COMMON ACUPOINTS FOR HAND THERAPY

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The acupoints for hand therapy include the regular and extra acupoints on the hand. The acupoints on the forearm are also used in hand therapy because they are exposed and convenient to locate for application of acupuncture (the acupoints marked with an asterisk (*) are located on the hand).

1. Chize (LU 5, on hand Taiyin lung meridian) Location: With elbow slightly flexed, it is on the cubital crease and on the radial border of tendon of brachial biceps muscle (Fig. 1). Function: To suppress adverse ascent of lung qi, tone lung yin, and moisten the lung. Indications: Cough, asthma, hemoptysis, sore throat, chest distension, acute mastitis, arm and elbow pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1.6 cm, or bleeding therapy with three-edged needle; and moxibustion is permissible.

2. Kongzui (LU 6, on hand Taiyin lung meridian) Location: With arm extended and palm supine, it is on the connecting line between Chize (LU 5) and Taiyuan (LU 9) and 23.3 cm from Taiyuan (Fig. 1). Function: To suppress adverse ascent of lung qi, clear blood heat, and stop bleeding. Indications: Cough, asthma, hemoptysis, sore throat, aphonia, hemorrhoids, and arm and elbow pain. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1.6-3.3 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

3. Lieque (LU 7, on hand Taiyin lung meridian) Location: It is proximal to radial styloid process and 5 cm proximal to carpal crease (Fig. 1). Function: To expel pathogen from lungs and adjust Renmai (conceptional vessel). Indications: Cough, asthma, sore throat, hemiplegia, deviation of mouth and eye, migraine, stiff neck, toothache, and hotness in palm. Acupuncture: Oblique insertion of needle toward elbow for 0.7 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

4. Jingqu (LU 8, on hand Taiyin lung meridian) Location: With palm supine, it is 3.3 cm proximal to carpal crease and in a depression between radial styloid process and radial artery (Fig. 1). Function: To control cough and asthma and adjust breath. Indications: Cough, asthma, sore throat, pain and distension in chest, and hotness in palm. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

5. Taiyuan* (LU 9, on hand Taiyin lung meridian) Location: With palm supine, it is on carpal crease and in a depression on the radial side of radial artery (Fig. 2). Function: To control cough, resolve phlegm, improve body resistance, and expel pathogens. Indications: Cough, asthma, hemoptysis, pain and distension of chest, sore throat, vomiting, abdominal distension, irregular pulse, and hand and wrist pain. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for l cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

6. Yuji* (LU 10, on hand Taiyin lung meridian) Location: With palm supine, it is proximal to the first metacarpophalangeal joint, at the midpoint of metacarpal bone and on the dorsopalmar boundary (Fig. 2). Function: To clear heat in lungs, relieve stagnation in throat, and clear heat in blood. Indications: Cough, hemoptysis, sore throat, elbow spasm, and hotness in palm. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1.6-3.3 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

7. Shaoshang* (LU 11, on hand Taiyin lung meridian). Location: On the radial side of thumb and 0.3 cm from corner of nail (Fig. 2). Function: To clear heat, open sense organ orifices, restore yang, revive critical patients, relieve stagnation in throat, and control convulsion. Indications: Cough, asthma, sore throat, madness, epilepsy, stroke with coma, febrile diseases, and convulsion in children. Acupuncture: Horizontal insertion of needle toward wrist for 0.6 cm or bleeding therapy with three-edged needle; and moxibustion is permissible.

8. Shangyang* (LI 1, hand Yangming large intestine meridian) Location: On the radial side of index finger and 0.3 cm from the corner of nail (Fig. 3). Function: To clear heat, resolve swelling, open sense organ orifices, and refresh the mind. Indications: Sore throat, swelling of jaw, toothache, deafness, tinnitus, cough, asthma, stroke with coma, and shoulder pain. Acupuncture: Upward oblique insertion of needle for 0.6 cm or bleeding therapy with three-edged needle; and moxibustion is permissible.

9. Erjian* (LI 2, on hand Yangming large intestine meridian) Location: With hand slightly clenched, it is on the radial side of second metacarpophalangeal joint and distal to it, and on the dorsopalmar boundary of hand (Fig. 3). Function: To clear heat and resolve swelling. Indications: Sore throat, swelling of jaw, nasal bleeding, toothache, eye pain, deviation of mouth and eye, body heat, and shoulder pain. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 0.6 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

10. Sanjian* (LI 3, on hand Yangming large intestine meridian) Location: With hand slightly clenched, it is on the radial side of index finger and proximal to second metacarpophalangeal joint and capitulum of second metacarpal bone (Fig. 3). Function: To clear heat, resolve swelling, relieve fullness, and stop diarrhea. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

11. Hegu* (LI 4, on hand Yangming large intestine meridian) Location: Between the first and second metacarpal bone and at the midpoint of second metacarpal bone (Fig. 3). Function: To clear heat, treat exterior syndrome, and improve vision and hearing. Indications: Headache, dizziness, toothache, eye pain, sore throat, swelling of face, deviation of mouth and eye, diseases of nose and ear, fever, hemiplegia, finger spasms, arm pain, amenorr hea, late delivery of baby, skin rashes, and diseases ofstomach and intestines. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1.6-3.3 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

12. Yangxi* (LI 5, on hand Yangming large intestine meridian) Location: On the radial side of dorsum of wrist and in a depression between tendons of long and short extensor muscles of thumb (Fig. 3). Function: To clear heat, tranquilize the mind, improve vision, and remove stagnation in throat. Indications: Headache, sore throat, red eyes, deafness, tinnitus, toothache, arm and wrist pain, epilepsy, and madness. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1.3 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

13. Pianli (LI 6, on hand Yangming large intestine meridian) Location: On the connecting line between Yangxi (LI 5) and Quchi (LI 11) acupoints and 10 cm from Yangxi (Fig. 4). Function: To improve vision and hearing. Indications: Nasal bleeding, red eyes, tinnitus, deafness, deviation of mouth and eye, sore throat, edema and pain in shoulder, arm, elbow, and wrist. Acupuncture: Oblique insertion of needle for 1 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

14. Wenliu (LI 7, on hand Yangming large intestine meridian) Location: On the connecting line between Yangxi (El 5) and Quchi (L 11) acupoints and 16.6 cm from Yangxi (Fig. 4). Function: To clear heat, resolve swelling, tranquillize the mind, anti promote transportation in organs. Indications: Headache, facial swelling, nose bleed, sore throat, pain in shoulder and back, epilepsy, and madness. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1.6 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

15. Xialian (LI 8, on hand Yangming large intestine meridian) Location: On the connecting line between Yangxi (LI 5) and Quchi (LI 11) acupoints and 1.3 cm from Quchi (Fig. 4). Functi,on: To adjust qi and promote transportation in organs. Indications: Headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, acute mastitis, and pain in elbow and arm. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1.6 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

16. Shanglian (LI 9, on hand Yangming large intestine meridian) Location: On the connecting line between Yangxi (LI 5) and Ouchi (LI 11) acupoints and 10 cm from Quchi (Fig. 4). Function: To adjust qi and promote transportation in organs. Indications: Headache, pain in shoulder and arm, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and hemiplegia. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1.6-3.3 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

17. Shonsanli (LI 10, on hand Yangming large intestine meridian) Location: On the connecting line between Yangxi (LI 5) and Quchi (LI 11) acupoints and 6.7 cm from Quchi (Fig. 4). Function: To clear heat, improve vision, adjust qi, and promote transportation in organs. Indications: Abdominal distension, diarrhea, eye diseases, toothache, hemiplegia, and hand, arm, and elbow pain. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for i.6-3.3 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

18. Quchi (LI 11, on hand Yangming large intestine meridian) Location: With elbow flexed, it is in a depression on the radial end of cubital crease (Fig. 4). Function: To expel wind pathogen, control itching, clear heat, and resolve swelling. Indications: Febrile diseases, sore throat, toothache, eye pain, skin rashes, skin sores, scabies, diseases of stomach and intestine, epilepsy, madness, disturbance of menstruation, paralysis of upper limb, and shoulder and arm pain. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 3.3-5 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

19. Shaohai (HT 3, on hand Shaoyin heart meridian) Location: With elbow flexed, it is in a depression on the ulnar end of cubital crease (Fig. 5). Function: To tranquilize the mind. Indications: Heart pain, epilepsy, madness, tuberculosis of cervical lymph nodes, hand tremors and spasms, and pain in armpit. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1.6-3.3 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

20. Lingdao (HT 4, on hand Shaoyin heart meridian) Location: With hand supine, it is on the radial border of ulnar flexor muscle of wrist and 5 cm proximal to carpal crease (Fig. 5). Function: To expand chest and adjust qi. Indications: Heart pain and palpitations, dizziness, vertigo, unreasonable crying and laughing, stiff tongue, aphasia, and wrist and arm spasms. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

21. Tongli (HT 5, on hand Shaoyin heart meridian) Location: With hand supine, it is on the radial border of ulnar flexor muscle of wrist and 3.3 cm proximal to carpal crease (Fig. 5). Function: To tranquilize the mind, tone yin, and clear heart heat. Indications: Heart palpitations, stiff tongue, aphasia, profuse uterine bleeding, headache, vertigo, and pain on medial and posterior side of shoulder, elbow, and arm. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

22. Yinxi (HT 6, on hand Shaoyin heart meridian) Location: With hand supine, it is on the radial border of ulnar flexor muscle of wrist and 1.6 cm proximal to carpal crease (Fig. 5). Function: To tranquilize the mind and clear heat in the blood. Indications: Heart pain and palpitations, night sweating, aphasia, and hematemesis. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.

23. Shenmen* (HT 7, on hand Shaoyin heart meridian) Location: On the carpal crease and on the radial border of ulnar flexor muscle of wrist (Fig. 6). Function: To improve the body's resistance, expel pathogens, and tranquilize the mind. Indications: Heart pain and palpitations, insomnia, poor memory, unreasonable crying and laughing, epilepsy, madness, headache, vertigo, and hotness in palm. Acupuncture: Vertical insertion of needle for 1 cm; and moxibustion is permissible.