Shí Xuān (十宣) — Ten Diffusing Points
On this page
1. Overview
Shí Xuān (十宣) — literally Ten Declarations or Ten Diffusing Points — is an extra (EX) acupuncture point set consisting of ten points, one at the tip of each finger. It is one of the principal emergency points in acupuncture, classically bled in cases of stroke, loss of consciousness and high fever.
I am Dr (TCM) Attilio D’Alberto, a member of the British Acupuncture Council with over 25 years of clinical experience. I use Shi Xuan as part of individually tailored acupuncture prescriptions at my clinic in Wokingham, Berkshire.
2. Location
0.1 cun proximal to the tip of each of the ten fingers (10 points in total).
3. Actions
- Restores consciousness and revives Yang
- Clears Heat and reduces fever
- Calms Wind in the channels
4. Indications
- Loss of consciousness, fainting and collapse
- High fever and febrile convulsions in children
- Heat stroke and sunstroke
- Acute stroke with Wind-stroke pattern
- Acute tonsillitis with intense throat swelling
- Hand numbness and Bi syndrome of the fingers
5. Needling
Prick each point to bleed 1–3 drops with a three-edged needle or lancet. This is the standard technique for emergency revival and Heat-clearing.
6. Clinical notes
Shi Xuan, the 12 Jing-Well points and GV 26 (Renzhong) form the classical emergency-revival toolkit. In modern UK practice these are rarely used in true emergencies (which go to A&E), but I retain Shi Xuan in the toolkit for stubborn high fevers in children where the parent has consulted before reaching for paracetamol, and for selected presentations of peripheral neuropathy with severe finger numbness.
7. Treatment at my clinic
I use Shi Xuan for adjunctive treatment in stroke rehabilitation, post-viral finger numbness and selected paediatric high-fever presentations. Book a consultation in Wokingham, Berkshire.
