LI 18 — Fú Tū (扶突) — Support the Prominence
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1. Overview
LI 18 — Fú Tū (扶突) — is an acupuncture point on the Large Intestine meridian. It is one of the most important local points in acupuncture for diseases of the throat, voice and anterior neck.
I am Dr (TCM) Attilio D’Alberto, a member of the British Acupuncture Council with over 25 years of clinical experience. I use LI 18 as part of individually tailored acupuncture prescriptions at my clinic in Wokingham, Berkshire.
2. Location
On the lateral side of the neck, level with the tip of the Adam’s apple, between the sternal and clavicular heads of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.
3. Actions
- Benefits the throat and clears the voice
- Softens hardness and reduces nodules
- Descends rebellious Lung Qi and stops cough
4. Indications
- Hoarseness and loss of voice
- Sore throat and acute pharyngitis
- Scrofula and goitre — classical indication
- Thyroid nodules (used adjunctively)
- Chronic cough with throat tickle
- Anterior neck pain
5. Needling
Perpendicular insertion 0.5–1 cun. Locate carefully between the SCM heads; avoid the carotid artery (medial). Reduce stimulation if the patient feels light-headed.
6. Clinical notes
LI 18 is one of the “windows of the sky” points used to clear obstruction from the head and neck. I combine it with CV 22 (Tiantu) and CV 23 (Lianquan) for voice disorders, and with LU 7 and LI 4 for sore throat. For thyroid presentations it is paired with ST 9.
7. Treatment at my clinic
I use LI 18 for chronic hoarseness, voice strain in teachers and singers, recurrent sore throat, anterior neck pain and thyroid nodule support. Book a consultation in Wokingham, Berkshire.
