.
UB. 12 can clear Heat from the Heart in Excess Heart Heat patterns with such Shen symptoms as incoherent speech, suicidal urges, mad walking, delirious raving, seeing ghosts, rage and desire to kill people.
UB. 12 is also indicated for Hot Skin lesions such as clove sores and furuncles.
UB. 12 also pacifies Wind and treats loss of voice due to apoplexy, spasms, infantile convulsions and epilepsy.
GV. 13
**
Tao Dao Way of Happiness
main point for malaria – both acute and chronic. GV. 13 has similar Heat and Wind Heat clearing indications to the more important GV. 14 . Treats fever and chills, steaming bone disorder, tidal fevers and fevers with absence of sweating.
GV. 13 is also indicated for unhappiness and disorientation.
GV. 14
****
Da Zhui Great Vertebra
Meeting point of the Six Yang Meridians and the
Governor Vessel
MOST IMPORTANT POINT ON THE MERIDIAN FOR
CLEARING HEAT.
As a meeting point of the Yang channels of the body GV. 14 is preeminent for clearing Heat, Expelling Wind and Firming the Exterior. Accordingly it treats The Tai Yang Portion and the Wei Defensive portion with such symptoms as chills and fever, aversion to Wind, shivering, sore throat, muscle aches and neck stiffness.
GV. 14 can also treat penetration of the pathogen to the Yang Ming and Qi level with higher fever, and to the Shao Yang level with alternating chills and fever characterized by Malaria. Both GV. 13 and 14 are much used for Malaria.
GV. 14 has a Qi tonifying aspect which is reflected in its ability to treat deficiency and exhaustion of the whole body, shortness of breath and not enough energy to speak. It is felt to address the five taxations and the seven injuries.
GV. 14 is specific to stopping sweating. Excessive sweating is caused either by External Wind invasion causing disharmony of the Ying and Wei or by Wei Qi deficiency. GV. 14 addresses both the External Wind invasion and the underlying deficiency.
GV. 14 is often used for painful obstruction syndrome. This syndrome is most typically a combination of Wind Damp invasion and Qi deficiency, both of which can be addressed by GV. 14. It is especially indicated for Bi pain and stiffness of the shoulders and neck, though it can also act systemically on ‘the hundred’ joints of the body.
GV. 14, like many of the GV points can treat Interior Wind to treat epilepsy and Childhood Fright Wind.
GV. 14 is empirically indicated for nosebleed.
GV. 15
**
Ya Men Gate of Muteness
TREATS DEAF-MUTENESS AND APHASIA
GV. 15, Ya Men, means ‘Gate of Muteness’. This points to its primary use, which is to treat aphasia. (It is located directly opposite the root of the tongue). It is indicated for muteness, stiffness of the tongue, loss of voice, flaccid tongue, stuttering.
GV. 15 also treats Head-Wind, Windstroke, epilepsy, etc all from uprising Qi and Heat.
GV. 16
***
Feng Fu Palace of Wind
MOST IMPORTANT POINT FOR ELIMINATING WIND
GV. 16 Feng Fu – ‘Wind Palace’ eliminates both Exterior and Interior Wind, more strongly than any other Governor Vessel point.
The primary focus of this point is the head, neck and the eyes (where it can be used for any kind of headache, neck pain or eye disorder where Wind is a causative factor),.
GV. 16 In treating Exterior Wind invasion is specific for treating chills, shivering and aversion to cold, with or without sweating. It also treats Wind invasion causing aching, migratory pain.
GV. 16 treats ascending Interior Wind causing headache, Head Wind, blurred vision, vertigo, nosebleed, upwardly staring eyes, sudden aphasia, hypertension, hemiplegia etc.
GV. 16, like many points on the back of the head, can treat the lower back and legs, treating acute lower back pain, leg numbness etc.
GV. 16 is where an internal branch of the Governor vessel travels inwardly to the brain, hence GV. 16 has a special range of action on calming the Shen. It is a Ghost point and a Window of Heaven point and is indicated for such conditions as mania, incessant talking, palilalia, mad walking, desire to commit suicide, compulsive and obsessive thinking, fright palpitations (panic disorder), fear and sadness.
GV. 17
**
Nao Hu Brain’s Door
Mainly for internal Wind affecting the brain with seizures, severe vertigo, epilepsy. Also treats insomnia and headache.
treats depressive psychosis (Dr. Voll)
GV. 18
**
Qiang Jian Unyielding Space
Like its neighboring points, GV 18 can pacify Wind and Calm the Shen. It is mainly used to treat local headache and stiff neck. Especially strong stabbing pain in the head.
GV. 19
**
Hou Ding Behind the Crown
Treats seizures, headache, insomnia as above.
Giovanni highlights GV. 19’s strongly calming effect on the mind.
GV. 20
*****
Bai Hui Hundred Meetings
SUBDUES UPRISING YANG AND RAISES UP DEFICIENT YANG. CALMS OR INVIGORATES THE SHEN-SPIRIT.
Being on the highest point on the body, GV. 20 regulates the Yang Qi of the body, either to sink down Excess Yang uprising or to raise up deficient Yang. Accordingly GV. 20 treats too much Qi , Yang or Wind moving upwards giving rise to windstroke, vertigo, lockjaw, tinnitus, headache, headwind, seizures, hypertension and hemiplegia.
GV 20 also raises Yang Qi hypotension, shock, weak Wei Qi, uterine, vaginal and rectal prolapse, organ ptosis, hemorrhoids and Spleen and Kidney Yang Deficiency diarrhea.
GV. 20 treats the Shen (both because the Governor vessel passes through the brain and because an internal branch of the Governor vessel passes through the Heart)to treat oppression of the Heart, Fright palpitations, poor memory, disorientation, mental confusion, sadness, weeping, depression, (it ‘lifts the spirits’), madness and mania (it acts as a safety valve to release the pressure).
GV. 20-GV, 24 can also treat the nose and sinus indications.
GV. 21
*
Qian Ding In Front of the Crown
Treats Head Wind , Internal Wind with such symptoms as dizziness, epilepsy, childhood fright Wind, spasms etc.
Also treats External Wind with swelling and redness on the face, swelling at the vertex, aversion to Wind cold, copious nasal discharge etc.
GV. 22
*
Xin Hui Fontanel Meeting
Benefits he noseTreats all nasal disorders – especially involving blockage, also sinusitis pain, rhinitis, anosmia (loss of sense of smell), nosebleed and nasal polyps. This is the same indication as GV. 23 but it is less used.
Also treats Head Wind, chronic headache, headache due to alcohol consumption, dizziness, childhood fright Wind.
Also indicated for Blue Green complexion, red and swollen face, dandruff, somnolence and palpitations.
GV. 23
***
Shang Xing Upper Star
TREATS THE EYES AND SINUSES
Treats all nasal disorders – especially involving blockage, also sinusitis pain, rhinitis, anosmia (loss of sense of smell), nosebleed and nasal polyps.
GV. 23 also treats eye disorders (the anterior internal branch of the Governor vessel ascends to below the eye), especially with heat and inflammation such as opthalmalgia, conjunctivitis, keratitis etc. and also with deficiency such as in dimness of vision (myopia).
GV. 23 treats swelling of the face, facial edema, frontal headache, trigeminal neuralgia etc.
GV. 24
***
Shen Ting Courtyard of the Spirit
CALMS THE HEART SPIRIT
Has a strongly calming effect on the Shen. It is indicated for treating severe Shen disturbances and essence spirit derangement (this is a severe degree of Shen disturbance) -schizophrenia, severe anxiety, insomnia, palpitations, (it is also noted for treating climbing to high places, undressing, singing and mimicking others’ speech!)
As GV. 24 is a crossing point with the Stomach meridian we also see vomiting, vertigo with vomiting, inflammation of the eyes – lacrimation, , nose – rhinitis, nasal congestion, nosebleed, and mouth – stomatitis. All indications that this point can clear concomitant Stomach Heat.
GV. 25
**
Su Liao white Crevice
Reduces alcoholic intoxication by increasing the volume of alcohol present in the expired air. This is thought to be a redirecting of the Qi from the Liver to the Lung. Can revive consciousness much like GV. 26, to treat shock hypotension and bradycardia (slow heart rate).
GV. 26
****
Ren Zhong Man’s Middle
TREATS ACUTE LOWER BACK PAIN,
REVIVES CONSCIOUSNESS
Stands at the junction of the Yin (Conception vessel) and the Yang (Governor vessel) so is therefore preeminent at treating the separation of Yin and Yang that takes place with loss of consciousness. So it treats any kind of feeling as if one is about to faint, actual fainting, epileptic aura, epilepsy and seizures, suffocation, heat exhaustion or loss of consciousness.
GV. 26 also calms the Shen and is indicated for unexpected and inappropriate laughing or crying. (hysteria), mania and psychosis. (It is a ghost point).
GV. 26 is a crossing point of the Governor vessel with the Large Intestine and Stomach meridians, therefore it strongly affects the nose and mouth to treat mouth awry, lip tremor, gum problems, lockjaw and clenched teeth, facial edema and most nasal symptoms.
GV. 26 is an important point for acute lumbar spasm, especially when the pain is on the spine itself, according to the principle of treating the other end of the meridian.
GV. 27
*
Dui Duan Extremity of the Mouth
Treats Ulceration of the mouth, lip, pain in the gums, dry tongue, nasal congestion, , ceaseless nosebleed , swelling and stiffness of the lips, thirsting and wasting disorder with much drinking- ie local disorders. Also indicated for epilepsy and vomiting of foam.
Also indicated for Manic depression
GV. 28
*
Yin Jiao Gum Intersection
Local indications for gum disease. Nasal indications, Eye indications. Also indicated for seizures, stiffness of the neck, red face with agitation etc.