Ze Gall Bladder

Yang.

44 points.

Talks to the Liver at Gb40 (Yuan source) and Gb37 (Luo Connecting).

Getting tired of these.  Probably why I'm the least familiar with this particular meridian, it's long, and it's near the end of the book...

Meanwhile, this one gets its energy from Sj23 at the outer corner of the eye, runs to the front of the ear (the ever popular Gb2) and then zigzags over the side of the head on the scalp.  Honestly, if it's on the side of the head, doesn't that already infer that it's on the scalp?  Back in India, it flows down the back and lateral sides of the neck to the sides of the body, down the lateral leg to end on the foot at the lateral base of the 4th nail.

It's deep branch heads down from Gb1 into the deep tissues of the face and neck, enters the chest cavity through the superclavicular fossa.  Everything goes through that point.  Meanwhile, it descends further through the diaphragm to connect with the liver and the gall bladder.  Another branch starting from the gall bladder descends through the abdomen to connect at Gb30.

In clinic, the Gb meridian can treat disorders along the channel, including eye, ear, neck, mental disorders, lactation disorders, gall bladder and liver problems, pain in the gluteal region, low backache, sciatica and paralysis of the lower limbs.  Here's a good picture of the external course of the meridian on the face.  Here's a crappy version of the chart.

Gb1  0.5 cun lateral to the outer canthus of the eye.  Good for eye diseases, facial paralysis, headache and trigeminal neuralgia.

Gb2  Part of the famous points on the external canthus of the ear.  Good for migraine, ear diseases, dizziness and vertigo.

Gb8  1.5 cun above hairline at the apex of the ear.  Good for migraine, ear diseases, dizziness, vertigo.

Gb14, 1.0 cun above the center of the eyebrow.  Used for facial paralysis, frontal headache, frontal sinusitis, night blindness, glaucoma and other eye diseases.

Gb20, Good for occipital headache, common cold, influenza, stiff neck, cervical spondylosis.  This is an ah shi point for these conditions, and for painful menstruation.

Gb21, Special alarm point for gall bladder, good for pain in the shoulder, stiff neck, hyperthyroidism, uterine bleeding.  This is a dangerous point as the lung can come right under this.  Don't puncture deeply.

Gb24, Alarm point Mu-Front for the gall bladder.  On the nipple line in the 7th intercostal space, directly below Liv14 which is in the 6th intercostal space.  Cholecystitis, hepatitis, hiccup, gastritis.  Puncture obliquely, this is a dangerous point.

Gb25, Alarm point for the Kidney.  At the free end of the 12th rib.  Good for nephritis, costal pain, abdominal distension and flatulence.

Gb26, At the level of the umbillicus, on a vertical line drawn from the free end of the 11th rib.  Good for pelvic disorders, costal pain and back pain.

Gb30.  Huantiao.  THE sciatic point.  Also good for prolapse lumbar disc, paralysis of the lower limbs and disorders of the hip joints.

Gb31, at the tip of the finger when the hand is down the side on the leg.  Good for paralysis of the lower limbs.

Gb34, Yanglingquan.  Influential point for muscles and tendons.  Good for hemiplegia, pain or paralysis of the lower limbs, diseases of the gall bladder, muscle and tendon disorders, mental disorders, epilepsy and headaches.

Gb37  Luo connecting point, 5 cun above the tip of the lateral malleolus, on the anterior boarder of the fibula.  Good for eye disorders!

Gb39  Xuanzhong or Juegu.  Influential point for bone marrow.  It's 3 cun above the tip of the lateral malleolus, on the posterior boarder of the fibula.  Good for paralysis of the lower limbs, stiffness of the neck and disorders of the marrow.  The concept of marrow also extends to cerebralspinal fluid.

Gb40  Yuan source point.  Try this picture.  Good for ankle pain and pain in the chest.

Gb41  Good for pain of the foot, breast disorders and ear disorders

Other useful points

Gb21  Special alarm point for gall bladder
Gb24  Alarm point for gall bladder
Gb25  Alarm point for liver
Gb34  Influential point for muscles and tendons
Gb36  Xi Cleft point
Gb37  Luo connecting point
Gb38  Fire point
Gb39  Influential point for marrow
Gb40  Yuan source point
Gb41  Wood point
Gb43  Water point
Gb44  Metal point

There is an extra point Dannang lies on the gall bladder meridian, and is also an alarm point for gall bladder.

Syndromes of the gall bladder

Along the channel, includes, eye disorders, parietal headache, bitter taste, pain along the superficial pathway.

Of the gall bladder organ:  closely related to liver syndromes. 

Syndrome of Damp heat in the gall bladder and liver:  This is usually due to prolonged indulgence in alcohol, rich and excessively spiced foods.  This causes a depression of the functions of both the liver and the gall bladder.  Symptoms are pain in the hypocondrium, jaundice, bitter taste in the mouth, nausea and vomiting.  The tongue coating can be greenish yellow and sticky.

Ew.