(199) KD3 (Great Ravine)

[HB KIM]

Clinical indication of KD3 (Taixi)

1. Name
KD3 (Taixi) is translated as "Greater Stream" or "Great Ravine".  KD3 is a Yuan-source point and has the name of "Great Stream", thus it is very good at tonifying the KD.  KD3 enriches KD Qi, Yin, Yang, and Essence.  According to the Korean Four needle technique, sedate KD3 (needle against the channel flow) because KD3 is the grandmother point of Water.

2. Elderly point
The nickname of KD3 is "ST36 of Elderly patients".  It is a very popular point for elderly patients with KD deficiency.  One does not have to be elderly to receive KD3, you can use it for someone who is at an age where the KD is significantly depleted.

3. KD3 Pulse
The KD3 pulse can be used to determine some brain conditions.  There are 3 transverse lines around KD3:  upper, middle, and lower.  In a normal condition, you can feel a KD3 pulse in the middle line.  If you feel a KD3 pulse on the upper line it is an excess condition, and if the pulse is on the lower line, it is a deficient condition.  In a cerebral hemorrhage case, all of the three pulses can be felt; in a cerebral ischemia case, none of them can be felt.   

If the KD pulse is felt even lower, it is a severe deficiency.  If you can feel the pulse between KD4 and KD5, but cannot feel anything between KD3 and KD4, this means that the KD pulse is disconnected.  It can be a very dangerous case.  Especially if the pulse is superficial and rapid, the patient will die soon.  This is similar to the diagnosis of false shen before dying.

4. Restore Yuan Qi
When the KD3 pulse is very weak or if there is Yuan Qi deficiency, KD3 with SP4, KD2 and PC6 are used together to restore Yuan Qi.  For extreme deficiency, KD3 is a "must use" point.  For general deficiency, KD3 is used with Foor door (RN6, RN12, and bilateral ST25).

5. Heart
For palpitations, PC7 is used together with KD3.  It is also used for cold hands and feet due to heart disease.  The Kidney and Heart have a Water & Fire, Hand & Foot Shao Yin and Essence & Spirit relationship.