CV-12 - Middle Duct
中脘 - Zhōng wǎn
Point Region: Upper abdomen
Location & How to Find
Anatomical Location: On the upper abdomen, on the midline, 4 cun above the centre of the navel: midway between the navel and the bottom of the breastbone (the xiphisternal junction).
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:
- Find the bottom of your breastbone, where the lower ribs meet in the middle
- The point is on the midline, halfway between there and the centre of your navel
How to Apply Pressure
With the knees bent to relax the belly, place the fingertips on the midline halfway between the navel and the bottom of the breastbone. Use light, slow pressure as you breathe out, never deep. Do not press this point during pregnancy, and severe or sudden stomach pain needs medical care, not pressure.
Traditional Indications
In TCM, this point is traditionally used for:
- Indigestion
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Acid reflux
- Loss of appetite
- Digestive disorders
Related Health Concerns
Related Acupoints
Select a point to see its location, how to find it, and its traditional uses.
Important Precautions
Avoid this point with:
- Pregnancy
- Acute gastric perforation