LI 4 - Acupuncture Point - He Gu

LI 4 Names

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

Location

• In the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side.
• For point location tips, read our meridian notes; unsure about "cun" measurements, read what is a cun?.

LI 4 Point Cautions

• Pregnancy

LI 4 Clinical Uses

• 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  

Acupuncture Blog Posts

• Warm Moxibustion Found Most Effective for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Study)
• Acupuncture and Neuroplasticity in Stroke
• Research Shows Acupuncture Can Benefit Both Cognitive Performance and Neural Plasticity
• How LI 11 and ST 37 Acupuncture Points Alleviate Constipation
• Meta-Analysis Finds Acupuncture with Moxibustion Most Effective Treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)

LI 4 Point Associations

LI 4 TCM Patterns

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".

LI 4 Conditions Treated

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".