Lu-6 Kong Zui 孔最 Maximum Cavity
Lu-6 KŏngZuì 孔最 Maximum Cavity
Xi-Cleft point
【Name explanation】孔, Kŏng means hole or cavity; 最, Zuì, means maximum or to gather. Lu-6 is where Lung channel Qi and blood plunges deeper, the Xi-Cleft point, the largest crevice. Lu-6 removes stasis and frees the orifices. It is the most used point to treat disease patterns of cavities, therefor it is called Maximum Cavity. Lu-6 treat lung heat harms the blood or stirs the blood. It also treats disorders of cavities.
【First appearance】《The Systematized Canon of Acupuncture and Moxibustion(针灸甲乙经) 》.
【Location】Radial side of the forearm, on a line between Lu-5(尺泽) and Lu-9(太渊), 7 cun proximal to the transverse crease of the wrist.
《The Systematized Canon of Acupuncture and Moxibustion(针灸甲乙经) 》: “7 cun above the wrist”.
《针灸逢源》: “In a crevice between the upside and the downside of the bone”.
【Anatomy】skin, subcutaneous tissue, brachioradial muscle, flexor carpi, pronator teres, hallucis longus; superficially there is cephalic vein, the lateral cutaneous nerve of forearm and superficial branch of the radial nerve distribution, deeper there is superficial and deep branches of the radial nerve, median nerve, radial artery and it’s deep branches and radial recurrent artery distribution.
【Function】
Descend and disperse Lung Qi
Cool the blood stanch bleeding
Clear heat and stanch bleeding
Moisten the lung rectify Qi
Effuse the exterior
Disinhibit the throat
【Clinical application】
1. Clear the lung stanch bleeding: disperse Lu-6 clear and drain lung heat, cool the blood stanch bleeding, is used to treat coughing of blood, loss of voice, sore swollen throat etc. when Lung channel exuberant heat injures or stirs the blood. Because the Lung and Large intestine is exterior and interiorly connected, Lu-6 can also treat bleeding hemorrhoids.
2. Open stagnation free the orifices: Needle Lu-6 can perfuse Lung Qi, opening and discharging the pores, disinhibit the interior and promote sweating, and can therefor treat cough and panting, febrile disease with absence of sweating, headache etc. when external evil attacks the surface and disturbs the Lung.
【Indications】cough, panting, expectoration of blood, sore swollen throat, elbow and arm pain, hemorrhoidal disease.
Respiratory system: pulmonary consumption expectoration of blood, inflammation in the throat, tonsilitis, bronchitis, bronchi wheezing and panting;
Motion system: pain in elbow and arm, pain in the wrist joint.
Classical records: febrile disease absence of sweating, tidal heat, cough, wheezing and panting, expectoration of blood, Qi counterflow, reversal headache, painful and swollen throat, loss of voice, pain in elbow and difficulty to extend the arm.
Modern reports: bronchitis, pneumonia, pulmonary consumption, tonsilitis, hemorrhoidal bleeding.
【Point combinations】
Combined with P-3(曲泽), UB-13(肺俞) treats spitting of blood (《针灸资生经》)
Combined with Du-15(哑门) treats loss of voice
Combined with SI-3(后溪) treats headache, combined with Lu-11(少商) treats sore throat (《acupuncture point 学》).
Combined with UB-13(肺俞), UB-12(风 门), has the effect of diffuse the lung suppress cough stabilize panting, and treats cough, panting.
Combined with LI-4(合谷), Du-14(大椎), it scatters wind resolve the exterior, clear heat relieve pain, treats febrile disease absence of sweating, headache.
Combined with Lu-11(少商), clear heat disinhibit the throat, relieve pain, treats sore swollen throat.
Febrile disease absence of sweating: UB-31(上髎), Lu-6(孔最).
Spitting of blood: UB-13(肺俞), P-3(曲泽), Lu-6(孔最).
Loss of voice: Du-15(哑门), Lu-6(孔最).
Fever, chest pain, cough: Du-14(大椎), UB-13(肺俞), Lu-6(孔最).
Pulmonary consumption expectoration of blood: Lu-5(尺泽), Lu-6(孔最).
【Technique】perpendicular insertion 0.5-1 cun. Cone moxibustion 3-5times, stick moxibustion 10-15 minutes.
【Classic texts】
《The Systematized Canon(甲乙经)》: reversal headache.
《Thousand Gold Pieces Formulary(千金方)》: Lu-6(孔最), treats reversal cold in the arm heat pain (or sore) absence of sweating, can use moxaneedle to induce sweating.