LI13

Shouwuli

Star

手五里 (Shǒuwǔlǐ) — Arm Five Li

Large Intestine channel · point 13

Not yet clinically reviewed

Traditionally used for

Cough & breathing

Cautions & contraindications

No moxibustion
No deep needling
Avoid blood vessels

Location

On the lateral aspect of the upper arm, on the line connecting LI11 and LI15, 3 cun proximal to the cubital crease.

How to locate: With the elbow flexed, draw the line from LI11 at the elbow crease up to LI15 at the shoulder; the point is on it 3 cun above LI11, one third of the way from the elbow crease to the axillary fold.

Regional anatomy: Beneath the skin and subcutaneous tissue the needle enters brachialis on the lateral side of the humerus; the radial nerve runs nearby as it winds forward around the bone.

Distances are in cun, a proportional unit — how to measure.

Body map, front: LI13 · Upper arm — Fig. — LI13 · Upper arm After Albinus, 1747

The humerus — Gray's Anatomy plate — The humerus Gray's Anatomy, 1918

3D view

3D view not available for this point: its position can't be carried onto the 3D model reliably (it failed a placement check). The 2D maps above show it.

Needling

Cited needling

Perpendicular insertion

Depth 1–1.5 cun

skindeeper

Depths describe average adult habitus in the cited population, never a single safe number for the patient in front of you. Palpate and adjust.

Sources (1)

Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. Hove: Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications; 1998 — p. 115 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

No moxibustion
No deep needling
Avoid blood vessels

Depth: 0.5–1.0 cun

Angle: Perpendicular

⚠ Cautions: Avoid deep needling — the radial nerve and brachial vessels lie close by. Classical texts list this as a forbidden point for moxibustion in some traditions.

Functions

Activates the channel
Transforms phlegm and dissipates nodules

Indications

Elbow and arm paincontracture of the armscrofula and neck nodulescough with blood

Balance Method partners

Under Dr. Tan's six systems, LI13 at the upper arm balances these channels at the regions its segment images.

1. Same Chinese name

Stomach channel

Thigh · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
Lower leg, Calf · Reversed mirror
Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head at the hand/foot
Solve for the Stomach channel →
2. Branching (Bie Jing / Zang Fu Bie Tong)

Liver channel

Thigh · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
Lower leg, Calf · Reversed mirror
Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head at the hand/foot
Solve for the Liver channel →
3. Interior–exterior pair

Lung channel

Upper arm · Same segment, opposite side
Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head at the hand/foot
Solve for the Lung channel →
4. Chinese clock opposite

Kidney channel

Thigh · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
Lower leg, Calf · Reversed mirror
Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head at the hand/foot
Solve for the Kidney channel →
5. Chinese clock neighbour

Stomach channel

Thigh · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
Lower leg, Calf · Reversed mirror
Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head at the hand/foot
Solve for the Stomach channel →
6. Same channel

Large Intestine channel

Upper arm · Same segment, opposite side
Lower abdomen, Sacrum · Image, head at the hand/foot
Solve for the Large Intestine channel →

Combinations Using This Point

Shouwuli and Binao

LI13 and LI14 on the upper arm — for arm pain, swelling and paralysis, malaria and scrofula.

Sources

World Health Organization. WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region. Manila: WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2008. (Location.)

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