Location

on the dorsum of the hand, between the first and second metacarpal bones, at the midpoint of the second metacarpal bone and close to its radial border.

Needling

perpendicular insertion 0.5 - 1.0 inch.

Moxa is OK

Contraindicated during pregnancy as activation of this point may cause miscarriage.

Actions

Regulates defensive Qi and adjusts sweating
Expels Wind and releases the exterior
Regulates the face, eyes, nose, mouth and ears
Activates the channel and alleviates pain
Induces labour
Restores Yang

Indications

Headache, pain in the neck, pain or selling in the eye, nosebleed, nasal obstruction, toothache, any kind of facial pain or paralysis, as well as abdominal pain, diarhea or constipation, delayed or difficult labour, pain, weakness or immobility in the upper limbs.

Commentary:

Hegu is one of the most commonly used of all Acupuncture points and has a wide range of uses. It is especially useful for all kinds of pain in the face, including eyes, ears, and nose.

Combined with Taichong (Liver 3) it is useful for generalized pain of the entire body. This particular combination is best known as "The Four Gates."

Hegu is a primary point used in Acupuncture anaesthesia.

Combined with Quchi (LI 11) it is used to reduce high fever of any cause.

Hegu induces Labour and so is used in difficult deliveries, and even to expel dead fetuses. For this reason Hegu is strongly contraindicated during pregnancy.

Hegu has such a strong action on removing obstructions in the Qi flow which cause stiffness and pain, airlines are advising passengers on long flights to massage this point to ease the effects of jet lag.

Finally, Hegu has the action of either inducing or stopping sweating makes it a most useful tool for treating colds, flu, and other such ambient infections at any point in the cycle. Either to induce sweating at the beginning of the cycle, which is the classic treatment for expelling an invading pathogenic factor, or later on in the cycle when the pathogen has penetrated to the interior and the sweating itself no longer serves to expel the factor and becomes pathogological itself.