Course: Point Location I Date: Nov 2, 2007

Class #: 6

Large Intestine Points

LI channel – hand yang ming orig at index finger.

Be aware:
 Channel crosses the midpoint of the body and ends on the opposite side of where it started.
 LI 4 is the Command Point of the face and mouth
o Because the channel crosses over the midline of the body:
 Use right LI 4 to treat problems on the left side of the face
 Use left LI 4 to treat problems on the right side of the face
 Like the others, this is a bilateral channel.
 20 points, starting at lateral side of hand, index finger, going up to nasolabial groove next to
the wing of the nose.

LI 1

Category:
Jing Well point of LI channel
Metal point of LI channel

Locating:
On lateral edge of the corner of the index fingernails.

Needling:
Needle perpendicular or oblique directed proximally 0.1 to 0.2 cun.
-or-
Prick to bleed.

LI 2

Category:
Ying Spring of Large Intestine
Water Point of Large Intestine

Locating:
Have patient make a loose fist. Find the depression just before the flare at the proximal head of
proximal phalanges II. The point is located on the border where the skin changes color/texture.

Needling:
Oblique proximal or distal insertion 0.2-0.3 cun
Perpendicular-oblique insertion towards the palm, 0.5 cun

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Point Locations I – Class 6 – Large Intestine Channel
Cat Notes
Indication:
Sore throat primarily, also local problems.

LI 3

Category:
Shu stream point of Large Intestine
Wood point of Large Intestine

Locating:
Have patient make a loose fist. Find the depression just before the flare at the distal head of the
2nd metacarpal bone. Like LI 2, the point is located on the border where the “red and white skin
meet” or where the skin changes texture if patient is a uniform shade of white like me.

Needling:
Perpendicular insertion 0.5-0.8 cun (per Dr. Shen – Deadman says otherwise.)

Indications:
Painful throat and local problems.

LI 4
Commonly used point for many applications. LI 4 is one of the 4 gates points along with LIV 3 on the
foot.

Category:
Yuan source point of Large Intestine
Command point for the face and mouth
(also, Ma Dan-yang Heavenly Star point)

Locating:
Deadman’s location note is not very accurate. Shen says this:

Most accurate:
1. find the middle point of the 2nd metacarpal bone
2. find the mid distance between the 2nd metacarpal and the 1st metacarpal (pre-thumb).
3. go in toward the 2nd metacarpal bone a bit.

Convenient but less accurate:

1. stretch your thumb and forefinger out in an L shape to create a tight edge in the webbing
between the two.
2. place the mid line of the bend of your opposite thumb on the tight edge from step 1.
3. bend the thumb here to that the tip touches between the 1st and 2nd metacarpals.

Needling:
Needle perpendicular 0.5-1.0 cun.
(Zheng Zeng says angle obliquely toward the 2nd metacarpal for greater Qi sensation)

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Point Locations I – Class 6 – Large Intestine Channel
Cat Notes
Indications:
Many and varied.
Regulates Wei Qi
Expels wind, releases interior
Induces labor in preggers
Restores yang

Caution:
Don’t use this for pregnant patients unless you’re trying to induce labor…and even then, ZZ says
most acupuncture malpractice insurance doesn’t cover this!

LI 5

Category:
Jing river point of Large Intestine Channel
Fire point point of Large Intestine Channel

Locating:
In the “anatomical snuffbox”. To find this, have patient stretch hand outward and cock thumb
back. Find the hollow created between the extensor pollicus longus tendon and the brevis (below
the 1st metacarpal leading to the thumb on the radial edge of the wrist). This hollow is the
anatomical snuffbox.

The point is located in this hollow even with the transverse crease at the wrist.

The most common mistake students make is to needle this point too far proximally.

Needling:
Perpendicular insertion, 0.5 to 0.8 cun in depth.
NOTE: avoid the cephalic vein! You can see it on most patients, but may have to palpate to find
it. Hold the vein down with the tip of your index finger and needle next to your fingernail.

Indications:
Often used for help with quitting smoking, for sore throat, and redness/pain/swelling in the eyes.
Deadman lists a whole bunch of other uses for this as well. . . but then he always does!

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Point Locations I – Class 6 – Large Intestine Channel
Cat Notes
 For LI 6-10, find LI 11 first!
These points are located in a line between LI 5 and LI 11.

LI 6
Locate LI 5 and LI 11 – this point lies on a line between those two.

Category:
Luo connecting point of the Large Intestine Channel

Locating:
The distance between transverse wrist and cubital creases is 12 cun. LI 6 is 3 cun proximal to LI
5, or expressed another way, is at the distal ¼ mark of the distance between LI 5 and LI 11.
However, for the most accurate locating method, do not use the approximate 3 cun measure of
the width of the hand. Instead, use proportional measuring to find the point. Here’s how:

1. Find LI 5 and LI 11.

2. Use a measure (tape, string, paper, edge of sheet, etc) to mark the distance
3. Divide the distance in ½ to find midpoint.
4. Mark the midpoint and divide the distal ½ into half again. This is LI 6. crease.

Needling:
Perpendicular needling 0.5-0.8 cun.

Indications:
Since this is the luo connecting point for LI/LU, can use this for both Lung and Large Intestine
problems, i.e., pneumonia and later constipation.

LI 7

Category:
Xi-cleft of the Large Intestine Channel

Locating:
Find LI 5 and LI 11. This point is located on the line between the two. For accurate
measurement, combine the proporational and thumb/1cun measure to find this point.

LI 7 is located 5 cun proximal from LI 5 and 7 cun distal from LI 11. Use a proportional measure
to find the ½ way point between LI 5 and LI 11. Mark the ½ way point and measure 1 cun distal
from this location. This is LI 7.

Needling:
Perpendicular 0.5 – 1 cun.

Indications:
Since this is a Xi-cleft point on a yang channel, can be used for acute conditions and pain. Best
indication per Shen is for abdominal and intestinal cramping.
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Point Locations I – Class 6 – Large Intestine Channel
Cat Notes
Note: LI 8-10 often mistaken on the practicals. These are all 1 cun apart! Be sure to measure from the
center point of the dots you use for class, not from the edges!

LI 8

Category:
Nuttin’ special

Locating:
Find LI 5 and LI 11. This point is located on the line between the two. For accurate
measurement, use proportional measuring.

This point is located 4 cun distal from LI 11 and 8 cun proximal from LI 5. Since that is 1/3, you
can use a proportional measuring tool (string, tape measure, edge of the sheet, etc.) and divide it
into 3rds. Alternately, you could use the ¼ measure you created for LI 6, measure down from LI
11, then add 1 cun measure.

(You’ll use that ¼ measure from LI 6 again when you get to LI 9, by the way)

Needling:
Perpendicular or oblique 0.5-1.0cun

LI 9

Category:
No special categories for this point either.

Locating:
Find LI 5 and LI 11. This point is located on the line between the two. For accurate
measurement, use proportional measuring.

Measure proportionally from LI5 to LI 11. Divide this distance in ½. Divide the proximal section
of this into ½ again so you are at the ¼ mark distal from LI 11. this is where LI 9 is located.

Hint: If you still have the ¼ measurement handy from LI 6, just measure down from LI 11.

Needling:
Perpendicular or oblique 0.5-1cun

No special indications—harmonizes large intestine (per deadman) and treats local problems (as
usual).

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Point Locations I – Class 6 – Large Intestine Channel
Cat Notes
LI 10

Locating:
Find LI 5 and LI 11. This point is located on the line between the two. For accurate
measurement, use proportional measuring combined with 1cun/thumb measure.

This point is 2 cun distal from LI 11 and 1 cun proximal from LI 9 (or 2 cun proximal from LI
8). Personally, I’d recommend using that ¼ measure you used for LI 6 and LI 9. Find LI 9,
measure up by 1 cun measure.

Needling:
Perpendicular or oblique 0.5-1cun.

Indications:
Treats low immunity—there’s a theory about this being the mirror (or arm equivalent) of ST 36
which tonifies the Spleen to remedy Spleen qi, middle jiao and general deficiencies.
Also used for general weakness and both acute and chronic shoulder pain in the joint. Can be
used to treat lumbar pain, too, but only the acute kind—not chronic conditions.

LI 11

Category:
He Sea point of the Large Intestine Channel
Earth point of the Large Intestine Channel
Ghost point (Sun Simiao)
Ma Dan-yang Heavenly Star point of the Large Intestine Channel

Locating:
Have the patient flex their elbow to find the cubital crease more easily.

If they cannot flex (and often they cannot because they come in for elbow pain):
Between LU 5 and lateral epicondyle of the humerus. At the lateral end of the cubital crease,
radial to the tendon of the biceps brachii.

Needling:
Perpendicular, 1-1.5 cun depth

Notes.
Clear heat: temperature, heat in MJ, general heat.

LI 12
Harder to find.

Locating:
Locate by landmarks, not by cun measurements.

Palpate lateral epicondyle of humerus – find the humeral shaft, run finger downward until you
feel the curve begin on the epicondyle.
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Point Locations I – Class 6 – Large Intestine Channel
Cat Notes
 This point is not in a line between LI 11 and LI 14, but lies backwards a bit.

Needling:
Perpendicular - 0.5-1 cun in depth.

Notes: not used for much of anything except local elbow problems.

LI 13

Locating:
Locate LI 11 and LI 15 first!! This is in a line between the two.
Also: in line with LU 3 and LU 4.
Finger cun measures and proportions are about the same though proportions are more accurate.

1. Located in the depression btwn the lateral border of biceps brachii and humerus. 3 cun
(hand measure) above LI 11.
2. One third of the distance between LI 11 and the axillary fold (not from LI 15!).

Needling:
Perpendicular insertion 0.5-1cun depth

Notes: basically, only for local pain in the U.S. In other places might be used for scrofula.

LI 14

Category:
Meeting point of the Large Intestine Channel with the Small Intestine and Bladder Channels.

Locating:
Deltoid is really just for reference—some people’s are bigger, some smaller, so not a reliable way
to locate this point. Tense the upper arm muscles to make the deltoid muscle easier to find.

Locate LI 11 and 15 first, as this point lies on a line between the two.

Needling:
Oblique insertion 1-1.5cun

Notes:

LI 15

Category:
Meeting point of the LI channel w/ the Yang Qiao vessel.

Locating:
Locate by landmark only.
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Point Locations I – Class 6 – Large Intestine Channel
Cat Notes
 Located in the depression anterior to and inferior to the deltoid muscle’s origin.

To find it: hold arm out like an airplane. Can see a depression here at the top of the shoulder.
Move your angle of vision to see it better. It’s not as well defined on women and on chubsters.
The back side has a depression in this area too—that’s SJ 14.

Needling:
Transverse/oblique, 0.8 – 1.5 cun.

LI 16

Category:
Meeting point of LI channel and Yang Qiao vessel

Locating:
Locate by landmark only. Is located on the back of the shoulder, in depression medial to the
acromion process between lateral extremity of the clavicle and scapular spine.

Needling:
Perpendicular (usually—sometimes oblique), 0.5 – 1 cun

Caution: deep needling in medial direction carries risk of pneumothorax.

LI 17 and 18 are the hardest on the practicum.

LI 17

Locating:
Find LI 18 first!!! 1 cun inferior, but on posterior border of the SCL muscle.

Needling:
Perpendicular 0.3 – 0.5 cun

LI 18

Category:
Point of the Window of Heaven

Locating:
1. Locate the tip of the laryngeal prominence (adam’s apple). Might be harder to locate on
women. Press the flat of your fingers onto the area, have the patient swallow slowly and feel
for the drop.
2. Point is level with the tip of the adam’s apple between the sternal and clavicular heads of the
SCL muscle. (Sternal head is thinner and attaches at the sternal notch. Clavicular head
attaches further lateral on the clavicle and is wider and flatter.

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Point Locations I – Class 6 – Large Intestine Channel
Cat Notes
Needling:
Perpendicular 0.3 – 0.5 cun.

Cuidado!! Deeper needling may puncture either the carotid artery or the jugular vein. Artery is under
high pressure – hard to stop bleeding and will bruise.

LI 19

Locating:
The channel crosses the midline of the body for this point and is thus located on the opposite side
of where the channel started.

Find the philtrum and divide it vertically into 3rds. This point lies on the border between the top
1/3 and the bottom 2/3, then out laterally on opposite side by 0.5 cun.

Needling:
Perpendicular or oblique, transverse up to 1 cun.

Contraindications:
No moxa!!

LI 20

Category:
Meeting point of the LI and ST channels.

(also the terminus of the channel)

Locating:
Located on the opposite side of where this channel started…crosses midline of the body!

1. Find the naso-labial groove. May have pt smile and will see better.
2. Point is located in the naso-labial groove at the level of the midpoint of the wing of the nose
(ala nasi).

Needling:
Transverse insertion, medio-superiorly, 0.3 – 0.5 cun. Often needled toward the root of the nose.
Also can be joined to Bitong extra point.

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Point Locations I – Class 6 – Large Intestine Channel
Cat Notes