Large Intestine Meridian Acupuncture Points

Large Intestine Meridian Points

• LI 1: shang yang / Metal Yang
  • Function: Clears heat, brightens the eyes, benefits the throat, calms the mind, expels wind and scatters cold.
  • Indications: Toothache, sore throat, swelling of the submandibular region, numbness of fingers, febrile diseases with anhidrosis, xerostomia, loss of consciousness.

• LI 2: er jian / Second Space
  • Function: Clears heat, dissipates pathogenic heat, disinhibits the throat.
  • Indications: Blurring vision, epistaxis (nosebleed), toothache, sore throat, febrile diseases.

• LI 3: san jian / Third Space
  • Function: Dispels exterior wind, clears heat, brightens the eyes, benefits the throat.
  • Indications: Toothache, ophthalmalgia, sore throat, redness and swelling of fingers and the dorsum of the hand.

• LI 4: he gu / Union Valley
  • Function: Dispels exterior wind, releases the exterior, stimulates the dispersing function of the Lungs, stops pain, removes obstructions from the channel, tonifies Qi and consolidates the exterior, harmonizes ascending and descending functions.
  • Indications: Headache, pain in the neck of any part of the body, redness, swelling and pain of the eye, epistaxis, nasal obstruction, rhinorrhea, toothache, deafness, facial swelling, sore throat.

• LI 5: yang xi / Yang Ravine
  • Function: Expels wind, releases the exterior, benefits the throat, stops pain.
  • Indications: Headache, redness, pain and swelling of the eye, toothache, sore throat, pain of the wrist.

• LI 6: pian li / Veering Passage
  • Function: Opens the Lung water passage.
  • Indications: Redness of the eye, tinnitus, deafness, epistaxis, aching of the hand and arm, sore throat, edema.

• LI 7: wen liu / Warm Flow
  • Function: Clears heat, stops pain, expels wind, benefits the throat.
  • Indications: Headache, swelling of the face, sore throat, borborygmus, abdominal pain, aching of the shoulder and arm.

• LI 8: xia lian / Lower Ridge
  • Function: Dissipates wind and clears heat, frees the channels and relieves pain.
  • Indications: Abdominal pain, borborygmus, pain in the elbows and arm, motor impairment of the upper limbs.

• LI 9: shang lian / Upper Ridge
  • Function: Courses the channels and quickens the connecting vessel, frees bowel Qi.
  • Indications: Aching of the shoulder and arm, motor impairment of the upper limbs, numbness of the hand and arm, borborygmus, abdominal pain.

• LI 10: shou san li / Arm Three Miles
  • Function: Removes obstructions from the channel, tonifies Qi.
  • Indications: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, toothache, swelling of the cheek, motor impairment of the upper limbs, pain in the shoulder and back.

• LI 11: qu chi / Pool at the Bend
  • Function: Expels exterior wind, clears heat, cools blood, resolves dampness, regulates nutritive Qi and blood, benefits the sinews and joints.
  • Indications: Sore throat, toothache, redness and pain of the eye, scrofula, urticarial, motor impairment of the upper extremities, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, febrile diseases.

• LI 12: zhou liao / Elbow Bone-Hole
  • Function: Courses the channels and quickens the connecting vessels, disinhibits the joints.
  • Indications: Pain, numbness and contracture of the elbow and arm.

• LI 13: shou wu li / Arm Five Miles
  • Function: Courses the channels and quickens the connecting vessels, disinhibits the joints.
  • Indications: Pain in the shoulder and arm, rigidity of the neck, scrofula.

• LI 14: bi nao / Upper Arm
  • Function: Removes obstructions from the channel, brightens the eyes, resolves phlegm and disperses masses.
  • Indications: Pain in the shoulder and arm, rigidity of the neck, scrofula.

• LI 15: jian yu / Shoulder Bone
  • Function: Benefits sinews, promotes circulation of Qi in the channels, stops pain, expels wind.
  • Indications: Pain in the shoulder and arm. Motor impairment of the upper extremities, rubella, scrofula.

• LI 16: jug u / Great Bone
  • Function: Moves blood locally, removes obstructions from the channel, opens the chest, subdues ascending rebellious Qi, stimulates the descending of Lung Qi, benefits the joints.
  • Indications: Pain and motor impairment of the upper extremities, pain in the shoulder and back.

• LI 17: tian ding / Celestial Tripod
  • Function: Disinhibits the throat and clears Lung Qi.
  • Indications: Sudden loss of voice, sore throat, scrofula, goiter.

• LI 18: fu tu / Protuberance Assistant
  • Function: Benefits the throat, relieves cough, resolves phlegm and disperses masses.
  • Indications: Cough, asthma, sore throat, sudden loss of voice, scrofula, goiter.

• LI 19: he liao / Grain Bone-Hole
  • Function: Diffuses Lung Qi and clears Lung heat, clears the nose and rouses the spirit.
  • Indications: Nasal obstruction, epistaxis, deviation of the mouth.

• LI 20: ying xian / Welcome Fragrance
  • Function: Dispels exterior wind.
  • Indications: Nasal obstruction, hyposmia, epistaxis, rhinorrhea, deviation of the mouth, itching and swelling of the face.

Common Uses

• Treating disorders in the head area, specifically disorders related to disruptions in the energy of the Large Intestine meridian or the Stomach meridian.
• Treating ear problems.
• Healing the skin.
• Balancing the energy of any area that lies along the meridian or its secondary channels, especially in the head area.
• Healing the heart of ailments caused by disruptions in the Large Intestine meridian or Stomach meridian.
• Empowering the lungs with regards to their treatment of bodily fluids.

Large Intestine Meridian Channels & Sinews

Like all meridians, the Large Intestine meridian is not isolated to merely the line that connects the primary meridian points shown in the image above.

The Large Intestine meridian also includes secondary energy branches that are not used for acupuncture needling but are important to consider when choosing which points along the meridian to needle, or to apply pressure to when using acupressure.

Let’s take a look at both the secondary energy channels and the sinews that are affected by this meridian.

The first pathway is the Large Intestine luo-connecting channel.

This secondary energy pathway begins at acupoint LI6 on the arm, where it first separates from the primary Large Intestine meridian line.

It travels up the arm alongside the primary meridian, then goes up the neck and onto the face just like the primary pathway does as well.

Near the wrist, this channel connects with the primary Lung Meridian before also passing through acupoint LI15 on its way up to the neck and head.

On the cheek, the channel divides into two branches.

One branch goes forward and inwards to connect to the teeth, whilst the other branch goes backwards to the ear where it connects with the secondary channels of several other meridians that also reach the ear.

The next pathway is the Large Intestine divergent channel.

This energy channel begins on the hand, where it separates from the primary Large Intestine meridian.

It travels up the arm where it passes through acupoint LI15 of the primary meridian points, just like the luo-connecting vessel.

It then runs across the shoulder and into the spine itself.

From the spine, the channel separates into two and goes both upwards and downwards.

The upwards portion goes up into the throat, where it joins with the Large Intestine primary meridian close to acupoint LI18.

The downwards portion passes through and connects with the thorax area, including the lungs, breasts, and eventually the large intestine where the pathway ends.

The final secondary energy area we will discuss is the Large Intestine sinew channel.

The sinew channel is the area of muscle and tissue that are in the general vicinity of the Large Intestine meridian and its channels.

These tissues will be strongly affected by the healthiness or sickness of the energy of the meridian.

These sinews begin on the index finger, near acupoint LI1 where the primary meridian begins.

They follow the primary meridian up the arm, then up the neck, and onto the face.

While travelling up the arm, the sinews bind at the wrist joint, the elbow joint, and the shoulder joint (meaning that the Large Intestine meridian can be used in acupuncture and acupressure to aid in healing or empowering these joints).

At the shoulder joint area, the sinew path separates and a portion of it reaches backwards to cover the upper back, with a foucs on the upper spine.

On the face, the sinew channel separates into two.

One pathway goes under the eyes and binds at the side of the nose, whilst the other pathway crosses over the top of the head and ends in front of the ear on the other side of the face, where it connects with the jaw.

The Large Intestine meridian can be used in acupuncture or acupressure to help improve the health of the tissue and muscles that lie along this sinew channel.

Related Pages

• Return to Acupuncture Points Guide
• View All Meridians

The 12 Primary Meridians

• Heart
• Pericardium
• Lung
• Spleen
• Liver
• Kidney
• Small Intestine
• Large Intestine
• Triple Energizer
• Stomach
• Gallbladder
• Bladder

The 2 Major Extraordinary Vessels

• Conception Vessel
• Governing Vessel

The 6 Minor Extraordinary Vessels

• Penetrating Vessel
• Girdling Vessel
• Yin Linking Vessel
• Yin Motility Vessel
• Yang Linking Vessel
• Yang Motility Vessel