"Shen" (神), spirit or mental faculties; "dao" (道), path or passage. Heart houses spirit, and this acupoint is located near heart, adjacent to Xinshu (BL15). It is associated with heart and serves as a pathway for the movement of spirit.

bubble_chart Location

Shendao (GV11) acupoint
(adapted from "Meridians and Acupoints")

On the midline of back, in the depression below the spinous process of 5th thoracic vertebra.

• Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing: "In the space below 5th vertebral joint." It can also be located at the prominence of spinous process.
• Leijing Tuyi: "When selecting acupoints along governor vessel on spine, they should be located at the prominent points of vertebral joints."

bubble_chart Anatomy

• Muscles: thoracolumbar fascia, supraspinous ligament, and interspinous ligament.
• Nerve: medial branch of posterior branch of 5th thoracic nerve; within spinal canal lies spinal cord.
• Vessel: posterior branch of 5th intercostal artery, interspinous subcutaneous venous plexus.

bubble_chart Manipulation

Insert obliquely 0.5~1 cun, but avoid deep insertion. Alternatively, insert at the prominence of the spinous process and direct it downward subcutaneously for 1~2 cun. Moxibustion with moxa cone 3 to 5 times, moxibustion with moxa stick for 15 to 20 minutes.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Tranquilize mind, soothe spirit, benefit qi, clear heat.

• Classical: fever, headache, cough, asthma, forgetfulness, palpitations, wind epilepsy, blurred vision, pulmonary tuberculosis, shoulder pain, abdominal fullness, stiffness and pain in waist and spine.
• Modern: acute skin infections, boils, carbuncles, erysipelas, mastitis, mumps, urticaria, neurodermatitis, lower limb ulcers, pruritus, pulseless disease.

bubble_chart Combinations

• Fever and headache with alternating chills and fever: Shendao (GV11), Guanyuan (CV4).
• Chills and fever: Shendao (GV11), Shaohai (HT3).
• Forgetfulness: Shendao (GV11), Youmen (KI21), Gaohuangshu (BL43), Lieque (LU7).
• Wind epilepsy: Shendao (GV11), Xinshu (BL15).