The bright Yang point of the wrist. Yangxi (LI-5) clears Heat, settles the mind and relieves pain along the Large Intestine channel — from toothache and headache to wrist trouble and ringing ears. It is the channel's own Fire point, and when Yang Heat rises and flares, this is a key place to cool it down.
Contraindications
The radial artery and its branches pass near this point. Care should be taken to avoid the artery when needling. Otherwise the point is generally safe when needled to the recommended shallow depth with clean technique.
Name & story
The name 阳溪 Yangxi means "Yang Stream" or "Stream on the Sunny Side". Picture a small mountain stream running along the bright, sun-facing slope — full of movement and energy, always flowing. The Yang here refers both to the Yang nature of the Large Intestine channel and to the back (dorsal) side of the wrist, which faces upward toward the light. The Xi (溪), or stream, describes the channel's Qi flowing through the natural hollow that forms at the wrist when the thumb is raised — like a rivulet running through a little valley between the tendons. It is a vivid image: Qi rippling brightly through the sunlit side of the wrist.
Point family & character
Yangxi (LI-5) belongs to the Large Intestine Meridian (LI). In its classical character it is the Jing-River point of the channel, and as such it is also the Fire point of the Large Intestine Meridian (LI) — which is itself a Metal channel. Jing-River points are associated with the movement of Qi that has gathered strength, like a river gaining volume; they are classically indicated for cough, asthma and conditions affecting the voice, and are especially effective for clearing Heat and treating disorders along the course of the channel.
Five-element dynamics
The Large Intestine Meridian (LI) belongs to the Metal element. Yangxi (LI-5) is its Fire point — so here Fire meets Metal, which in Five-Element thinking means the point has a special capacity to clear excess and Heat from the channel. Fire can both refine and harm Metal; when pathological Heat rises up the channel — causing toothache, swollen gums, eye redness, or a racing, restless mind — Yangxi is used to vent that Heat and restore order. This Fire-within-Metal quality gives the point a dual nature: energising and clearing at the same time.
Location
On the radial (thumb) side of the wrist, in the centre of the depression known as the anatomical snuffbox. Ask the patient to raise or extend the thumb — a clear hollow appears between the two tendons at the base of the thumb. Yangxi (LI-5) sits right there, at the level of the wrist joint. It is easy to feel: press gently into that little valley and the patient will usually notice a distinct sensitivity.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies in the anatomical snuffbox — the small hollow formed on the radial (thumb) side of the wrist when the thumb is extended. It sits between the tendons of the extensor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis muscles. The radial artery and its branches pass close by in this region.
The golden tip
To find the point yourself: extend your thumb upward and look at the back of your wrist — a small hollow appears between two tendons at the thumb's base. That is Yangxi (LI-5). For mild wrist soreness or a nagging toothache, press into this hollow with the opposite thumb and hold for one to two minutes. The pressure should feel firm but comfortable. For wrist stiffness or local aching, a warm pack over the snuffbox area can also help ease tension in the tendons.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.