Dermatome Alarm Back Shu Acupuncture Points Chart

Shows the dermatome pattern of the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral nerves. A dermatome is an area of skin that is mainly supplied by a single spinal nerve. There are eight cervical nerves (C1 being an exception with no dermatome), twelve thoracic nerves, five lumbar nerves and five sacral nerves. Each of these nerves relays sensation (including pain) from a particular region of skin to the brain. Alarm points are located on the abdomen and chest, they are in close to their related Zang-Fu organ, and may be tender or sensitive if there is disharmony in the underlying organ. Visual examination, obtaining certain reactions when pressing the point or spontaneous sensation at the point are all significant diagnostic information. This is why Mu is also translated as Alarm. There are 12 Back Shu points on the Bladder channel that correspond to each of the 12 Zang-Fu organs. They are each named for an organ or body part and have the same diagnostic relationship with those parts as the Alarm points have with the organs.