Lung Channel

Chize LU-5

Chinese: 尺泽

Pinyin: Chǐ Zé

Location

On the cubital crease, on the redial aspect of the biceps tendon. It can be easily identified when the elbow is slightly flexed. 

How to locate

Slightly flex the fore arm so that the biceps tendon is more easy to be seem. Locate Chize LU-5 on the radial aspect of the cubital crease. 

Main actions

  1. Clears Lung Heat
  2. Descends the Lung Qi
  3. Regulates water passages and benefits the Bladder
  4. Relaxes the sinews and eases pain

Indications

Coughing Wheezing Enuresis Arm pain Dry mouth Knee pain Dry tongue Elbow pain Tidal fever Knee swollen Shoulder pain Chest fullness Oedema of limbs Elbow stiffness Urinary retention Frequent urination Shortness of breath Coughing of copious thick yellow sputum

Needling

Vertical 0.5-1 cun. 

Caution: avoid cubital vein. 

Commentary for Chize LU-5

This point should not be used for Deficiency/Empty patterns at all. Actually it is mostly used to clear Excess Interior Heat in the Lungs. The typical manifestations are cough, fever, profuse yellow sputum and thirst, which corresponds to the second level, the Qi level, of the Four Levels Theory. 

This Interior Heat can deplete Body Fluids and cause Lung Dryness and eventually Lung Yin Deficiency. Thus Chize LU-5 is used to promote Body Fluids generating so as to nourish Yin. It is also said to ease wheezing and sadness derives from Dryness of the Lungs. 

In chronic Lung diseases such as bronchitis, Phlegm can form and accumulate in the Lungs. When combining with Heat, it worsens the symptoms mentioned above. LU-5 is often used together with Fenglong ST-40 to clear Phlegm. On top of that, Yuji LU-10 can also be added to reinforce the effect. 

Some TCM practitioners use it for treating Excess Cold patterns as well, such as Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs. The difference is that the sputum color is rather white instead of yellow. Other cold symptoms include chilliness or cold hands. 

Furthermore, LU-5 is also said to be effective in facilitating urination by opening water passage for the Bladder or Kidneys. Therefore it can treat enuresis or frequent urination. It also treats urinary retention when Damp-Phlegm obstructs the Lungs and prevents Lung Qi to descend to open water passages in the Lower Burner. In this case, Reducing Needling method should be used, combining with Yinlingquan SP-9 and Zhongji REN-3. 

Finally, this point is able to relax the arm sinews along the Lung Channel and ease pains due to Painful Obstruction Syndrome. It also treats paralysis of the arm, elbow or shoulder if the arms fail to raise to the head.