Acupuncture Points on the Lung Channel

Lung Channel Points

Points on the long channel:

  • Name, Nature, Location, Needling, Precaution/Risk, Function/Indication, Combination.

Name of Points

  • Chinese character (not used in this context).
  • Pinyin name (based on Chinese character).
  • English translated name (less frequently used).
  • Numerical name (e.g., Lung 1) - standardized nomenclature.
  • Commonly used: numerical and pinyin names.
    • Example:
      • Lung 1 (numerical name).
      • Middle Palace (English translation).
      • (pinyin name).

Nature of Points

  • Lung 1 is a front-mu point of the lung channel and a crossing point of the lung and spleen channels.
  • Knowing the point's nature provides insight into its function.

Location of Points

  • Description progresses from general area to specific location.
  • Lung 1 location:
    • General: Lateral side of the chest.
    • Specific:
      • Level with the first intercostal space (horizontal).
      • Six cun lateral to the midline.
      • One cun inferior to Lung 2.
  • Proportional measurement: Distance from midline to acromion tip is eight cun; Lung 1 is six cun lateral.

Needling

  • Lung 1: Obliquely 0.5 to 0.8 cun laterally (towards the shoulder) to avoid pneumothorax.
  • Needling angles:
    • Perpendicular: 90 degrees to skin surface.
    • Oblique: 45 degrees to skin surface.
    • Horizontal: 15 degrees to skin surface.

Function of Points

  • Lung 1: Regulates and descends lung qi, stops cough and asthma, disperses fullness from the chest, and stops pain.
  • Functions are based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles.

Indication of Points

  • Lung 1:
    • Cough, asthma, dyspnea, chest pain, and fullness.
    • Specifically due to excess heat or phlegm.
  • TCM diagnosis: Differentiation between excess and deficiency conditions (e.g., excess heat vs. deficient heat).
  • Channel pathway-related indications: Shoulder or upper back pain.

Precaution of Points

  • Deep perpendicular or oblique insertion medially may cause pneumothorax; needle laterally.

Lung 2 (Cloud Gate)

  • Nature: Does not belong to any specific category of points.
  • Location:
    • Depression below the acromial extremity of the clavicle.
    • Six cun lateral to the midline.
    • Center of the hollow of the deltopectoral triangle.
  • Needling: Oblique, 0.5 to 0.8 cun laterally.
  • Function: Disperses fullness from the chest, stimulates the descending of lung qi, and stops cough.
  • Indications: Cough, asthma, pain and fullness in the chest, shoulder, and upper arm pain.
  • Caution: Deep perpendicular or oblique insertion medially may cause pneumothorax; avoid deep needling.
Anatomical Terminology
  • Clavicle: Collarbone.
  • Acromial extremity: Lateral end of the clavicle towards the shoulder.
  • Scapula: Shoulder blade.
    • Medial border.
    • Lower angle.
    • Acromion.
    • Coracoid process.
  • Deltopectoral triangle: Formed by the deltoid and pectoralis major muscles.
  • Axillary fossa: Armpit.
    • Anterior and posterior axillary folds.
  • Middle line to tip of the shoulder (acromion) is eight cun; Lung 1 is six cun lateral.
  • Shape of the chest may cause Lung 2 to be slightly more medial; bone prevents further needling.

Lung 3 (Heavenly Palace)

  • Nature: Window of Heaven point (not emphasized in this course).
  • Location:
    • Medial aspect of the upper arm.
    • Three cun below the anterior end of the axillary fold.
    • Six cun above Lung 5.
    • Depression between the lateral border of the biceps brachii muscle and the shaft of the humerus.
  • Needling: Perpendicular, 0.5 to 1 cun.
  • Function:
    • Clears lung heat and descends lung qi.
    • Cools blood and stops bleeding.
    • Calms the corporeal soul.
  • Indications:
    • Cough, asthma, dyspnea due to heat and rebelling lung qi.
    • Nose bleeding and cough blood (due to heat).
    • Emotional problems related to lung disorder (sadness) and mental confusion.
    • Pain in the shoulder and upper arm, goiter (enlarged thyroid gland).
  • Caution: Contraindicated for moxa; cephalic vein and brachial artery and vein in the area.
  • Upper arm is nine cun; Lung 3 is three cun below axillary fold and six cun above Lung 5.
Biceps Brachii Muscle
  • Two heads (long and short).
  • Flexes the elbow.
  • Inserts on the radius.

Lung 4 (Clasping the White)

  • Location:
    • Anterior medial aspect of the upper arm.
    • Four cun inferior to the axillary fold and five cun superior to Lung 5.
    • Depression between the lateral border of the biceps brachii muscle and the shaft of the humerus.
  • Needling: Perpendicular, 0.5 to 1 cun.
  • Function: Descends lung qi to regulate qi and blood in the chest.
  • Indications:
    • Cough, fullness in the chest, pain in the medial aspect of the upper arm.
    • Heart palpitation, pityriasis versicolor (skin problem).
  • Importance: Points with more stars are more important/commonly used; Lung 3 and Lung 4 have no stars.
Pityriasis Versicolor
  • Skin problem; Lung 4 may have some effect.
  • Lung controls the skin; lung color is white.
Cephalic Vein
  • Related to Lung 3; avoid damaging it; contraindicated for moxa.
Cubital Fossa
  • Flex the elbow to locate.
  • Structures: Brachial artery, radial artery, brachial vein, radial vein, median nerve, superficial radial nerve.
Humerus
  • Bone of the upper arm.
  • Lung 3 and Lung 4 are between the radial border of the biceps brachii and the shaft of the humerus.
Epicondyles
  • Medial epicondyle.
  • Lateral epicondyle.

Anatomical Aspects

  • Radius (thumb side).
  • Ulna (baby finger side).
  • Anterior aspect (thumb side).
  • Posterior aspect (baby finger side).
  • Arm posture: When palms face front, radius and ulna are parallel; rotation can cause needle issues.

Lung 5 (Cubital Marsh)

  • Four-star point; water point.
  • Five Shu points are also five element points.
  • Location:
    • Cubital crease (most obvious crease).
    • Radial side of the tendon of the biceps brachii muscle.
    • Elbow slightly flexed.
  • Needling: Perpendicular 0.5 to 1 cun; can also prick to cause bleeding (blood letting).
  • Function:
    • Clears heat and resolves phlegm from the lung.
    • Stimulates the descending of lung qi.
    • Regulates water passage, benefits the bladder.
    • Relaxes the sinews and alleviates pain.
  • Indications:
    • Cough, asthma, sore throat, fullness of the chest due to heat or phlegm.
    • Spitting blood, coughing blood, nose bleeding (due to heat).
    • Swelling of the forelimbs, anuresis, and frequent urination (water passage).
    • Infantile convulsion (due to heat), epilepsy (wind and phlegm).
    • Spasm pain of the shoulder, elbow, arm, and hand.

Lung 6 (Maximum Opening)

  • Two-star point; xi-cleft point.
  • Xi-cleft points:
    • Treat pain and moderate acute conditions.
    • Yin channels treat blood disorders.
  • Location:
    • Flexor aspect (medial/palm side) of the forearm, proximal to Lung 9.
    • On the line connecting Lung 5 and Lung 9.
    • Five cun below Lung 5 and seven cun above Lung 9.
  • Needling: Subcutaneously, 0.5 to 1 cun.
  • Function:
    • Regulates and descends lung qi.
    • Clears heat and stops bleeding.
    • Moderates acute conditions and stops pain.
  • Indications:
    • Acute excess conditions: Cough, asthma, chest pain, sore throat, loss of voice.
    • Coughing blood, spitting blood, vomiting blood.
    • Spasmodic pain of the elbow and arm.
    • Chinese TCM textbooks typically do not discuss function; only indications are given.

Lung 7 (Broken Sequence)

  • Luo-connecting point.
  • Confluent point of the Ren channel.
  • Command point (head and neck problems).
  • Location:
    • Radial side of the forearm, approximately 1.5 cun proximal to yangxi LI-5.
    • In the cleft between the tendons of brachioradialis and abductor pollicis longus.
  • Needling: Transversely in the proximal or distal direction, 0.5 to 1 cun (usually upwards).
  • Function:
    • Expels wind and releases the exterior.
    • Stimulates the descending and dispersing of lung qi.
    • Pacifies wind-phlegm.
    • Opens and regulates the Ren channel.
    • Regulates water passage.
    • Activates the channel and alleviates pain.
    • Benefits the head and the nape.
  • Indications:
    • Exterior syndrome: Chills, fever, headache, stiff neck, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, sneezing.
    • Cough, asthma, dyspnea.
    • Facial paralysis and epilepsy (wind-phlegm).
    • Edema and urinary retention (lung dysfunction).
    • Pain and weakness of the wrist and hand.
    • Headache and neck problems.
    • Combine with Kidney 6 to treat chronic asthma, dry and sore throat, constipation, and menstrual problems due to kidney yin deficiency.
Anatomical Details
  • Brachioradialis and abductor pollicis longus tendons.
Snuffbox
  • Simplified location: Web of right hand on the web of the left hand, wrist straight, index finger on the styloid process.

Lung 8 (Channel Ditch)

  • Jing-river point; metal point.
  • Location:
    • Above the wrist, one cun proximal to Lung 9.
    • In the depression at the base of the styloid process of the radius.
    • Radial side of the radial artery.
  • Needling: Perpendicular 0.3 to 0.5 cun; avoid puncturing the radial artery.
  • Function: Dispenses lung qi and alleviates cough and asthma.
  • Indications: Cough, asthma, pain in the chest, sore throat, pain in the wrist.
  • Radial artery location is used for taking the pulse.

Lung 9 (Supreme Abyss)

  • Shu-stream point.
  • Earth point (mother point of metal).
  • Yuan-source point.
  • Influential point of the vessels.
  • Location:
    • Radial end of the transverse crease of the wrist.
    • In a depression between the radial artery and the tendon of abductor pollicis longus.
    • Level with heart 7 (Shenmen).
  • Needling: Perpendicular, 0.3 to 0.5 cun; avoid the artery.
  • Function:
    • Resolves phlegm.
    • Tonifies lung qi and lung yin, regulates lung qi, stops cough.
    • Promotes circulation of blood and influences the pulse.
  • Indications:
    • Cough, asthma, dyspnea (due to phlegm or deficiency).
    • Sore throat, spitting, and coughing blood (not due to phlegm).
    • Palpitation, chest pain, cold hands, weak voice, pulseless syndrome.
    • Weakness and pain of the wrist and arm.
Detail on Qi Types
  • Zong qi is the combination of qi from food/water (spleen/stomach) and fresh air (lung).
  • It's dispersed by the lung.
  • Defensive wei qi circulates on the body surface to protect against exogenous pathogens.
  • Zong qi is related to voice.

Lung 10 (Fish Border)

  • Ying-spring point; fire point.
  • Location:
    • Radial aspect of the middle point of the first metacarpal bone.
    • Junction of the red and white skin between the first metacarpal bone and the thenar eminence.
  • Needling: Perpendicular, 0.5 to 0.8 cun.
  • Function:
    • Clears heat and benefits the throat.
    • Activates the channel and alleviates pain.
  • Indications:
    • Sore or dry throat, loss of voice due to excess heat or wind-heat.
    • Heat and pain in the palm and the thumb, contraction of the elbow with distension of the arm.
Anatomical Considerations
  • Major thenar eminence vs hypothenar eminence.

Lung 11 (Lesser Shang)

  • Jing-well point; wood point.
  • Ghost point.
  • Location:
    • Radial side of the thumb, 0.1 cun posterior to the corner of the nail.
    • Junction of the line drawing along the radial border of the nail and the base of the nail.
  • Needling: Perpendicular or obliquely, 0.1 to 0.2 cun towards the wrist or prick to bleed.
  • Function:
    • Expels wind (both exterior and interior).
    • Clears heat and benefits the throat.
    • Opens orifices, promotes resuscitation, revives consciousness.
  • Indications:
    • Sore throat.
    • Cough, asthma, and fever.
    • Spasmodic pain of the thumb.
    • Apoplexy - Fainting, loss of consciousness
      Clinical Usage of the Points
      Well-points aren't commonly used so often.

Summary of Specific Points

  • Five Shu points. (In relation to each indication and or channel)