Foot reverting yīn (jué yīn) liver channel

Abbreviation: LR. One of the twelve channels.

Etymology

Chin The character 厥 jué has had numerous meanings over the centuries, including (a) extreme, end; (b) reverse, recede; (c) loss of consciousness. In the channel name, it denotes the end of yīn qì before the re-ascendance of yáng qì..

Connections

GB → LR → LU; homes to the liver; nets the gallbladder.

Liver Channel Pathway

Overview

• Tuft of hair on dorsum of great toe → 1 cùn in front of medial malleolus → medial face of leg → around the genitals → abdomen → clasps the stomach, homes to the liver, nets the gallbladder → diaphragm → neckð nasopharynx → eye region → the vertex.
• Branch (1): Below the eye → around the inner side of the lips.
• Branch (2): Liver → diaphragm → lung → LU.

Description

The foot reverting yīn (jué yīn) liver channel starts at the tuft of hair on the dorsum of the great toe (LR-1 大敦 dà dūn, Large Pile) and runs up the foot between the first and second metatarsal bones to a point one cùn in front of the medial malleolus (LR-4, zhōng fēng, Mound Center). It then proceeds upward along the medial face of the tibia to SP-6 (sān yīn jiāo, Three Yīn Intersection) eight cùn above the medial malleolus, where it intersects with the foot greater yīn (tài yīn) spleen channel. It proceeds up the medial face of the knee and the thigh. It once again intersects with the foot greater yīn (tài yīn) spleen channel at SP-12 (chōng mén, Surging Gate) and SP-13 (fǔ shè, Bowel Abode).

It then skirts the genitals and penetrates the lower abdomen where it meets the controlling (rèn) vessel at CV-2 (qū gǔ, Curved Bone), CV-3 (zhōng jí, Central Pole), and CV-4 (guān yuán, Pass Head). It ascends, moving toward the lateral aspect of the trunk to LR-13 (zhāng mén, Camphorwood Gate), just in front of the eleventh rib to ascend and spread over the rib-side and chest. In the abdomen, it internally clasps (i.e., runs either side of) the stomach, homes to the liver, and nets the gallbladder. Continuing upward, it passes through the diaphragm and ascends the neck posterior to the pharynx. It enters the nasopharynx and links with the eye connector (the structures connecting the eye to the brain, including the optical nerve) before finally ascending the forehead to meet the governing (dū) vessel at the vertex.

A branch (1) breaking off below the eye runs through the cheeks to skirt the inside of the lips.

Another branch (2) separates from the liver, passes through the diaphragm, and enters the lung to meet the hand greater yīn (tài yīn) lung channel.

Liver Channel Acupoints

Indications of LR Acupoints

The 14 points on the foot reverting yīn (jué yīn) liver channel treat diseases of the liver, gynecological, genital and urinary, as well as other conditions in areas traversed by the channel.

• Channel pathway: Rib-side pain, abdominal pain, abdominal distension, knee pain, diarrhea.
• Head, ears, eyes: Headache, dizziness, blurred vision.
• Gynecological, genital, and urinary problems: Menstrual irregularities, flooding and spotting; mounting qì (hernia); seminal emission, inhibited urination, urinary block.

Major LR Acupoints

LR-1 (大敦 dà dūn, Large Pile): Located midway between a little more than 1 fēn below the base of the nail and the interphalangeal joint on the lateral side of the big toe.

• Indications: Mounting qì (inguinal hernia); enuresis; flooding and spotting; amenorrhea; yīn protrusion (prolapse of the uterus); epilepsy.
• Stimulus: Needling: 0.3 cùn perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 3 cones; pole 5–7 min.
• Categories: Well (jǐng) (wood) point.

LR-2 (行间 xíng jiān, Moving Between): Located on the dorsal aspect of the foot, proximal to the margin of the web between the first and second toes, level with the metatarsophalangeal (mtp) articulation of the first toe.

• Indications: Headache; dizzy vision; painful red swollen eyes; clear-eye blindness; deviated mouth; rib-side pain; mounting qì (inguinal hernia); inhibited urination; flooding and spotting; menstrual pain; vaginal discharge; epilepsy; wind stroke.
• Stimulus: Needling: 0.3–0.6 cùn perpendicular insertion, or oblique insertion angled slightly toward the heel. Moxa: 3 cones; pole 5–15 min.
• Categories: Spring (yíng) (fire) point.

LR- 3 (太冲 tài chōng, Supreme Surge): Located on the dorsal aspect of the foot, in the space between the first and second metatarsal bones, slightly distal to their tarsometatarsal articulations.

• Indications: Headache; dizzy vision; painful red swollen eyes; deviated mouth; rib-side; enuresis; mounting qì (inguinal hernia); flooding and spotting; menstrual irregularities; epilepsy; retching counterflow; child fright wind; wilting-impediment (wěi bì) of the lower limbs.
• Stimulus: Needling: 0.3–0.5 cùn perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 3 cones; pole 3–7 min.
• Categories: Stream (shù) (earth) and source point (yuán xué); one of Mǎ Dān-Yáng’s twelve heavenly star points.

LR-8 (曲泉 qū quán, Spring at the Bend): Located on the medial aspect of the knee, in the hollow that forms proximal to the medial condyle of the tibia when the knee is bent about ninety degrees. the point is between the medial hamstring tendons and the medial condyle of the femur.

• Indications: Abdominal pain; inhibited urination; seminal emission; pudendal itch; seminal emission; knee pain; menstrual irregularities; menstrual pain; vaginal discharge.
• Stimulus: Needling: 0.5–0.8 cùn perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 3 cones; pole 5–20 min.
• Categories: Uniting (hé) (water) point.

LR-13 (章门 zhāng mén, Camphorwood Gate): Located on the lateral aspect of the abdomen, approximately on the midaxillary line, immediately below the tip of the eleventh rib.

• Indications: Abdominal distension; diarrhea; rib-side pain; glomus lump.
• Stimulus: Needling: 0.6–1. 0 cùn perpendicular insertion. Moxa: 3 cones; pole 20–50 min.
• Categories: Alarm point (mù xué) of the spleen; meeting point (huì xué) of the viscera; intersection point (jiāo huì xué) of the liver and gallbladder channels.

LR-14 (期门 qī mén, Cycle Gate): Located on the chest, in the sixth intercostal space, on the midclavicular line.

• Indications: Distension and pain in the chest and rib-side; abdominal distension; retching and vomiting; mammary welling-abscess (rǔ yōng).
• Stimulus: Needling: 0.4 cùn outward oblique insertion. Moxa: 5 cones; pole 10–20 min.
• Categories: Alarm point (mù xué) of the liver; intersection point (jiāo huì xué) of the liver and spleen channels and the yīn linking vessel (yīn wéi mài).