Yangxi, Yangchi and Yanggu

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陽谿、陽池、陽谷 (Yángxī, Yángchí, Yánggǔ)

Point Pairs (对穴) Pain — Upper Limb

Modern Chinese point-pair (对穴) teaching, as compiled by Guo Changqing and colleagues at the School of Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine.

Points

  1. LI5 Yangxi affected side, or both sides

    Jing-River point of the Large Intestine at the radial side of the wrist; clears heat from the channel.

    Thumb pointing upward: in the hollow on the back of the wrist between the tendons of extensor pollicis longus and brevis (the anatomical snuffbox). Insert perpendicularly 0.5–0.8 cun, through the retinaculum and between the two tendons to the dorsal aspect of the extensor carpi radialis longus tendon. A local aching, numb feeling is the aim.

  2. TE4 Yangchi affected side, or both sides

    Yuan-Source point of the Triple Energiser at the centre-back of the wrist.

    On the dorsal wrist crease, in the hollow on the ulnar side of the extensor digitorum tendon, between it and the extensor digiti minimi tendon. Insert perpendicularly 0.3–0.5 cun through the deep fascia between those tendons onto the surface of the carpal bones (triquetrum). A local aching distension that spreads toward the middle finger is sought.

  3. SI5 Yanggu affected side, or both sides

    Jing-River point of the Small Intestine at the ulnar side of the wrist; clears heat.

    Palm facing down: on the ulnar side of the wrist in the hollow between the ulnar styloid process and the triquetrum, proximal to SI4. Insert perpendicularly 0.3–0.5 cun through the ligaments to the bone; an aching, numb sensation that spreads within the wrist is sought.

Treatment Principle

Expel wind and clear heat, free the channels and relieve pain.

Indications

Red, swollen and painful eyesWrist painFebrile disease

Method

The three points ring the back of the wrist from the radial to the ulnar side and are needled perpendicularly and shallowly: LI5 0.5–0.8 cun, TE4 and SI5 0.3–0.5 cun each. The book gives no retention time or moxibustion instructions for this set.

About

Three hand yang points across the back of the wrist — Large Intestine on the radial side, Triple Energiser in the middle, Small Intestine on the ulnar side. Together they treat wrist pain and clear wind-heat that rises to the eyes or produces fever.

Rationale

All three hand yang channels are represented, each at its wrist point: LI5 and SI5 are the Jing-River (Fire) points of their channels and TE4 is the Yuan-Source point of the Triple Energiser. The wrist location treats local pain directly, while the Fire points and the upward course of the three yang channels to the face explain their use for heat, fever and red, painful eyes.

Sources

  • Guo Changqing (ed.). Acupuncture of Acupoint Combinations: Quick Lookups. Daylesford: Heart Space Publications, 2020 (English edition; © China Science and Technology Press). ISBN 978-0-6489215-5-4. Chapter 4, combination 4.

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