Futu (LI18)
Futu (LI18), “Protuberance Assistant”, is a point on the Large Intestine meridian. It is point 18 of the 20 on the channel. Benefits the throat, descends rebellious Qi and restores the voice.
Location
On the neck, level with the upper border of the thyroid cartilage, between the two heads of sternocleidomastoid.
Functions according to tradition
Benefits the throat, descends rebellious Qi and restores the voice.
Traditional indications
- Loss of voice
- Cough
- Asthma
- Sore throat
- Goitre
Indications described by tradition; they do not amount to proven clinical effectiveness for each one.
What its classification means
Group of points on the neck and shoulders that, according to the classics, regulate the passage of Qi between the head and the body.
Precautions
Needle shallowly and perpendicularly: never angle towards the carotid artery.
Points on other channels with similar indications
They share several traditional indications with this point. Comparing them helps understand why one or the other is chosen.
- ST10 Shuitu (Stomach): Asthma, Cough, Goitre, Sore throat
- CV20 Huagai (Ren Mai (Conception Vessel)): Asthma, Cough, Sore throat
- CV22 Tiantu (Ren Mai (Conception Vessel)): Asthma, Cough, Loss of voice
- LU8 Jingqu (Lung): Asthma, Cough, Sore throat
- ST12 Quepen (Stomach): Asthma, Cough, Sore throat
- CV21 Xuanji (Ren Mai (Conception Vessel)): Asthma, Cough, Sore throat
Point profile
- Code
- LI18
- Pinyin name
- Fú Tū
- Characters
- 扶突
- Translation
- Protuberance Assistant
- Meridian
- Large Intestine
- Element
- Metal
- Classification
- Window of Heaven
- Topics
- Throat, Voice, Cough
Health notice. Educational and study content. It describes concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine and does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. Needling, medicinal herbs and invasive techniques must be applied by trained professionals. Safety guide.
