The throat's great regulator. Shuitu (ST-10) sits on the neck like a gatekeeper at a rushing stream — its specialty is calming anything that rises too forcefully through the throat: cough, wheezing, difficulty swallowing, and the swellings that block the airway.
Name & story
水突 Shuitu means "Water Rushing" or "Rushing Water". Picture a narrow gorge where a stream suddenly surges and gushes upward — the name captures exactly what goes wrong when this point is needed. Qi and fluids that should descend through the throat instead rebel upward, producing coughing fits, breathlessness and difficult swallowing. Shuitu is placed right there, at the side of the throat, to calm that rushing and guide the current back downward.
Point family & character
Shuitu (ST-10) belongs to the Stomach Meridian (ST), which runs a long journey from the face down through the neck, chest and abdomen to the foot. ST-10 sits in the neck section of the channel, between Renying (ST-9) above and Qishe (ST-11) below. It is counted among the Window of Heaven points — a group of neck and head points said to open the "window" between body and mind, and between the trunk and the head.
Five-element dynamics
The Stomach Meridian is the great Yang channel of the Earth element — a channel full of descending, earthward movement. In the throat, this downward direction is everything: food and fluids must go down, and rebellious Qi going upward causes cough, wheezing and choking. Shuitu, sitting at the very point where the channel passes through the neck, anchors that descending movement. It also reflects the Earth element's close relationship with fluids and Phlegm — when the Spleen and Stomach lose their smooth function, Phlegm gathers, and the throat is one of the first places it shows.
Location
Find the large rope-like sternocleidomastoid muscle running diagonally down the side of the neck. ST-10 sits on its front edge, roughly midway between ST-9 (Renying) — at the level of the Adam's apple — and ST-11 (Qishe) at the top of the collarbone.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies on the anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, in the neck. Nearby are the common carotid artery and the internal jugular vein.
Needling
The needle is inserted perpendicularly or with a slight oblique angle, with great care to avoid the carotid artery alongside.
The golden tip
For a tight or sore throat, gentle self-massage along the front edge of the sternocleidomastoid muscle — the large diagonal muscle of the neck — can bring some relief. Use one or two fingertips, moving slowly and lightly. Never press hard on the side of the neck, and avoid pressing directly where you can feel the pulse. Steam inhalation and keeping the throat warm and moist complement this point's action well.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.