"Tian" (天), sky, refers to head; "zhu" (柱), pillar, refers to nape. The neck muscles rise like pillars, and the acupoint is located beside them, hence the name.

bubble_chart Location

Tianzhu (BL10) acupoint
(quoted from From "Meridians and Acupoints")

• Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing: "Beside neck, at posterior hairline, in the depression lateral to the large tendon";
• Xunjing Kaoxue Bian: "At the midpoint of posterior hairline, 1.5 cun lateral on each side, in the depression lateral to the large tendon, 1.5 cun below Fengchi (GB20). Alternatively: 9 cun lateral to Adam's apple, anterior to Tianyou (TE16) and posterior to Fengfu (GV16)";
• Zhenjiu Jicheng: "Approximately 2 cun posterior to Yuzhen (BL9), 0.7 cun lateral to the midline at Fengfu (GV16), and 0.6 cun lateral to Fengchi ( GB20)".

bubble_chart Anatomy

• Muscles: origin of trapezius muscle, and the deep layer is semispinalis capitis muscle.
• Nerve: Ascending part of the greater occipital nerve trunk.
• Vessels: occipital artery and venous trunk.

bubble_chart Manipulation

Perpendicular insertion 0.5~1 cun. Direct moxibustion is prohibited, moxibustion with moxa sticks for 5 to 15 minutes.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Clear heat, dispel wind, improve vision, unblock orifice.

• Classical: heaviness and pain in head, shoulder and back pain, vertigo, blurred vision with redness and pain in eyes, tearing, bulging eye, pulled nape, stiff neck with aversion to wind, epilepsy, convulsions, cold extremities, febrile diseases without sweating, nasal congestion, swollen throat, fright epilepsy in children, upward rolling of eye, numbness in feet.
• Modern: esophageal spasm, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, retinal hemorrhage.

bubble_chart Combinations

• cold extremities, heavy head with dizziness and fainting: Tianzhu (BL10), Dazhu (BL11).
• Headache: Tianzhu (BL10), Taodao (GV13), Dazhu (BL11), Kongzui (LU6), Houxi (SI3).
• Dizziness, blurred vision, bulging eye: Tianzhu (BL10), Taodao (GV13).
• Blurred vision, Shoulder pain as if it might break: Tianzhu (BL10), Yanglao (SI6).
• Stiff neck with aversion to wind: Tianzhu (BL10), Shugu (BL65).
• Chronic tonsillitis: Tianzhu (BL10), Dazhu (BL11), Yuji (LU10), Yemen (TE2).
• Stiff neck: Tianzhu (BL10), Laozhen points.