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Inner Arm Discomfort

How Chinese medicine differentiates discomfort along the inner arm into the three patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Distinct from this site's Arm Pain and Shoulder Pain pages. Acupuncture only — no herbs.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment. New inner-arm pain or numbness, especially on the left side or with chest tightness, breathlessness or sweating, can be cardiac and needs urgent medical assessment.
General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for inner arm discomfort — 3 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

PointKey action
LU-5Clears Lung-Heat. Promotes the descending of Lung-Qi. Resolves Phlegm from the Lungs.
HE-7Calms the Mind and opens the Mind’s orifices. Nourishes Heart-Blood.
P-6Opens the chest and moves Qi and Blood. Calms the Mind. Moves Liver-Qi.
The Three Patterns

↑ reinforcing   ↓ reducing   ⊥ even method.

1. Lung Heat View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Stabbing pain on the front (Lung) side of the inner arm; hot palm sensation; thick yellow phlegm; sore throat; fever; thirst for cold drinks.
Tongue: Red, yellow dry coat, possibly prickly papillae at the front third. Pulse: Rapid, possibly slippery or overflowing.
Treatment principle: Clears Lung Heat, descends Lung Qi and unblocks the channel.
LU-5 ↓ LU-7 ↓ L.I.-4 ↓
Note: no moxa.

2. Heart Yin Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Dull ache or numbness on the back (Heart) side of the inner arm; night sweats; five-palm heat; mental restlessness; insomnia; vivid dreams.
Tongue: Red, especially the tip, little or no coat, possibly a midline crack. Pulse: Fine and rapid.
Treatment principle: Nourishes Heart Yin, calms the Spirit and clears Empty-Heat.
HE-7 ↑ HE-3 ⊥
Note: no moxa (Yin deficiency with heat signs).

3. Liver Qi Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Distending, bloated discomfort radiating from the ribs to the inner arm; worse with emotional stress; frequent sighing; irritability.
Tongue: Normal or slightly dark, red or purple sides, thin white coat. Pulse: Wiry.
Treatment principle: Courses the Liver, resolves constraint, moves Qi and relieves pain.
LIV-3 ↓ P-6 ↓ LIV-14 ↓
Note: no moxa.
Related conditions
Arm Pain Shoulder Pain Chest Pain

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Acupuncture-only reference — structure adapted (not text) from how other condition-lookup sites organize this kind of content. Let us know what to add or change.