膏肓 穴，无所不治。主羸瘦虚损，梦中失精，上气咳逆，狂惑失志等症。取穴之法，
正坐，曲肘，伸两手，以臂着膝前，令正直，手大指与膝头齐，以物支肘，勿令臂得摇动，
从胛骨上角摸索至胛骨下头，其间当有二肋两开，灸中间，根据胛骨之里，肋间深处是穴，骨
容侧指许，摩筋肉之表，肋骨空处按之，但觉牵引骨节动，须灸胛中各一穴，至六百壮，多
至千壮，当觉气下砻砻然如水状，亦当有所下出，若无停痰宿饮，则无所下也。若病已困，
不能正坐，当令侧卧挽一臂，同前灸之也。求穴大较，以右手从左肩住指头，表所不及者是
也。左手亦然，乃以前法灸之。若不能正坐，但伸两臂亦可，伏衣 上，伸两臂令人挽两胛
，使相离，不尔，胛骨遮穴不可得也，所伏衣 ，当令大小常定，不尔则失其穴。此灸讫后
，令人阳气康盛，当消息以自补养，身体平复，其穴在五柱之上，四柱之下，横去六寸许，
相准望取之。
论曰∶昔秦缓不救晋侯之疾，以在膏之下，肓之上，针药所不及，即此穴也。孙真人笑
，不能求得此穴，所以宿 难遣，若能用心得而灸之，无疾不愈矣。明载于此，学人仔细详
审，根据法取之，无不得其真穴也。一法，医者先自坐，以目平正，却于壁上，以墨作一大圈
，却令患者正坐，常使其目视圈，无得斜视别处，此良法也，令灸人正坐，曲脊伸臂根据法，
医者以指揣后脊骨一节为一寸，自一柱至五柱，逐一以墨点记，令上下端直分明，且人有颈
骨者，亦有无者，当以平肩为一柱是也，以四柱至五柱，用秆心比量两柱上下远近，折为三
分，亦以墨点脊上柱间，取第四柱下二分微多，五柱上一分微少，用笔点定，横过相去六寸
之中，左右以为两穴交下远近之准，大要两柱上下，协议身寸，一寸三分七厘微缩，有无大
段长短不同以参者。《甲乙经》自大杼至尾 骨作二十一柱，量三尺之数，分之若柱节分明
，纵之尺寸不同，穴以柱数为定。若人肥大背浓，骨节难寻，当以平齐十四柱命门穴为准，
上自大杼，下至命门，折为一十四柱，每柱一寸三分，合其穴无不真也。
膏肓穴，能够治疗各种疾病。主要主治身体消瘦、虚损劳伤、梦中遗精、气逆上冲咳嗽、神志狂乱恍惚等症状。
取穴的方法：让患者正坐，弯曲手肘，伸直双手，将手臂靠在膝盖前方，使手臂保持正直，大拇指与膝盖头齐平，用物体支撑住肘部，防止手臂晃动。从肩胛骨的上角摸索至肩胛骨的下端，其间应当有两根肋骨分开，在中间位置施灸。穴位位于肩胛骨内侧、肋骨间的深处。手指侧放可容纳于骨骼缝隙中，在筋肉表面摩按，按压肋骨空隙处，如果感觉到牵引感并带动骨节移动，这就是穴位所在。每侧肩胛中部各灸一穴，灸量达到六百壮，多则可达千壮。此时应当感觉到热气向下流动，如同水流一般，也可能有痰湿等病邪排出；如果没有停积的痰饮宿疾，就不会有东西排出来。
如果病情严重，患者无法正坐，可以让其侧卧，挽起一只手臂，按照前面的方法施灸。
大致的取穴方法是：用右手从左肩开始，用手指比量，指头所及不到的地方就是穴位所在。左手亦然（用左手从右肩比量），然后按照前面的方法施灸。如果不能正坐，只需伸直双臂也可以。趴在衣服上，伸直双臂，让人帮忙拉开两肩胛骨，使其分离，否则肩胛骨会遮盖穴位，无法找到。所趴的衣服厚度，应当保持大小固定不变，否则就会失去准确的穴位。
此灸法完成后，能使人的阳气恢复旺盛，应当根据身体状况自我调养补益，身体即可平复痊愈。该穴位位于第五胸椎棘突之上，第四胸椎棘突之下，横向距离后正中线约六寸处，参照这些标准来取穴。
论述说：从前秦缓（医缓）没能治好晋侯的病，因为病灶在“膏”之下、“肓”之上，针药都难以到达，指的就是这个穴位。孙真人（孙思邈）对此感到遗憾，说自己当年没能求得此穴的正确取法，所以旧疾难除。如果能用心领会并施灸此穴，没有治不好的疾病。这里明确记载于此，学习的人仔细详细审察，按照方法取穴，没有找不准真穴的。
另一种方法：医生先自己坐下，眼睛平视端正，然后在墙上画一个大圆圈，让患者正坐，始终让其目光注视圆圈，不得斜视别处，这是很好的方法。让施灸者正坐，弯曲脊柱，伸直手臂，按照上述方法操作。医生用手指触摸后背脊柱，以一节为一寸的标准，从第一胸椎到第五胸椎，逐一用墨点标记，使上下端正分明。而且有的人有颈骨（第七颈椎棘突明显），有的人没有，应当以肩膀平齐处作为第一胸椎的标志。用竹秆的心部比量第四和第五胸椎之间上下的远近，将其分为三份，也在脊背上的椎间用墨点标记。取第四胸椎棘突下二分稍多一点，第五胸椎棘突上一分稍少一点的位置，用笔点定。横向经过相距六寸的中间位置，左右以此作为两个穴位上下远近的标准。大致要领是：两椎棘突之间的上下距离，要协议身体的同身寸，一寸三分七厘稍微短缩一些，因为每个人的长短差异很大，需要参考参合。《甲乙经》记载自大杼穴到尾骶骨共有二十一节椎骨，测量长度为三尺之数，如果椎节分明，虽然纵向尺寸不同，但穴位以椎节数为定准。如果人肥胖背部厚实，骨节难以寻找，应当以平齐第十四椎（命门穴）为准，上方自大杼穴，下方至命门穴，折为十四节椎骨，每节一寸三分，这样配合取穴，无不准确。
Gao Huang (GB43, though traditionally located on the Bladder channel but distinct in this context as a specific therapeutic point often associated with BL43 or extra points near the scapula) acupoint can treat all diseases. It primarily manages emaciation and deficiency exhaustion, nocturnal seminal emission, rebellious Qi with coughing and wheezing, mania, confusion, and loss of willpower.
The method for locating the acupoint: The patient sits upright, bends the elbows, extends both hands, and places the arms against the front of the knees, keeping them straight. The thumbs should be level with the knee caps. Support the elbows with an object to prevent arm movement. From the upper angle of the scapula, feel down to the lower end of the scapula. Between these points, two ribs should diverge. Moxibustion is applied in the middle. The acupoint is located deep within the intercostal space, inside the scapula. A finger's width fits into the bony gap. Rubbing the surface of the muscles and pressing the empty spaces between the ribs, if a pulling sensation is felt that moves the bone joints, this indicates the acupoint. Apply one moxa cone on each side of the middle of the scapula. The dosage should reach 600 cones, up to 1,000 cones. At this point, one should feel Qi descending like flowing water, and there may be discharge of pathogenic factors; if there are no retained phlegm or fluid retention, nothing will be discharged.
If the disease is severe and the patient cannot sit upright, have them lie on their side, pull up one arm, and apply moxibustion according to the previous method.
A general method for locating the point: Use the right hand to measure from the left shoulder; the area beyond the reach of the thumb is the location. Do the same with the left hand from the right shoulder, then apply moxibustion as described above. If sitting upright is not possible, simply extending both arms while lying prone on clothing is acceptable. Have someone help separate the two scapulae by pulling them apart; otherwise, the scapulae will cover the acupoints, making them inaccessible. The thickness of the clothing used for lying prone must remain constant; otherwise, the accurate location will be lost.
After completing this moxibustion, the body's Yang Qi will become robust. One should adjust and nourish oneself according to physical condition until recovery. The acupoint is located above the spinous process of the fifth thoracic vertebra and below that of the fourth, approximately 6 cun lateral to the posterior midline. These standards should be used for reference.
Discussion: In ancient times, Bian Que (Qin Huan) could not cure the Marquis of Jin because his illness was located "below the Gao (fat/heart) and above the Huang (diaphragm/intestines)," where needles and herbs could not reach. This refers to this very acupoint. Sun Simiao (Sun Zhenren) laughed at himself for failing to locate this acupoint correctly in his youth, which made his chronic ailments difficult to dispel. If one can understand it through careful study and apply moxibustion here, no disease will remain uncured. This is clearly recorded here. Students should examine it carefully and follow the method to locate the true acupoint without fail.
Another method: The doctor sits first, eyes level and straight, and draws a large circle on the wall. The patient sits upright, looking steadily at the circle, avoiding any oblique gaze. This is an excellent method. The person receiving moxibustion sits upright, bending the spine and extending the arms according to the method. The doctor palpates the posterior spinal column, taking one vertebral segment as one Cun. Mark the areas from the first to the fifth thoracic vertebrae with ink, ensuring they are straight and clear. Note that some people have a prominent cervical vertebra (C7), while others do not; use the level of the shoulders as the reference for the first thoracic vertebra. Use a reed core to measure the distance between the fourth and fifth thoracic vertebrae vertically, divide it into three parts, and mark the spine accordingly. Mark the point slightly more than 2 fen below the fourth spinous process and slightly less than 1 fen above the fifth spinous process. Horizontally, find the midpoint between the 6 cun lateral marks on the left and right sides. The key principle is to coordinate with the patient's proportional Cun measurement. One Cun 3 Fen 7 Li is slightly shortened to account for variations in body length. The *Jia Yi Jing* states there are 21 vertebral segments from Dazhu (BL11) to the coccyx, measuring 3 Chi in total. If the segments are distinct, although vertical dimensions vary, the acupoints are determined by the vertebral count. For obese individuals with thick backs where bones are hard to palpate, use the 14th vertebra (Mingmen, GV4) as the standard. From Dazhu (BL11) above to Mingmen (GV4) below, count 14 segments. Each segment is 1 Cun 3 Fen. Following this ensures accurate acupoint location.