A quiet but important point near the crown of the head. Luoque (BL-8) clears the mind, calms the Shen, and helps when the head feels foggy, dizzy or overwhelmed — it sits where the Bladder Meridian reaches close to the brain itself.
Contraindications
As a scalp point, BL-8 is generally safe when needled with correct transverse technique. Simply keep to the shallow transverse depth appropriate for scalp needling and maintain clean technique.
Name & story
The name 络却 Luoque is translated as 'Connecting Return' or 'Network Returning' — and there is a pleasing logic to it. The character 络 (luò) refers to the network vessels, the fine web of connecting channels that spread Qi and Blood (Xue) through the body like capillaries of a river system. The character 却 (què) means to return, to step back, to withdraw. Together they suggest a place where those connecting threads loop back, where something that has gone astray — whether rising Qi, scattered thought, or restless Shen — is quietly gathered and returned to order. On the very top of the head, close to the brain, the name carries a sense of the mind coming back to itself.
Point family & character
BL-8 belongs to the Bladder Meridian (BL), the longest channel in the body, which travels from the inner corner of the eye up over the crown of the head and all the way down the back and legs to the little toe. Luoque sits on the upper arc of that journey, on the scalp, where the channel passes over the brain.
Five-element dynamics
The Bladder Meridian (BL) is the great Yang channel of the Water element, paired with the Kidneys. Water in Chinese medicine governs the brain and marrow — the Kidneys are said to 'fill the brain'. When the Water element is strong and clear, the mind is sharp and calm. When it is disturbed — by rising Yang, by internal Wind, or by Phlegm — the head suffers: dizziness, visual disturbance, ringing in the ears, foggy thinking. BL-8, sitting directly over the brain, works right at that intersection between the Water channel above and the organ it governs below.
Location
BL-8 is found on the top of the head, 1.5 Cun lateral to the midline, and 5.5 Cun above the posterior hairline (or equivalently, 2.5 Cun behind BL-7). It sits on the curve of the skull where the channel arches back from the crown toward the occiput.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies on the scalp, in the galea aponeurotica — the broad fibrous layer that covers the top of the skull.
Needling
The needle is inserted transversely (horizontally along the scalp), as is standard for scalp points. The needle glides just beneath the skin along the galea.
Safe depth
0.3–0.5 Cun, transversely along the scalp.
Moxa, cupping & Tui Na
Gentle scalp massage or acupressure at this point can help ease head tension and promote a sense of mental calm. It can be combined with other scalp points when treating dizziness or visual disturbances.
Functions
Clears the head and calms the Shen; Benefits the eyes and ears; Descends rising Yang and internal Wind; Resolves Phlegm obstructing the head.
Indications
Dizziness and vertigo; visual disturbances, dimness of vision; tinnitus (ringing in the ears); headache, especially at the top or back of the head; nasal congestion or loss of smell; mental agitation, restlessness.
Mind & spirit (Shen)
Because BL-8 sits directly over the brain — and the brain, in Chinese medicine, is governed by the Kidneys and filled by Jing and marrow — this point touches the Shen in a particular way. When rising Yang or Phlegm cloud the upper mind, a person may feel mentally foggy, anxious, or unable to think clearly, as if their thoughts are spinning without settling. Luoque helps the mind 'return' — just as its name suggests — bringing scattered awareness back to quietness and clarity. It is not the grand Shen-calming point that Heart channel points are, but it works subtly and locally, clearing the head so the spirit has a clean, uncluttered space to rest in.
Point combinations
With BL-7 (Tongtian) — its neighbouring point just forward on the channel — for nasal problems and headache at the crown. With local scalp points and GB-20 (Fengchi) for dizziness and vertigo related to Wind or rising Yang.
Clinical spotlight
BL-8 is not among the most famous points in the system, but its location directly over the brain gives it a specific usefulness for head complaints — particularly dizziness, visual disturbance, and tinnitus — that cannot easily be replaced by points elsewhere on the body. Its position on the Bladder Meridian (BL) as it arcs over the skull makes it a natural local point whenever the channel itself is involved in head and scalp symptoms.
The golden tip
If you feel head heaviness, foggy thinking, or mild dizziness, try gently massaging the top-back area of your skull — about two finger-widths either side of the midline, slightly behind the crown. Small circular movements with moderate pressure for a minute or two can help clear the head and ease tension in the scalp. This is a safe area for gentle self-massage.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.