Acupuncture (Large Intestine Meridian) Flashcards
What is the location of the 5 shu points?
between fingertips and elbow or toe tips and the knee
Both yin and yang meridians have 5 shu points:
well-spring-stream-river-sea
Progressively larger bodies of energy as you move from the tips to the knee or elbow
What are the 5 shu points useful for?
A variety of disorders ranging from unconsciousness to abdominal concerns.
What are the theories of the shu points?
-The superficial location of the points allows them to be attacked by external pathogenic factors
-The location of the points with respect to changing energy from yin to yang or yang to yin depending on the meridian involved.
Lung 1:
Front Mu point of the lung (entry point)
A: clears heat, moves stagnant lung Qi, descends Lung Qi, regulates and tonifies lung Qi
Lung 9:
Yuan-source point, shu stream point, influential point of vessels, earth point
A: tonifies lung Qi, tonifies Lung Yin, tonifies Zhong Qi, moves blood, clears Lung & liver heat
Memorize chart:
Memorize chart:
Well Points:
Located: tips of fingers or corner of nail bed
-Contain the highest energetic ability for change within the body
-Chang from yin to yang or yang to yin
-Eliminate pathogenic pathways
-Severe acute conditions
-Seen as the outward movement of Qi
-Can bleed to clear excess heat
will activate right away, so to be used for an immediate issue
Spring Points:
Located: between fingertips and wrist or ankle
-Powerful dynamic points
-Capable of quick change in the body
-used predominantly to clear heat: Good for external pathogenic heat like wind-heat (severe acute heat is better treated by well points)
-can use moxa here to tonify
-effects of this point happen over a longer period of time
Stream points:
Located: near the wrists/ankles
Yin meridians: source points
-Wei Qi gathers here and can prevent external pathogens from traveling deeper into the meridian
-Some choose not to use these points on Yin channels since the source point uses would be greater than the 5 shu point uses
-Used traditionally for joint, muscle, and tendon pain from dampness
River points:
Located: between the wrist & elbow or ankle and knee
-Qi in these points begins to become much wider and deeper
-Used in treating cough, asthma, & respiratory conditions, especially Yin channels
-Can be treated with Moxa on Yang channels to strengthen weak yang or fire
Sea points:
Located: near the elbow or knee
-Qi flow here is slow and directed inward
-Mainly used for chronic diseases, especially on Yang channels. (Yin channels, the steam points are better since they are also source points)
-Used for stomach issues (rebelling Qi, nausea) especially on Yang channels as they are also Earth points
-Are water points on Yin channels, therefore have a cooling effect when needling. Especially for skin rashes.
-Yang hand channels have sea points on the lower body as well. These are used for organ problems.
Source points Yin meridians:
-Contain original Yuan-source Qi
Actions (Yin meridians):
-Tonify deficiencies
-Balance Yin and Yang
-Reduce Excess
-Regulate emotions
-Carries essence
Source points Yang meridians:
Actions (yang meridians):
-mainly reduce excess conditions
-Some points are used to tonify deficiencies
Use of triple warmer source point is beneficial for tonifying Original Qi since the TW is used as the “conduit” through which the original Qi ascends from between the kidney’s
Memorize chart:
Large Intestine 1; Shangyang (Metal Yang)
Jing-well point, metal point
A: Clears heat (yangming pathogenic heat), benefits throat
Large intestine 4; Hegu (joining valley)
Yuan-source point, command point of the face & mouth, Entry point:
A: releases the exterior, disperses lung Qi, regulates wei Qi, regulates sweating, relieves pain, stimulates labor, regulates the uterus, moves blood in the uterus, benefits the eyes, benefits the ears, benefits the nose, benefits the mouth, tonifies Qi, clears lung heat, subdues liver yang, releases GI down bearing, and calms the mind
C: pregnancy
Large Intestine 5; Yangxi (yang stream)
Jing-river point, fire point
A: releases the exterior, relieves pain, clears heat (yangming pathogenic heat_
C: Cephalic vein and the radial artery
Large Intestine 7; Wenliu (Warm flow)
Xi-cleft point
A: relieves pain, clears heat (yangming pathogenic heat), expels fire-poison
C: Cephalic vein
Large Intestine 10; Shousanli (Arm Three Miles)
A: tonifies Qi, harmonizes the stomach and intestines, dissipates masses, relieves pain
C: Cephalic vein
Large Intestine 11; Quchi (Pool at the bend)
He-sea point, earth point, ghost point
A: clears heat, cools blood, resolves dampness, subdues liver yang, regulates Qi & blood, relieves itching, resolves water dampness, dissipates masses, releases the exterior
N: Radial nerve
Large Intestine 14; Binao (upper arm)
A: Relieves pain, benefits the eyes, resolves phlegm, dissipates masses
N: Radial nerve
Large Intestine 15; Jianyu (Shoulder Bone)
Yang-Qiao Mai Point
A: expels wind-dampness, relieves pain, resolves phlegm, dissipates masses, moves Qi, clears heat
N: axillary nerve
Large Intestine 16; Jugu (Great bone)
Yang-Qiao Mai Point
A: descends lung Qi, relieves coughing, dissipates masses
C: Apex of lung (pneumothorax risk), and suprascapular artery & vein
Large Intestine 17; Tianding (Heavens tripod)
A: benefits the throat, benefits the voice, dissipates masses
C: External jugular vein, & carotid artery (medially)
Large Intestine 18; Futu (support the prominence)
Window of the sky
A: Benefits the throat, benefits the voice, relieves coughing, subdues rebellious Qi, resolves phlegm, dissipates masses, regulates Qi & blood, regulates emotions
C: Common carotid artery & external jugular vein
Large Intestine 20; Yingxiang (welcome fragrance)
A: Expels exterior wind, opens the nose, clears heat
C: Facial artery & vein
