Heart Luo-Connecting Channel Pathway

Jonathan Clogstoun-Willmott

July 1, 2020

Although it’s a secondary channel, the Heart Luo-connecting channel pathway explains why the Heart is often important when treating problems in the mouth and eyes, specifically problems associated with speech and the tongue.

Note to readers! …

This page, on one of the luo-connecting channels, is a bit abstruse if you’re a beginner. It’s not that the words are any, or at least, much, more difficult than on other pages, but this is about a subject usually taught some way into acupuncture courses.

So some of the concepts need your familiarity with other ideas in Chinese medicine.)

Actually, I did this page, and other luo-connecting channel pages, for me.

It means I can look up both the channel and its symptoms on my smartphone in case I forget them.

If it helps others, great.

For more information about this type of acupuncture channel, click on luo-connecting channels.

Heart Luo pathway

The Heart Luo pathway starts from the Heart’s Luo point, Tongli, Heart 5
It then connects with the Small Intestine primary channel
It proceeds along the Heart primary channel to the Heart organ
From there is ascends to the root of the tongue and then to the eye

Symptoms

Fullness from Qi Stagnation: a sense of distension, fullness in the chest with difficulty breathing
Blood Stasis: stabbing pains in the chest
Deficiency: aphasia = inability to communicate, usually verbally, making Heart 5, Tongli, the Heart Luo-connecting point, very useful for this condition

Comment on Heart Luo connecting channel

When there are Heart syndrome symptoms, this Heart luo connecting channel is particularly useful if there are related symptoms in the:

Tongue: such as difficulty speaking, stammering, articulating such as can arise after a stroke. Also …
Loss of speech, or the ability to communicate, and
Tongue; ulcers and …
Pain in the tongue associated with Heart syndromes
Eye problems, including visual acuity; inability to recognise; inflammation and pain; I think, also related conditions such as nstagmus but local points would also be needed, along with treatment of any other syndromes causing the condition.
Heart itself: not so much the physical symptoms as the mental or emotional symptoms related to Heart syndromes. These include depression, stress, agitation, even amounting to mania, and Heart 5, Tongli (Penetrating Inside) is good for these conditions. Heart 7, Shenmen, on the other hand, is better for the physical side of Heart syndromes.
The commonest emotions or factors that lead to use of this point for its psychological effects are severe shock, fright and agitation. But any emotion can upset the Heart and Tongli is usually the best point for treating their effects on the Heart.