Large Intestine Meridian

LI4 [IC4]
HEGU [Gokoku, Enclosed Valley, Joining Valley]

Localisation:

on the back of the hand between the 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones, on the highest point of the muscle bulge on the adductor pollicis  muscle (when the thumb and index finger are put together)

• at the height of the centre of the second metacarpal

Category of Points:

• Source point (Yuan Xue)
• key treatment point for the head, face and nose and the sense organs, as well as hoarseness, headache, lockjaw, blocked/stuffy nose and fever

Functions:

• regulates the defensive Wei Qi and adjusts sweating
• expels Wind and releases the surface (exterior)
• regulates face, eyes, nose, mouth and ears
• activates the meridian and alleviates pain
• induces labour
• restores the Yang

Indication:

• weak general condition, Qi and Blood weakness
• pains
• fevers and chills, inflammation, excessive or no sweating, cold, congested nose, nasal discharge, nasal polyps, nosebleed, whooping cough
• reddened, swollen and painful eyes, blurred vision, dental pain, discomfort and pains in the mouth and throat, hoarseness, loss of voice, headache, hypertension, acne, swollen face, lockjaw, lateral walls of nasal cavity (sinus) problems  facial paralysis, trigeminal neuralgia
• tinnitus, hearing loss, deafness
• amenorrhea, prolonged menstrual cycle
• pain and atrophy in the arms and legs, pains in the tendons and bones, pains in the lumbar region, hemiplegia
• abdominal pain, constipation, vomiting
• intellectual immobility (rigidity)

Remarks:

• contraindicated in pregnancy
• tonifies the whole organism, tonifies Qi and Blood
• to initiate and facilitate birth or labour
• general analgesic effect
• indicated for toothache, especially in the lower jaw
• helps to let go of out of date perceptions and attitudes ("opens the thinking"), makes- together with LV3- the whole meridian structure permeable: in case of mucus congestion of the meridians and for the release of energy from the Hun (Corporeal Soul)
• at the onset of Wind- Heat illness LI4 is used together with LI11 and TH5
• for high fever LI4 is used together with LI11
• for ailments of the head, face, eyes, ears, mouth and nose, LI4 is used together with LI11
• for nasal polyps and nasal congestion LI4 may be used together with LV3