ACUPUNCTURE
Hou Xi: TCM Acupoint Guide
HOUXI
Name
Hou Xi (Houxi)
Location
On the ulnar border of the hand, in the substantial depression proximal to the head of the fifth metacarpal bone. Locate when a loose fist is made; the point is on the ulnar end of the distal palmar crease, proximal to the fifth metacarpalphalangeal joint.
Needling
- Perpendicular insertion 0.5 to 2 cun directed toward LI-3 Sanjian.
- Needle with the hand in a loose fist and the metacarpal bones in the same plane.
- Puncture 0.5 to 0.7 cun.
- Moxibustion is applicable.
Command Functions
- Shu-Stream point of the Small Intestine channel
- Wood point of the Small Intestine channel
- Confluent (Master) point of the Governing vessel (DU channel)
- Coupled Point of the Yangqiao channel
- Tonification point
- Vitality point
- Reunion point of the SI, LI, ST, SJ, GB, LU, REN and DU channels
Actions
- Benefits the occiput, neck and back
- Activates the channel
- Alleviates pain
- Clears Wind and Heat
- Treats malaria
- Resolves jaundice
- Clears Fire, Heat and Summerheat
- Calms the Shen
- Treats epilepsy
- Benefits the sensory orifices
- Regulates the Governing vessel (DU channel)
- Eliminates Interior Wind from the Governing vessel
- Benefits the sinews
- Benefits the joints
- Resolves Dampness
- Clears the mind
- Relaxes the Muscle channels
- Drains pathogenic influences from the Heart
- Regulates sweating
Indications
- Stiffness and pain of the neck or upper back
- Difficulty turning the neck
- One-sided headache
- Bilateral headache
- Back pain
- Shoulder pain
- Elbow and arm pain
- Contraction of the elbow
- Contraction and pain of the fingers
- Pain in all of the fingers
- Lumbar and knee pain
- Hemiplegia
- Malaria
- Night sweating
- Cold shivering
- Chills and fever
- Febrile disease with absence of sweating
- Aches down the spine and back
- Psychosis
- Intercostal neuralgia
- Eyes red and painful
- Red eyes with a veil before the eyes
- Congestion of the eyes
- Dermatosis
- Very bad digestion
- Pain in the forearm
- Sore throat
- Scabies
- Dizziness
- Conjunctivitis
- Muscular tetany
- Whiplash
- Spasms of the neck
- Hypertension
- Fullness in the chest
- Common cold
- Cold abscess
- Febrile diseases without sweating
- Vertigo
- Jaundice
- Dark, hesitant urine
- Epilepsy
- Manic-depression
- Governing vessel disorders
- Deafness
- Tinnitus
- Superficial visual obstruction
- Redness and pain of the eyes
- Swelling of the eyes with lachrymation
- Epistaxis
- Toothache
- Swelling of the throat and cheek
- Redness, swelling and pain of both cheeks
- Loss of voice following Windstroke
- Seizures
- Hysteria
- Deaf-mutism
- Problems of the conjunctiva
- Tidal fevers
- Greasy stools
- Slow recovery after shock or surgery
- Multiple sclerosis
- Paralysis
- Dry mouth
- Bi syndrome with general aches
- Occipital headache
- Pain in the neck and head
- Neck rigidity
- Keratitis
- Manic psychosis
- Depressive psychosis
- Membrane on the eye
- Lower limb neuralgia
- Hand tremor
- Skin diseases with itching
Combinations
| Points | Indications |
|---|---|
| HT-6 Yinxi | Severe night sweating |
| SI-1 Shaoze, SI-2 Qiangu | Clears both Exterior and Interior Heat from the Small Intestine channel in the head, especially the ears and eyes, and benefits the sensory orifices |
| SJ-16 Tianyou | Stiffness of the neck with inability to turn the head |
| UB-10 Tianzhu, DU-13 Taodao, UB-11 Dazhu, LU-6 Kongzui | Headache |
| SJ-5 Waiguan | Pain of the head and eyes |
| LI-10 Shousanli, LI-11 Quchi | Pain of the forearm |
| LU-5 Chize, LI-5 Jianyu, SI-8 Xiaohai, PC-5 Jianshi, PC-7 Daling, LU-10 Yuji | Contraction of the elbow |
| SI-4 Wangu, UB-12 Fengmen, GB-21 Jianjing, SJ-3 Zhongzhu, SJ-6 Zhigou, UB-40 Weizhong | Pain of the shoulder and back |
| DU-14 Dazhui, PC-5 Jianshi, LI-11 Quchi | Malaria with much Heat and little Cold |
| REN-15 Jiuwei, HT-7 Shenmen | The five types of epilepsy |
| PC-6 Neiguan, REN-15 Jiuwei, HT-7 Shenmen, SP-1 Yinbai | Epilepsy |
| UB-2 Zanzhu, SI-8 Xiaohai, DU-18 Qiangjian | Epileptic convulsions, mad walking, inability to sleep and agitation of the Heart |
| HT-7 Shenmen, ST-42 Chongyang | Sudden mania |
| PC-5 Jianshi, LI-4 Hegu | Deafness |
| SI-2 Qiangu, LI-6 Pianli | Mania, desire to ascend to high places and sing, discards clothing and runs around |
| GB-18 Chengling, GB-20 Fengchi, UB-12 Fengmen, UB-45 Yixi | Epistaxis with stifled breathing |
| PC-8 Laogong | Jaundice |
| UB-62 Shenmai | Activates the Governing vessel and can be used to affect the whole spine in both acute and chronic cases (do not use for one-sided pain); tonifies the Kidneys (primarily in men); releases ACTH and sex hormones |
| UB-62 Shenmai, LU-7 Lieque, KI-6 Zhaohai | Chronic lower back pain in women |
| DU-14 Dazhui, PC-5 Jianshi | Tertian malaria |
| UB-37 Yimen, pain points Ahshi | Lower back spasm |
| GB-30 Huantiao | Painful legs |
| LI-11 Quchi, M-HN-30 Bailiao | Tidal fevers with more chills than fever |
| LI-4 Hegu | Join to SI-3 for finger spasm |
| LI-4 Hegu or KI-7 Fuliu | Regulates sweating |
Notes
This point has a significant influence on the spine as a whole and is frequently used for pain of the upper spine and scapula as well as the lumbar spine. This point may be needled deeply towards LI-3 when all four fingers are affected. This is an important point to expel febrile disease. It is most effective in acute rather than chronic cases. Reinforce to create sweating in fever; reduce to stop night sweats. This is a first aid point for convulsions, especially Intestinal spasms with loss of consciousness.
Sources and further reading
We cite classical materia medica and modern reference works. This article is health education, not medical advice.
- Shennong Bencao Jing (The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), Han dynasty.
- Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen, 1578.
- Chinese Pharmacopoeia, current edition — identity, quality and safety monographs.
- NCCIH and WHO reference material on traditional medicine safety.
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