Life-Saving Acupressure Point You Need to Know

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04-24-04 GV 26

Acupuncture is the oldest medical system on earth. It is still used today because it works. Stimulating an acupuncture point triggers nerves to send signals to the brain. In response, the brain releases bioactive substances, such as endorphins, into the system affecting the whole body. The body’s response to acupuncture depends on which point(s) are activated.

The best way to stimulate an acupuncture point is with an acupuncture needle. However, for anyone who doesn’t have one of these tools handy, a fingertip will do. In the case of the pint I’m about to discuss, I would suggest stimulating it with your fingernail.

Governing Vessel 26 (GV 26) is located where the “leather” of the nose meets the fur of the upper lip, right where that interface crosses the center groove in the nose and lip. This point is used for resuscitation. With the use of this point, I have made believers out of every skeptical vet I’ve ever worked with. I have seen the strong stimulation of this point bring apparently dead pets back to life.

GV 26 is used for such things as shock, respiratory arrest, and cardiac arrest. When I use a needle to stimulate this point, I drive the tip down to the bone and vigorously tap the bone. (You would obviously never use this technique on a conscious pet). If I did not have a needle to use, I would jab a fingernail into the point and vibrate it hard and fast.

Studies have shown that stimulating GV 26 stabilizes brain chemistry and stimulates the heart and respiratory centers. It can be used any time a pet loses consciousness such as when a pet has suffered physical trauma. It can even help puppies or kittens if they stop breathing during the birthing process. This point is even being taught to veterinarians and technicians taking conventional ER medicine courses.

If your pet were to get hit by a car or pass out from some other cause, the first thing to do is call the ER vet and get on your way. While en route, someone should stimulate GV 26 with everything they’ve got. This technique may just be enough to keep your pet alive until you reach professional help.

Have you ever used acupressure on your pet?

5 replies
  1. Andrew Bradford
    Andrew Bradford says:

    Dr. Doug I am the tech supervisor for a busy practice and I have used this in the past and want to share it with my doctors. I am however having a hard time find more literature, any links to article that are more in depth for veterinary professionals. Thanks

    Reply
    • Dr. Doug
      Dr. Doug says:

      Here’s a portion of the notes I share when I lecture about acupuncture. Hope it helps.

      GV 26 ren zhong/middle of man
      Located at the intersection of the planum of the nose and the philtrum of the upper lip
      Re-establishes Yin-Yang harmony

      GV 26 Neurology
      Sympathetic fibers from the cervical sympathetic ganglia
      Sensation from Trigeminal nerve branches
      Sensory-sympathetic and sensory-parasympathetic fiber combinations occur in blood vessels of the face31

      GV 26 Physiology
      Activates the sympathetic nervous system
      Elevates catecholamine levels
      Increases cardiac output and stroke volume
      Can increase cerebral blood flow32

      Used for Shock, resuscitation, collapse, sunstroke, seizures, coma
      Periosteal stimulation/hen pecking

      2 hertz E stim to sympathetic fibers of the nose > strong vasoconstriction of nasal mucosal blood vessels > sympathetic activation33
      E stim on GV 26 post-surgically blunted expected elevations in sympathetic tone during the early postoperative anesthetic emergence period > promotes hemodynamic stability by attenuating plasma catecholamine fluctuations.34
      Numerous papers document the sympathomimetic effects of GV 26 35-40
      “Sham acupuncture” > no significant cardiovascular effect41

      31. Ruocco I, Cuello AC, Parent A, and Ribeiro-Da-Silva A. Skin blood vessels are simultaneously innervated by sensory, sympathetic, and parasympathetic fibers. The Journal of Comparative Neurology. 2002; 448:323-336.
      32. Gurelik M, Karadag O, Polat S, Ozum U, Aslan A, Gurelik B, Goksel HM. The effects of the electrical stimulation of the nasal mucosa on cortical cerebral blood flow in rabbits. Neuroscience Letters. 2004; 365:210-213.
      33. Franke FE. Sympathetic control of the dog’s nasal blood vessels. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. 1966;123(2):544-547.
      34. Tseng C-C, Chang C-L, Lee J-C, Chen T-Y, and Cheng J-T. Attenuation of the catecholamine responses by electroacupuncture on Jen-Chung point during postoperative recovery period in humans. Neuroscience Letters. 1997;228:187-190.
      35. Lee DC, Lee MO, and Clifford DH. Cardiovascular effects of acupuncture in anesthetized dogs. Am J Chin Med. 1974;2:271.
      36. Lee DC, Lee MO, and Clifford DH. Cardiovascular effects of moxibustion at Jen Chung (Go-26) during halothane anesthesia in dogs. Am J Chin Med. 1975;3:245-261.
      37. Lee DC, Yoon DS, Lee MO, and Clifford DH. Some effects of acupuncture at Jen Chung (Go-26) on cardiovascular dynamics in dogs. Can J Comp Med.. 1977; 41:446.
      38. Lee DC, Lee MO, Clifford DH, and Morris LE. The autonomic effects of acupuncture and analgesic drugs on the cardiovascular system. Am J Acupuncture. 1982;10(1):5-30.
      39. Davies A, Janse J, and Reynolds GW. Acupuncture in the relief of respiratory arrest. New Zealand Veterinary Journal. 1984;32:109-110.
      40. Chang C-L, Lee JC, Tseng C-C, Chang Y-H, and Cheng J-T. Decrease of anesthetics activity by electroacupuncture on Jen-Chung point in rabbits. Neuroscience Letters.
      41. Lee DC, Yoon DS, Lee MO, and Clifford DH. Some effects of acupuncture at Jen Chung (Go-26) on cardiovascular dynamics in dogs. Can J Comp Med.. 1977; 41:446-454.

      Reply
  2. CM Taylor
    CM Taylor says:

    I successfully used GV26 on my cat towards the end of one of his seizures. He’d already been seizing for 1-2 minutes, but he snapped right out of it, like nothing had happened, instead of needing to re-orient for an hour afterwards.

    I tried earlier on in a subsequent seizure, while in the clonic phase, with less success. Though it might have shortened his episode, it didn’t bring him out of it completely. Could be because I didn’t get a good grip on it, so maybe the trick is to apply during the tonic phase.

    I was wondering, though, can this point be used prophylactically, say, by massaging that point routinely, to prevent the seizures altogether?

    Reply
  3. Martha
    Martha says:

    This is great information. My new Chinese acupuncture doc used it on me today ( along w other points for a heart related symptom ( afib) and also energetic collapse and I do believe it helped and wanted to read up on it
    Thank you very much.

    Good lifesaving point for humans and animals.

    Reply

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