Large Intestine Channel

Name

The Large Intestine Channel is the Yang Ming of the hand.

Pathway

External pathway

It begins at the radial nail angle of the index finger, follows along the radial border of the first and second metacarpals. It reaches the anatomical snuffbox at the wrist (LI-5).

It continues ascending along the border of the forearm, along the line connecting the anatomical snuffbox and the radial end of the elbow crease (LI-11). It follows the external border of the arm, passes through the deltoid groove (LI-14). It ascends toward the shoulder, to the anteroinferior acromioclavicular joint (LI-15).

It contours the shoulder posteriorly, passes through the spine of the scapula and reaches GV-14 (below C7, the meeting point of all yang channels). From there it returns toward the anterior surface of the body, toward the supraclavicular fossa where it unites with ST-12 where a branch becomes interior. The external pathway continues from the supraclavicular fossa, ascends along the neck behind the sternocleidomastoid muscle, reaches the cheek and penetrates the lower gum. It contours the lips, crosses with its counterpart from the other side at GV-26 and terminates on the other side of the nose, in the nasolabial groove LI-20.

Internal pathway

From ST-12 it penetrates into the interior of the thorax, communicates with the Lungs, crosses the diaphragm and goes to the Large Intestine; it descends to the leg and reaches ST-37, the lower He-Sea point of the Large Intestine.