PC6 (Neiguan, “Inner Pass”) is the Luo-Connecting point of the Pericardium channel point of the Pericardium Channel Meridian. It is located on the anterior aspect of the forearm, two cun proximal to the transverse wrist crease, in the depression between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis. It calms the Heart and Spirit, regulates Qi and alleviates pain, harmonizes the Stomach and alleviates nausea, opens the chest and resolves fullness, clears heat.
On the anterior aspect of the forearm, two cun proximal to the transverse wrist crease, in the depression between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis.
Perpendicular insertion 0.5 to 1.0 cun. Oblique proximal insertion up to 1.5 cun for chest or heart issues. Care should be taken to avoid the median nerve which lies directly deep to the point.
Calms the Heart and Spirit, regulates Qi and alleviates pain, harmonizes the Stomach and alleviates nausea, opens the chest and resolves fullness, clears heat.
Heart pain, sudden heart pain, heart pain with fullness, heart pain as if suspended, heart pain as if stabbed by a knife, vexation of the heart, heart vexation and inability to move, heart vexation with a sensation of hunger, chest and flank fullness, chest fullness, pain that rushes up to the heart, palpitations, mental restlessness, loss of will, fright and fear, sadness and crying, fright and terror, mania, raving speech, wind-heat in the hands, stomach pain, vomiting, retching, dry retching, nausea, hiccups, abdominal pain, fullness in the middle, food not descending, arm and elbow contracture, inability to extend the arm, eye redness, eye pain with fullness, jaundice, malarial disorders, postpartum blood issues, menstrual irregularities, blood clots.
Neiguan is the Luo-connecting point of the Pericardium and the confluent point of the Yin Wei Mai, giving it a profound ability to treat disorders of the Heart, chest, and stomach. Its classical indications strongly emphasize its role in calming the spirit, alleviating all types of heart pain, and quelling nausea and vomiting. Its connection to the Shaoyang channel via its Luo function also explains its use for issues like malarial disorders and flank pain.
Classical text; the translation was prepared with AI and is not clinical advice.
《針灸甲乙經》 Zhēnjiǔ Jiǎyǐ Jīng — Systematic Classic of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, c. 256–282 · 卷02 · Source: Wikisource ↗
手心主之別，名曰內關，去腕二寸，出於兩筋之間，循經以上，系於心包絡，心系實則心痛，虛則為煩心，取之兩筋間The text records that PC6 is the divergent (luo) branch of the hand Xinzhu, 2 cun from the wrist between two tendons, connecting to the pericardium; when the heart system is excess there is heart pain, when deficient a vexed heart, and the point between the two tendons is taken.
《針方六集》 Zhēnfāng Liùjí — Six Collections on Needling, Wu Kun, 1618 · 卷之一·神照集 · 心主手厥陰心包絡經圖穴十六 · 手厥陰心包絡脈所發九穴（左右共一十八穴，一名手心主脈） · Source: jicheng.tw ↗
內關二穴，在掌後橫紋上二寸，兩筋間陷中。 手心主絡，別走少陽者，握拳取之。 《針經》刺入二分，灸五壯According to this text, PC6 (two points) lies in the depression between two tendons 2 cun above the wrist crease behind the palm, is the luo of the hand Xinzhu branching to Shaoyang, and is found with a clenched fist; the Zhenjing gives 2 fen needling and 5 moxa cones.
《醫學入門》 Yīxué Rùmén — Introduction to Medicine, Li Chan, 1575 · 治病奇穴 · Source: Wikisource ↗
如弱瘦兼火，虽灸亦只宜灸内关、三里，以散其痰火The text records that for a weak, thin person with fire, if moxibustion is used at all, it should only be at PC6 and Sanli, in order to disperse the phlegm-fire.
PC6 is one of 9 points on the Pericardium Channel Meridian. Nearby points:
PC6 (Neiguan) is located on the anterior aspect of the forearm, two cun proximal to the transverse wrist crease, in the depression between the tendons of palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis.
PC6 calms the Heart and Spirit, regulates Qi and alleviates pain, harmonizes the Stomach and alleviates nausea, opens the chest and resolves fullness, clears heat. Common clinical indications include heart pain, sudden heart pain, heart pain with fullness, heart pain as if suspended, heart pain as if stabbed by a knife, vexation of the heart, heart vexation and inability to move, heart vexation with a sensation of hunger, chest and flank fullness, chest fullness, pain that rushes up to the heart, palpitations, mental restlessness, loss of will, fright and fear, sadness and crying, fright and terror, mania, raving speech, wind-heat in the hands, stomach pain, vomiting, retching, dry retching, nausea, hiccups, abdominal pain, fullness in the middle, food not descending, arm and elbow contracture, inability to extend the arm, eye redness, eye pain with fullness, jaundice, malarial disorders, postpartum blood issues, menstrual irregularities, blood clots.
Perpendicular insertion 0.5 to 1.0 cun. Oblique proximal insertion up to 1.5 cun for chest or heart issues. Care should be taken to avoid the median nerve which lies directly deep to the point. Caution: The Jia Yi Jing states, '刺內關者，伸不能屈' (刺内关者，伸不能屈), which means needling Neiguan can cause an inability to flex the arm. The Huangdi Neijing and Jia Yi Jing describe a severe prognostic sign called 'Neiguan' or 'Yiyin' where the Cunkou pulse is four times larger than the Renying pulse, indicating a fatal condition where yin is obstructed internally.
PC6 is a point on the Pericardium Channel Meridian (Xīnbāo Jīng).