LI 4 Acupuncture Point

• English Name: Union Valley
• Pinyin Name: He Gu
• Chinese Character: 合谷

LI 4 Clinical Usages

• Releases the exterior for wind-cold or wind-heat syndromes
• Strengthens the wei qi, improves immunity
• Regulates the sweat glands, for excessive sweating tonify LI 4 then disperse KD 7 and vice versa.
• Any problem on the face - sense organs, mouth, teeth, jaw, toothache, allergies, rhinitis, hay fever, acne, eye problems, etc.
• Toothache use both LI 4 & ST 44 - LI for the lower jaw & ST for the upper jaw.
• Headache, especially frontal a/or sinus (yangming area).
• Chronic Pain
• Influence the circulation of Qi and Blood - Use the four gates, LI 4 & LV 3 to strongly move the Qi and Blood in the body clearing stagnation and alleviating pain.
• Promote labor or for retained placenta  

Primary Contraindications:

• Pregnancy

Please note that for many contraindications there are clinically valid reasons to use these points even when they are technically contraindicated.

• Blog Posts Where LI 4 Is Discussed

•   Bloodletting Found Effective For Migraines - no not "that" bloodletting...
•   Acupuncture for Bell's Palsy - Initial Results Vary with Age, BMI and Pain Levels
•   Acupuncture Treatment Helpful for Trigeminal Neuralgia
•   Brain Changes Involved In Alzheimer's Improve With Acupuncture (Study)
•   Knocking Seasonal Allergies Out With Acupuncture
•   Study Finds Acupuncture Effective for Chronic Tinnitus
•   Awakening a Child From a Vegetative State with Xing Nao Kai Qiao Acupuncture
•   Acupuncture with Metformin for Diabetes and Obesity Better Than Metformin Alone (Study)
•   Acupuncture as an alternative to an epidural for labor pain (Study)
•   Bell's Palsy Study Confirms Acupoint Sensitivity - An analysis of Sham vs. "Real" Points

LI 4 Acupuncture Point Associations

This point along with others in a proper point prescription may be used to balance the following TCM Patterns:

• Lung Wind Invasion - Wind Cold
• Lung Wind Invasion - Wind Heat

For more on this, read "What Does Acupuncture Treat?" and "Point Prescription Guidelines".

This point along with others in a proper point prescription may be used to balance the following Conditions / Symptoms:

• Common Cold
• Sweat Problems
• Facial Pain
• Eye Problems
• Rhinitis
• Toothache
• Headache

For more on this, read "What Does Acupuncture Treat?" and "Point Prescription Guidelines".

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