BL-9 - Jade Pillow

玉枕 - Yù zhěn

Point Region: Head

BL

Bladder Meridian

足太阳膀胱经 - Zú Tàiyáng Pángguāng Jīng

Location & How to Find

Anatomical Location: On the back of the head, level with the top edge of the bump at the back of the skull (the external occipital protuberance), 1.3 cun out from the midline, in line with the outer edge of the trapezius muscle. It is level with GV-17.

Distances are in cun, a unit that scales with each person's body. As a guide, the width of your thumb at its joint is 1 cun, and your four fingers held together, measured across the middle joints, are 3 cun.

How to Locate:

  1. Find the top edge of the bump at the back of your skull
  2. Move out to the side to the line of the outer edge of the large neck muscle below
  3. The point is there, a little less than two finger-widths from the midline
BL-9 (Jade Pillow) acupressure point location: On the back of the head, level with the top edge of the bump at the back of the skull (the external occipital protuberance), 1.3 cun out from the midline, in line with the outer edge of the trapezius muscle.

How to Apply Pressure

Using a fingertip, apply gentle, steady pressure on the back of your head at the level of the top edge of the bump at the back of the skull, just out from the midline. Firm but never painful pressure is enough; stop if it hurts. Skip this point over irritated or broken skin.

Traditional Indications

In TCM, this point is traditionally used for:

  • Vertex headache
  • Eye pain
  • Blurred distance vision
  • Nasal congestion
  • Loss of smell
  • Occipital headache

Related Health Concerns

HeadacheAllergies

Select a point to see its location, how to find it, and its traditional uses.