Probably, the most requested acupuncture point is the Yintang point located in the middle of the forehead. The yintang is known as an “extra point,” a class of acupoints that are charted or mapped but do not fall on any acupuncture meridian. This acupoint has few uses but it is the most requested point because it calms the spirit (shen). In Chinese medicine, Shen is a term that has no exact word in the English language to equate it. It basically refers to an aspect of a person that is not physical. This aspect can be our spiritual and emotional being and can refer to our thought and consciousness. Shen can actually be calmed by a lot of possible points. These are used in various types of conditions such as insomnia, depression, anxiety and even shock and pain.
Like most acupuncture points, yintang can be prescribed for different types of uses. As with all acupoints, it is extremely effective for resolving local conditions such as frontal headaches. It can also be used for nasal conditions such as sinus pain and nasal discharge and congestion. Most acupuncturists use this point a lot in their practice, more so for sinus infections and allergies, and for stress.
The yintang point’s location corresponds to the third eye. In Buddhism and Hinduism, the third eye is a metaphor associated with enlightenment and the expansion of consciousness. It is where the brow chakra is located. This chakra is the sixth of the seven major energy vortexes in our bodies and is associated with intuition, mental clarity, and inner guidance. In terms of anatomy, this is a very important location, even in western medicine since it is the part of the body where the skull takes in light to stimulate the pineal gland. In the evening, the advance of darkness activates the pineal gland causing it to secrete the melatonin hormone, which makes us sleepy. The pineal gland halts producing this hormone with the coming of the sun and the increasing of light, causing us to wake up.