What Are the Acupoints Located on Both Sides of the Navel?
The navel, located in the central concave area of the abdomen, is a vital tissue remnant left after the umbilical cord falls off in infants. It belongs to a crucial acupoint called Shenque in the Ren meridian of the traditional Chinese medicine meridian system. Shenque is the only acupoint among the 361 acupoints in the body that is visible to the naked eye. There are two key interpretations of the meaning of Shenque: one is that it is where the spirit resides, i.e., the source of vitality; the other is that it is the gateway for the flow of vital energy, serving as a safe channel for the fetus to obtain nutrients from the mother and maintain its life activities. The innate resources and endowments of the body are closely related to this acupoint, and ancient people referred to it as the "root of the five viscera and six bowels" and the "origin of the primal qi returning to the viscera".
The navel has thin skin and no adipose tissue, with the skin directly connected to the muscular fascia and retroperitoneum, making it vulnerable to invasion by cold pathogens. However, it also favors the regulation of qi and blood, making Shenque a crucial acupoint for health preservation and longevity. Regulating the navel can encourage the flow of qi and blood throughout the body. Shenque is adjacent to organs such as the stomach, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, and intestines. By regulating Shenque, it is possible to treat symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, acute and chronic stomach pain, gastric ptosis, persistent hiccups, functional indigestion, colitis, and rectal prolapse.
The navel is a particularly vulnerable area to cold. Unlike other parts of the abdomen, there is no muscle or adipose tissue beneath the navel, and the blood vessels are abundant. As the final closure point of the abdominal cavity, the skin is thinner and more sensitive, with strong water permeability and fast absorption capacity. Due to its weak natural barrier function and relatively fragile position in the body, it is easy to catch a cold. It is especially important to keep the navel warm during sleep to prevent diarrhea or colds. For young women, especially during menstruation, when the blood vessels are dilated, wearing clothes that expose the navel can easily cause pelvic blood vessels to constrict due to cold exposure, leading to impaired menstrual blood flow. Over time, this can result in symptoms such as menstrual pain, prolonged menstruation, and irregular menstruation.
In addition, exposing the waist and abdomen by wearing clothes that reveal the navel can easily lead to gastrointestinal disorders due to stimulation by hot and cold temperatures, allowing pathogenic bacteria to invade and cause symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Moreover, the skin around the navel is delicate and prone to damage, and the navel itself is susceptible to accumulating dirt, which can lead to infections if not handled properly.
