Unlocking the Mysteries of Liver 5: Functions, Benefits, and Clinical Applications
Hey there, fellow acupuncture enthusiasts! I'm Dr. Richard Lai, DPT, LAc, and today, I want to dive deep into the Liver 5 acupuncture point—its functions, benefits, and its clinical applications. If you're preparing for your NCCAOM exam or just craving more insight into your acupuncture studies, you're in the right place! So let's get into Liver 5 Point Function
Understanding Liver 5 Function: An Overview
Liver 5, also known as Li Gou or Woodworm Canal, is a significant point on the liver meridian. Its various functions make it a vital point to understand, especially when you're gearing up for the acupuncture board exam.
Where is Liver 5 Located?
Before we explore its functions, let's pinpoint where Liver 5 is situated. This acupuncture point is located 5 cun above the prominence of the medial malleolus, on the medial aspect of the leg, in the depression close to the medial crest of the tibia.
The Multifaceted Functions of Liver 5
Spreading the Liver and Regulating Qi
One of the most critical functions of Liver 5 is its ability to spread the liver and regulate Qi. The liver's primary function in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is ensuring a smooth flow of Qi throughout the body and its organs. Liver 5 plays a pivotal role in maintaining this smooth flow.
**Ensuring Smooth Flow of Qi:** The liver's capacity to ensure the smooth flow of Qi is paramount. A smooth Qi flow means balanced energy throughout the body and well-functioning organs.
**Regulating Qi Direction:** Liver 5 ensures that Qi moves in the right direction within all organs. If there's disruption, such as stomach Qi rebelling upward causing acid reflux or lung Qi rebelling upward leading to coughing, Liver 5 can help restore the balance.
Benefits to the Genitals
Another significant function of Liver 5 is its benefit to the genitals. The liver meridian travels from the lower limbs, up the inner thigh, and encircles the genital area.
**Addressing Genital Issues:** Liver 5 can alleviate various genital issues due to its anatomical pathway. From priapism (an erection that won’t go away) to vaginal discharge and itchiness, this point can be your go-to.
**Clinical Relevance:** In practice, when dealing with impotence, low libido, or priapism, incorporating Liver 5 can offer substantial therapeutic benefits.
Clearing Dampness and Heat from the Lower Jiao
Clearing dampness and heat from the lower jiao is another essential function of Liver 5. The lower jiao (the lower abdomen) can often be invaded by dampness, which may blend with internal heat and cause significant discomfort.
1**Symptoms of Dampness:** Patients might experience heaviness, fullness, and stickiness, accompanied by a slippery pulse and possibly a sticky tongue.
**Manifestations:** In genital-related issues, it could present as yellow and smelly vaginal discharge, itching, sores, or swelling.
**Treatment:** Liver 5 can help clear these disturbances, providing relief and promoting balance.
Regulating Menstruation with Liver 5 Point Function
An essential role of the liver is storing blood, directly linking it to menstrual health. Liver 5 helps regulate menstruation by addressing any imbalance in blood storage.
The Role of Liver in Menstruation
**Blood Storage:** The liver controls blood volume, determining how much blood circulates when active and how much returns when at rest.
**Healthy Menstruation:** Ensuring adequate blood storage translates to healthy menstruation. Whether dealing with scanty periods, excessive bleeding, or painful menses, regulating the liver's function is crucial.
**Clinical Insight:** Addressing menstrual irregularities often involves using Liver 5 alongside other liver and kidney points to rectify the root cause.
Treating Plum Stone Qi with Liver 5
Plum Stone Qi, or "plum-pit throat," is a condition where there's a sensation of a lump in the throat. Liver 5's connection via its channel pathway makes it effective in treating this condition.
Understanding Plum Stone Qi
**Channel Pathway:** Liver 5's meridian travels up the leg, encircles the genitals, and ascends to the throat and head.
**Conditions Leading to Plum Stone Qi:** Often due to emotional disturbances impairing liver function, which in turn, disrupts the normal downward flow of stomach Qi, leading to reflux and that "lump" sensation.
**Comprehensive Treatment:** By including Liver 5 in treatments, we can address the underlying emotional and organ-related issues contributing to Plum Stone Qi.
Liver 5 in Your Clinical Practice
Adopting Liver 5 in your clinical practice can bring significant therapeutic benefits due to its multifaceted functions.
Detailed Applications
**Stress-Related Disorders:** Given its role in regulating Qi and spreading the liver, Liver 5 is effective for stress and emotional disturbances.
**Genital and Menstrual Issues:** From priapism and low libido to irregular menstruation, this point is versatile.
**Digestive Disturbances:** Addressing rebellious Qi, like acid reflux and coughing, showcases Liver 5's broad applicability.
SO ALL THAT TO SAY....
Liver 5 is a powerhouse in the realm of acupuncture. Its ability to ensure the smooth flow of Qi, regulate menstruation, benefit the genitals, and clear dampness and heat from the lower jiao, makes it indispensable.
As you prepare for your NCCAOM exam or broader clinical practice, integrating this knowledge can elevate your understanding and application of acupuncture.
Thank you for taking the time to dive into Liver 5 with me. I hope this has illuminated its multifaceted functions and bolstered your study and clinical practice.
Don’t forget to subscribe to my channel for more insights and share this post with your peers. God Bless and Happy studying!
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By following this detailed exploration of Liver 5, you can better understand its significance and application, setting you up for success on your NCCAOM exam and beyond.
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AUDIO TRANSCRIPT!
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:00:00]:
Hey, YouTube. Doctor Richard Lai here with study acupuncture with me. This video is on Liver 5 acupuncture point and its point function. I hope it helps you study for the acupuncture board exam. Before I get into the meat and potatoes of this video, I wanna take a moment just to tell you all how proud I am of my wife. See she recently started her own Etsy page. She's actually a full time speech language pathologist, and she specializes in post acute neurological conditions. However, she taught herself calligraphy, and at her Etsy page, she makes custom hand lettered ornaments.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:00:35]:
You can send a custom hand lettered ornament to any of your friends if they had a special event this year. Maybe they just had a baby, she can send them a custom hand lettered ornament. Someone had a backyard wedding, you can put their names on an ornament for them. Or maybe you wanna send a custom hand lettered ornament to a teacher because you see them struggling trying to teach you point location, which is a hands on class through Zoom. And you see them sweating week in week out, and you just wanna send them an ornament to show that you appreciate them. So click on the link below and you can actually put in promo code study 2020. That's study 2020 for a special discount. So click the link below and enjoy the video.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:01:18]:
Hey YouTube. Welcome back to study acupuncture with me. Again, I'm doctor Richard Lai. And in this video, we're gonna go over liver 5 acupuncture point function. I hope that you find it helpful while you're studying for the acupuncture board exam. So before we get into the video, number 1, I just want to say thank you guys so much for subscribing, for liking, for commenting, just for all the engagement. I just really appreciate it a lot. You have no idea.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:01:43]:
And before we get into the meat of the video, do me a big favor. For those of you who have not yet, hit that subscribe button. Or hit that subscribe button so that you don't miss any of the videos that come up. Subscribing also helps the channel out a lot. So please just take a quick second right now, click that subscribe button. Alright now, so let's get into the video. Why can liver 5 do that? But first, let's talk about what can liver 5 do? Liver 5 can spread the liver. It can regulate chi.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:02:15]:
It can benefit the genitals. It can clear dampness and heat from the lower jaw. It can regulate menstruation. It can treat plum stone qi. So this is function number 1, and it's an important function of the liver. It spreads the liver. It regulates the chi, and it benefits the genitals. Any points on the liver that do this function, that activate this function are very important as well.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:02:43]:
The liver has a function of ensuring the smooth flow of qi. You've heard that in your class. You've heard it, your teachers say it. You've heard your classmates say it. So now I'm saying it. It ensures the smooth flow of qi. But although you've heard it many different times, listen to it this way. And screenshot this part, take notes on this part, and just listen as intently as possible.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:03:09]:
Because it's probably one of the most important clinical applications of liver 5, as well as, you know, any of the other liver points that have this function of spreading the liver and regulating the chi. So the liver ensures or it makes sure that there is a smooth flow of qi throughout the entire body. So it ensures there's a smooth flow of qi throughout the entire body. It also ensures that there's a smooth flow of qi in all the organs. So a smooth flow of chi in all the organs. The liver also makes sure there's a smooth flow of g in all directions. So this means that the liver helps your organs act correctly when they're impaired. So for example, if your patient has acid reflux or they have coughing, So what could that be? Right off the bat, your knee jerk diagnosis without any palpation or any further examination, acid reflux most likely is stomach chi rebelling.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:04:19]:
So that means which way does the stomach actually flow normally? Stomach chi has a tendency to flow downward. So if there is some acid reflux, it's the stomach chi rebelling upward. Now, what about coughing? Your patient's coughing. And I hope number 1, you have a mask on and when you're treating your patient and that your patient also has a mask on. And if you're watching this YouTube video in a year that's not 2020, you know, future people, I hope that life is normal and good. And if you're someone watching this video from back in time somehow before 2020, please warn everyone. 2020 is gonna suck. Buy a bunch of stock from Zoom and sell it before November.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:05:08]:
Anyway, so your patient's coughing. Potentially, it could be rebellious lung chi. Right? Because lung chi has a normal flow, which is downward. So stomach chi flows downward normally and lung chi flows downward normally as well. Now, when it's rebellious, when there's coughing or there's gastric reflux, then it's rebelling upwards. So the liver moves in all directions. Right? So it makes sure that the flow of chi is smooth everywhere, like the spleen. The spleen, for example, it the liver will make sure that the spleen chi is smoothly smoothly flowing upward.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:05:52]:
And it also will make sure that the intestines are smoothly flowing downward so that you're having nice, normal bowel movements. And that's why this function is so important. Literally, it affects the entire body. It affects all the organs. That's the spreading. That's the regulating function. So the next function is that it benefits the genitals. So for this, take a quick peek into any of your point location textbooks or your apps and look up the liver primary channel.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:06:25]:
Where does the liver start? The liver starts at liver 1. Right? And it goes up the inside of your leg, up your inner thigh, and then it says it encircles the genital. Okay. It encircles the genitals. Also, this is this video is on liver 5. So liver 5 is a lower point. It's a lower point of the liver channel. And I have a podcast episode number 6.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:06:47]:
I go over lower points there. Be sure to go to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts to check that out. Not now, though. Watch the video. After you watch this entire video, you know, and after you share this video with your friends, go go listen to that podcast. So anyway, liver 5 is the low point, and you can use a low point in a couple different ways. One is the more popular way, which is to use it to treat or affect its yin yang pair. In this case, liver and gallbladder are yin yang pairs, and they're interiorly and exteriorly related.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:07:19]:
The next way to use a lower point is to treat the area that it connects to. So you can use the lower point to treat an area that the lower point connects to. For example, look up lung 7. Lung 7 can specifically treat the thumb, because if you look to the area that it spreads to, it spreads right into the thenar eminence, right? That all the muscles at the base of your thumb. So it can treat thumb pain, thumb overuse, texting thumb, etcetera. So the $1,000,000 question right now is what anatomical area does liver 5 lower point go to? So liver 5 lower point goes right up to the genitals. So you can use liver 5 to benefit the genitals. Specifically, you can use liver 5 for something known as priapism.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:08:04]:
Priapism, p r I a p r I s m. It's an erection that just does not go away. It's an erection that stays for hours even if the person is not being stimulated. Right? So remember that word, priapism. When you guys are full fledged acupuncturists, you're gonna treat a lot of patients, and you're gonna treat patients who have the opposite of priapism, right, which is like impotence or low libido. So finding the root cause of their low libido is is important. And generally, I always include a bunch of liver and kidney points in their treatment. Liver, remember smooth flow throughout the entire body.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:08:45]:
And then you have kidneys. Kidneys, they're like the battery pack of the body, and they have the strong connection with the liver via that fire, right, that ministerial fire. Alright. So the next function is clears, dampness, and heat from the lower jiao. So this function can be explained from multiple angles. Let's just first talk about the exterior pathogenic factor and how that affects the body. So the body can be affected by 6 exterior pathogenic factors, wind, cold, heat, damp, dry, and fire. So dampness can invade the body either because of a rainy damp day or or something like that.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:09:27]:
That dampness can actually combine with heat in your body and it can turn into damp heat. So how would this look in your patient? So let's think just about dampness alone first. With dampness, there's this characteristic of what? Of heaviness, fullness, stickiness. So your patient would feel heavy. They might have a full abdomen or full hypochondrium like that lateral rib cage area. They may have a sticky tongue. They may have a very slippery pulse. So in these cases in cases where the liver channel is invaded by dampness more so the lower jiao would be affected because dampness likes to settle in the lower part of the body.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:10:11]:
Because why? Because heaviness is one of its characteristics. So what does it look like? It may look like lower jaw issues, right, maybe stomach issues, but especially in the liver, genital issues. Right? Vaginal discharge, itchiness, urination issues. And if there's heat, there could be yellow vaginal discharge, smelly discharge, there could be itching, there could also be maybe some sores or or some swelling. So this video is on liver 5, and liver 5 is generally called upon whenever you have something related to the genitals. Preapism, like we talked about before, maybe itchy genitals, vaginal discharge, so on and so forth. It's because of the connection of the genitals via the law connecting and also the primary channel. So there's double the relationship, double that strength of that intervention for that specific point.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:11:12]:
Next is number 3, which is regulate menstruation. So you've learned all these functions, these liver functions, all 8 of them in theory. I'm gonna talk about the first function of the liver, which is to store the blood. So under this function of storing the blood, there's 3 sub functions. The first one is regulate blood volume. This is how much blood is out and about in your muscles, in your ligaments, in your joints. When you're awake, active, in motion, alert, interacting with the world, the liver regulates that. This also means it regulates how much blood goes back to the liver when you're resting.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:11:52]:
Right? That's that liver time. Remember the Chinese clock, the organ clock? What time is liver time? Liver time is 1 to 3 AM and that's when your body sends all the blood from your body into the liver and that's where it gets cleaned and gets restored. The next function is menstruation. The second one. Right? Regulate menstruation. The healthy function of the liver when it stores the blood appropriately, it means that the liver blood isn't gonna be deficient. The liver blood isn't excess. The liver blood isn't hot.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:12:30]:
The liver blood isn't stagnant. Right? So if the liver is healthy in its function of storing the blood, the liver blood itself won't be deficient. It won't be excess. It won't be hot. It won't be stagnant. If the liver blood is, you know, the liver and the liver blood is healthy then their menstruation is also going to be healthy and normal. And that's what's beautiful about acupuncture as an integrative medicine. We find the root cause and we treat it.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:13:01]:
Right? So with a patient's menstruation, for example, if they have scanty periods or very little bleeding or maybe even if they have no period at all. Why is that occurring? That's what we find in acupuncture. The root cause of that could be that the liver blood is deficient. Not bleeding, not enough bleeding, liver blood could be deficient, liver function could be impaired. If they have heavy flow, for example, you know, like heavy, a lot of pads throughout the day, prolonged period for a very long time, it could be that the liver blood is in excess or maybe there's even heat. Right? Because heat makes that liver blood flow a lot. So and also, heat can make their periods come early. Right? Because he makes everything, you know, move more quickly.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:13:56]:
And then if they have painful periods, maybe there's liver chi stagnation or maybe there's blood stasis and that's what's causing the painful periods. So I I think you get the picture. Normal liver function is important in gynecological health. Number 4, treats plum stone chi. So we talked about plum stone chi in the lung 7 video. And the liver can actually also be very effective in treating plum stone chi because of the channel pathway. Right? So liver can be effective because of the channel pathway. Liver starts at liver 1.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:14:33]:
It goes along the inside of your leg, along the inside of your calf first, up your inner thigh, and it circles around your genitals, Then it goes up into the organs. Right? Your stomach, your liver, gallbladder goes to your lungs. Then it goes up to the neck. Right? And then face and then before it goes all the way up to the apex of the head. So they've actually studied this. They've done studies on this one, and they came up with a couple of proposed explanations as to why there's that physical feeling of that lump in the throat, even though there's nothing there. And so the one explanation was irritation from reflux. Irritation from reflux, which is really interesting when you think about it.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:15:16]:
When you think about the emotional disturbance as the precursor, and emotional disturbance, what effect does that have on your liver function? The liver function is supposed to promote smooth flow of chi of all the organs, all directions in your whole entire body. So the liver would ensure that the stomach has a smooth flow, and it continues to flow in its natural direction, which is down. Now take a person overcome with emotion. Just overcome with emotions. Liver function is impaired. And then the stomach's normal direction of down becomes up, and then you get that reflux. So this is why acupuncture is an integrative medicine. Okay.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:16:03]:
So that does it for today's video. Again, I'm Doctor. Richard Lai. I hope you found this video helpful for you studying for your board exam or just in school learning the acupuncture points and hopefully having an moment with these videos. So if you did like this video, please give the video a like. I hope I'll see you again on next week's episode, especially if you're struggling to understand those concepts that you're taught in school. After this video, I hope you're like, oh, I get it now. Click that subscribe button so you don't miss any of the videos.
Dr. Richard Lai DPT LAc [00:16:30]:
And if you think of someone else who you know would love this video, share that video with them, or even just share this video on your social media. That would just be really helpful to the channel. Until next time, God bless and happy studying.
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