Spleen Luo-Connecting Channel

Jonathan Clogstoun-Willmott

June 30, 2020

The Spleen Luo-Connecting channel is an acupuncture channel. It explains why its originating point, Spleen 4, is so important.

To find out more about this kind of channel, click on luo-connecting channels.

If you have alighted on this page and don’t know much about acupuncture, this is not the place to start! That’s because it’s a bit technical and I wrote it mainly for a few geeky patients: if others benefit, all the better!

So if you are new to all this, why not look first at a page like Qi Stagnation, which I guarantee you will have experienced!

Pathway of Spleen Luo channel

This Luo channel pathway originates at Spleen 4, Gongsun.
From there it connects to the Stomach channel, which runs from under the eye on each side down to the second and third toes on each foot.
From the foot it ascends to the abdomen and there inserts into the Stomach and Intestines.

Symptoms of Spleen Luo from antiquity

Damp: dislike of cold (and damp) conditions, fever, diarrhoea, sensation of heaviness or fullness in the abdomen;
Fullness: pain in the abdomen, can be lancinating
Rebellious or Counterflow qi in the Spleen: symptoms like food poisoning or cholera
Emptiness: drum-like distension in the abdomen
Qi Stagnation: distension in the abdomen
Blood Stasis: stools contain dark blood; pain in the abdomen

Abdomen - to which the Spleen Luo-connecting channel ascends. — Abdomen measurement – Photo by Bill Oxford on Unsplash

Comment on Spleen luo syndromes

The indications listed above come down to us from antiquity, and by no means cover all the possible Spleen Luo conditions.

For example, Phlegm is often a cause of palpable masses under the skin. It may also, or alternatively, cause numbness and tingling, showing that Qi is not moving smoothly.

Because Spleen deficiency is a cause of Phlegm, palpable masses under the skin or numb tingling anywhere may be a sign of Spleen luo-connecting channel problems, more especially if they occur along the Spleen’s channel pathway or in the main areas it reaches – in this case, the abdomen.

However, to be sure of any of the Spleen luo syndromes listed above, an acupuncturist would have to ask questions, and then inspect and palpate your skin in various places.

For example, abdominal distension occurs in several of the listed syndromes. If it were due to Qi Stagnation one would expect it to feel better for exercise, but that is definitely not usually the case if it were due to Blood Stasis.

The originating point, Spleen 4, Gongsun, has this direct connection to the abdomen and its contents. That may explain why it was found to be able to act as a Master or Opening point for Chong Mo. The secondary opening point for Chong Mo is on the Pericardium channel at Pericardium 6.

If the Chong Mo’s energy is much about the fascia or membranes that wrap, protect and hold up the contents of the abdomen, then one can see why it combines well with the Qi of the Pericardium, which wraps around the heart and with which Pericardium 6 has a direct connection.