Lung Zang, Channel and Points Flashcards
Primary channel pathway
Originates in Stomach. Descends to LI. Returns to Stomach. Traverses diaphragm. Penetrates Lung. Ascends to throat. Emerges at LU1. Ascends to LU2 in deltopectoral triangle. Descends along antero-lateral aspect of upper arm to cubital crease at LU5. Descends along antero-lateral aspect of forearm towards styloid process of radius. Follows lateral border of radial artery at LU9. Traverses thenar eminence to terminate at LU11 on radial side of thumbnail.
A branch separates from main channel at LU7 and travels to radial side of tip of index finger, linking to LI channel at LI1.
Lung primary channel connects with following zangfu:
Stomach
Large intestine
Lung
Primary channel meets with other channels at following points
None
Luo connecting channel pathway
Separates from primary at LU7. Follows channel into palm and spreads through thenar eminence. Connects with LI.
Divergent channel pathway
Diverges from primary at the axilla. Connects with Lung and disperses in LI.
Branch ascends from Lung emerging at supraclavicular fossa ascends to throat converges with LI channel.
Sinew channel
Originates at thumb. Binds to thenar eminence. Follows radial artery and flexor aspect of forearm. Binds at center of elbow. Follows antero-lateral aspect of upper arm and enters chest at axilla. Travels laterally across shoulder. Descends into chest. Spreads over diaphragm and converges with floating ribs.
Pathological symptoms of sinew channel
Cramping and pain along course of channel. Accumulation of lumps below right lateral costal region, tension along lateral costal region and spitting of blood, when severe.
Lung LI relationship
Primary channel descends to LI fu
Branch of primary channel connects LU7 to LI1
Luo connects with LI channel
Divergent channel descends to LI fu and connects with LI channel at neck
Five principal functions
Governing qi and controlling respiration
Controlling disseminating and descending
Regulating water passages
Controlling skin and body hair
Opening into the nose (LU channel does not connect directly with nose but Indirectly via LI channel)
LU1 pinyin
Zhongfu
LU1 point categories
Front mu of Lung
Meeting point of LU and SP channels
LU1 location
Lateral aspect of chest
First intercostal space
6 cun lateral to midline
1 cun inferior to LU2
LU1 needling
Transverse oblique
0.5-1 cun
Medially along ICS
LU1 actions
Disseminates and descends Lung qi and alleviates cough and wheezing
Transforms phlegm clears heat and regulates the water passages
Descends stomach qi
LU1 indications
Cough (turbid phlegm; blood and pus), Wheezing, asthma, fullness of chest, chest pain, breathing with raised shoulders, oppression of chest and difficulty breathing, diminished qi with inability to lie down
Heat in chest, aversion to cold, chills and fever, sweating
Throat bi syndrome, nasal congestion, swelling of face
Difficult ingestion, vomiting, GB heat vomiting, retching, abdominal distension
Skin pain, running piglet qi with lumbar pain, goitre, pain of upper back and shoulder
LU1 commentary
Front mu point > acts primarily on Lung zang rather than channel
Clears excess of all kinds from Lung
Indicated when excess Lung patterns are accompanied by Lung channel disorders like nasal obstruction and throat bi syndrome
When exterior pathogenic factors cause acute swelling of face LU1 indicated
Indicated for dual disharmony of Lung and Stomach impairment
Metal controls wood > GB heat
Clear heat from chest: LU1 ST12 UB11 UB12 bilaterally
LU2 pinyin
Yunmen
LU2 location
I’m hollow of deltopectoral triangle
6 cun from midline
LU2 needling
Transverse oblique
0.5-1 cun
** deep perpendicular may cause pneumothorax
LU2 actions
Clears Lung heat
Disseminates and descends lung qi
Dispels agitation and fullness
LU2 indications
Cough, wheezing, asthma, dyspnoea with inability to lie down, shortness of breath, oppressive and agitated sensation in chest, heat in chest, oppression and pain in chest, upsurging of qi to Ht, sudden pain of heart and abdomen
Pain of lateral costal region and back, pain of back and shoulders, pain of shoulder with inability to raise arm, pain of supraclavicular fossa
Choppy pulse which cannot be felt at cun position, throat bi syndrome, goitre, injury by cold giving rise to persistent heat in limbs
LU2 commentary
Important for draining heat from extremities along with
DU2 LI15 UB40
LU1 ++ actions and indications
Drain to aid release of old emotions
Build courage
Somnolence, bronchitis, pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, excessive sweating
Restoring one’s sense of oneself. If metal is stuck one rejects everything of quality offered. Receive praise, take pleasure.
LU2 ++ actions and indications
Disperses mental fogginess. For one who had difficulty seeing or feeling joy, brightness. One who is preoccupied with that which isn’t going well.
LU3 pinyin
Tianfu
LU3 point category
Window of sky
LU3 location
3 cun inferior to axillary fold
At the lateral edge of biceps brachii muscle
Divide line between axillary fold and LU5 at cubital crease into thirds
LU3 needling
Perpendicular
0.5-1 cun
** moxa can cause counterflow and disordered qi
LU3 actions
Clears lung heat and descends lung qi
Cools blood and stops bleeding
Calms the corporeal soul (po)
LU3 indications
Wheezing, dyspnoea, cough, asthma, nosebleed, spitting blood, cough blood, much spittle
Somnolence, insomnia, sadness, weeping, disorientation, and forgetfulness
Goitre, swelling of throat, pain of antero-lateral aspect of upper arm, dizziness, swelling and distension of body, malaria, purple-white wind blotches (pityriasis versicolor), visual dizziness, short-sightedness
LU3 commentary
Indicated for sudden severe thirst, internal rebellion, liver and lung struggle against each other, blood overflows from mouth and nose
Branch of liver channel crosses diaphragm and scatters in Lung. If Liver fire rises and scorches Lung it may injure blood vessels and fluids
Goitre due to stagnation of qi and phlegm in neck, descends the qi of Lung, benefits sensory orifices > eyes
Psycho emotional disorders
LU3 ++ actions and indications
Opens communication between head and body
Indication for psychological disorders due to Lung emotions
Confusion, forgetfulness, disorientation, wailing and ghost talk, lying down with inability to sleep
Brings peace, clarity and stability to one who is in darkness, confused. Severe depression, devil possession. One who won’t talk to anyone but self. Person who had a desire to lie down.
Lu4 pinyin
Xiabai
LU4 location
4 cun inferior to axillary fold
In depression between lateral aspect of biceps brachii muscle and shaft of humerus
LU4 needling
Perpendicular
0.5-1 cun
LU4 actions
Descends Lung qi
Regulates qi and blood in chest
LU4 indications
Cough, dyspnea, asthma, shortness of breath,
Heart pain, palpitations, agitation and fullness, retching
Pain in medial aspect of arm, pityriasis versicolor
LU4 ++ actions and indications
Cardiac pain, shortness of breath
LU5 pinyin
Chize
LU5 point categories
He sea
Water point of metal channel
Sedation
LU5 location
On cubital crease
In depression at radial side of tendon of biceps brachii
LU5 needling
Perpendicular
0.5-1 cun
LU5 actions
Clears heat from lung and descends rebellious qi
Regulates water passages
Activates channel
Relaxes sinews and alleviates pain
LU5 indications
Cough, cough with phlegm, asthma, wheezing, dyspnea, shortness of breath, agitation and fullness of chest
Tidal fever, taxation fever, shivering, malaria, dry mouth and tongue, throat bi syndrome, tendency to sneeze
Spitting, coughing, vomiting blood, nosebleed
Swelling of four limbs, enuresis, frequent urination
Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal distention
Pain of lateral costal region, heart pain, agitation of heart, sobbing with grief, acute and chronic childhood fright wind, epilepsy, clonic spasm
Coldness in shoulder, pain in upper arm and shoulder, inability to raise arm to head, wandering bi syndrome of elbow and upper arm, restricted movement of elbow, elbow pain, difficulty in opening and extending the hand, five types of lumbar pain, crane’s knee swelling and pain
LU5 commentary
Principal action is to clear all forms of heat from Lung and to descend lung qi
Deficiency heat in lung is due to depletion of lung and kidney yin or damage to lung yin by repeated chronic attacks of excess heat
Has important effect on upper limb especially that characterized by pain and restricted motion
Indicated to relax contraction of sinews of whole body
Cross-connected to knee
LU5 ++ actions and indications
Sedation point
Transforms phlegm
Regulates water passages
Yellow, green, brown mucus
LU6 pinyin
Kong zui
LU6 point categories
Xi cleft
LU6 Location
5 cun inferior to LU5
Divide line between LU5 and LU9 at wrist crease in half and find 1 cun superior to this point
LU6 needling
Perpendicular
0.5-1 cun
LU6 actions
Disseminates and descends lung qi
Clears heat and moistens lung
Clear heat and stops bleeding
Moderates acute conditions
LU6 indications
Cough, wheezing, asthma, chest pain, swelling and pain of throat, loss of voice, febrile disease with absence of sweating
Cough, spit, vomit blood and hiccup
Severe pain of elbow and upper arm, inability to raise arm above head, difficulty in flexing and extending fingers, epigastric pain, hemorrhoid, headache, clonic spasm
LU6 commentary
Xi cleft points are where qi and blood gather and plunge more deeply > indicated for acute conditions and pain.
Xi cleft of yin channels additionally treat disorders of blood.
Particularly indicated for exterior attack by wind heat or wind dryness which lodge in skin and obstruct pores > febrile disease w/o sweating. Or penetrate lung zang and channel giving rise to acute cough and wheezing, swelling and pain of throat, loss of voice.
Indicated for bleeding of lung due to wind dryness, wind heat, phlegm heat, liver lung disharmony, or yin deficiency
LU7 pinyin
Lieque
LU7 point categories
Luo connecting
Exit point
Confluent point of Ren channel
Command point of head and neck
Heavenly star point
LU7 location
On radial aspect of forearm
1.5 cun proximal to LI5
In cleft between tendons of brachioradialis and abductor pollicis longus
LU7 needling
Pinch skin
Transverse proximally or distally
0.5-1 cun
** avoid cephalic vein
LU7 actions
Releases exterior and expels wind
Promotes descending function of lung
Pacifies wind and phlegm
Benefits head and nape
Opens and regulates Ren channel
Regulates water passages
Activates channel and alleviates pain
LU7 indications
Chills and fever, nasal congestion and discharge, nasal polyps, flaring of nostrils, throat bi syndrome, cough and with phlegm, wheezing, asthma, dyspnea, diminished qi and shortness of breath, heat of chest and back, shivering and cold of chest and back, sweating, sudden swelling of limbs, thirst, inversion counterflow of limbs
Headache and stiffness of neck and nape, one sided headache, lockjaw, hemiplegia, deviation of mouth and eye, toothache, epilepsy, childhood fright-epilepsy, loss of consciousness, vomiting foamy watery saliva, wind bi syndrome, hypertension
Retention of lochia, dead fetus, postpartum inability to speak, blood in urine, hot and painful urination, difficult urination, pain of penis, genitals, seminal emission
Poor memory, palpitations, propensity to laughter, frequent yawning and stretching, tension of chest and back, fullness of lateral costal region, breast abscess
Weakness and pain of wrist and hand,
Pain of thumb, shoulder, heat in palms, malaria
LU7 commentary
Has ability to clear heaviness and oppression of chest
Closely related to LI channel
Important for wind disorders
Taiyin communicates directly with exterior via respiration
Most exterior acting of lung channel points and principal to release exterior, promote function of lungs in dispersing and descending, and regulating water passages
String wind expelling capabilities
Headaches opens and regulates flow of qi in Ren channel
Treats psychoemotional disorders
Thumb and index finger pain. Needle towards hand and transmit sensation to diseased area
LU8 pinyin
Jingqu
LU8 point categories
Jing river
Horary point > Metal point of metal channel
LU8 location
1 cun proximal to LU9 at wrist crease
Lateral to radial artery
At base of styloid process
LU8 needling
Oblique proximal
Perpendicular
0.3-0.5 cun
** avoid radial artery, no moxa
LU8 actions
Descends lung qi and alleviates cough and wheezing
LU8 indications
Cough, asthma, wheezing, dyspnoea, distention and pain of chest and upper back, sore throat, throat bi syndrome, febrile disease with absence of sweating, febrile disease with breathlessness, heat in palms
Heart pain with vomiting, wrist pain, malaria, excessive yawning, pain in soles of feet
LU8 commentary
Jing river of lung
> indicated for excess cough, dyspnoea, and wheezing with fullness and pain in chest and upper back. Febrile disease with absence of sweating
Infrequently used clinically
LU9 pinyin
Taiyuan
LU9 point categories
Shu stream
Yuan source
Hui meeting of vessels
Earth point of metal channel
Tonification
LU9 location
At wrist crease
Lateral to radial artery
In depression between radial artery and tendon of abductor pollicis longus
LU9 needling
Perpendicular
0.3-0.5 cun
**avoid radial artery
LU9 actions
Tonifies lung and transforms phlegm
Promotes the descending function of lung
Regulates and harmonizes the one hundred vessels
Activates channel and alleviates pain
LU9 indications
Cough and with watery phlegm, asthma, Wheezing, dyspnoea, shortness of breath, excessive yawning, heat in palms, dry throat, oppression and agitation of chest with difficult breathing and inability to lie down
Spitting, coughing, vomiting blood, agitation with heart pain accompanied by choppy pulse, manic raving, pulseless syndrome
Rebellion of stomach qi, belching, superficial visual obstruction, redness and pain of eyes, cold shivering, cold inversion, toothache, head wind, swelling of face
Weakness or pain of wrist, pain of shoulder and back, pain of supraclavicular fossa, pain in inner aspect of arm, breast pain
LU9 commentary
Most important point on Lung channel to tonify lung qi or yin > deficient pattern, tonify mother (earth point of metal channel)
Weak lung qi will not move fluids leading to profuse watery phlegm; if lung yin is deficient, heat condensed fluids producing dry scanty phlegm with dryness in throat
Hui meeting point > harmonizes relationship between qi and blood
Harmonizes stomach, indicated for stomach rebellious qi and stomach channel heat symptoms
LU10 pinyin
Yuji
LU9 ++ actions and indications
Promote longevity using gold needle, emergency point for no pulse, toothache, eye pain
For depths of loneliness > use with care and by request
clarifies and unmasks pulses esp when out of alignment with patient
Removes debris esp after drug abuse
Clears radiation poisoning
LU10 location
On thenar eminence
At midpoint of first metacarpal bone
Between shaft of bone and thenar muscles
LU10 needling
Perpendicular
0.5-1 cun
LU10 actions
Benefits throat
Clears lung heat
Descends rebellious qi
Harmonizes stomach and heart
LU10 indications
Throat bi syndrome, sore throat, dry throat, loss of voice
Cough with absence of sweating, cough leading to hypogastric or sacral pain, cough w hiccup, shortness of breath with heat bi syndrome, chest bi syndrome w inability to catch breath
Deficiency heat, heat in body, aversion to cold, attack of wind and cold after alcohol consumption leading to chills and fever
Cough, spit, vomit blood, blood in urine
Agitation of heart, sadness and fear, anger and mania, sadness and anger with counterflow qi, heart bi syndrome w fear and fright
Yellow tongue coating, breast abscess, toothache, lacrimation, visual dizziness, genital damp itching, impotence with abdominal distention, headache, malaria, tetany (muscle spasms)
Abdominal pain, with inability to eat or drink, sudden turmoil disorder, esophageal construction due to middle Joao deficiency, vomiting, childhood nutritional impairment
Heat and pain of palm and thumb, contraction of the elbow w distention and fullness of arm
LU10 commentary
Ying spring > effective for clearing heat from lung zang and channel
For excess heat with predominance of heat > LU10; for excess heat with predominance of phlegm > LU5 LU1
Extent of sweating indicated severity of heat
Clears heat which transmits to stomach channel giving rise to toothache, lacrimation or breast abscess
Counters dual rebellion of lung and stomach qi manifesting as cough w hiccup
Treats various disorders of stomach fu
LU11 pinyin
Shaoshang
LU11 point categories
Jing well
Sun si Miao ghost point
Wood point of metal channel
LU11 needling
Perpendicular
Oblique
Directed proximally
0.1-0.2 cun
Prick to bleed
LU11 actions
Revives consciousness
Clears heat and benefits the throat
LU11 indications
Loss of consciousness from wind stroke, cold inversion, hot inversion
Sore throat, throat bi syndrome, childhood throat moth, mumps, nosebleed, lotus flower tongue, dry lips w desire to drink, febrile disease w cold shivering
Agitation of heart w cough and dyspnoea, fullness of heart w sweating, fullness below heart, mania, childhood fright wind, malaria, vomiting
Pain and contraction of wrist, thumb pain, heat in palms, bi syndrome of upper arm, pain of front of ear
LU11 commentary
Jing well > revive collapse
Tonsillitis
Important for sore throat of any kind
Used more for extreme conditions due only to excess
Used when grief and anger experienced together (wood in metal)
