（肋者，胁之骨，胁总而肋分也。旧云无骨曰胁者，大误也）统属足厥阴肝经（《灵枢》
曰∶足厥阴之脉，贯膈布胁肋。又曰∶广胸及 者肝高，合胁兔 者肝下；胸胁好者肝坚，胁骨弱者肝脆；膺
腹好相得者肝端正，肋骨偏举者肝偏倾也。又曰∶邪在肝，则两胁中痛。《素问》曰∶其脏肝，其病内舍 胁。
又曰∶青脉之至也，长而左右弹，有积气在心下支 ，名曰肝痹。得之寒湿，与疝同法，腰痛、足清、头痛。
又曰∶肝病头目眩，呕泄，胁支满。又曰∶肝脉搏坚而长，色不青，当病若搏。因血在胁下，令人喘逆。朱丹
溪曰∶胁痛，肝火盛，木气实。肝火盛，以姜汁下当归龙荟丸以泻之；木气实，以川芎、苍
术、青皮、当归之类泄之。又曰∶去滞气，用青皮，青皮乃肝胆二经之药。人多怒，胁下有郁积，固宜以此解
二经之实。若二经气不足者，当先补血，少加青皮可也。戴复庵曰∶胁痛别无杂症，在左为肝经受病，宜用川
芎、枳壳、甘草；在右为肝移热于肺，宜用姜黄、枳壳、桂心、甘草）。又属足少阳胆经（《灵枢》曰∶足少
阳之脉，其支者循胁里出气街。是动则病胁痛，不能转侧。《素问》曰∶邪客于足少阳之络，令人胁痛不能息，
咳而汗出。又曰∶少阳有余，病筋痹胁满。又曰∶伤寒三日，少阳受之，其脉循胁络于耳，故胸胁痛而耳聋。
李东垣曰∶两胁痛，刺少阳丘墟。丘墟穴在两足外踝下，微前骨缝陷中，乃足少阳经之原穴也）。兼属足太阴
脾经、太阳膀胱经（《灵枢》曰∶足太阴之筋，循腹里，结于肋，散于胸中，其病两胁痛引膺中。沈承之曰∶
胁前属足少阳胆经，胁后属足太阳膀胱经）。
（肋骨，是胁部的骨骼，胁部是总称而肋部是分部。旧说认为没有骨头的地方叫胁，这是很大的错误。）胁肋部位主要归属于足厥阴肝经（《灵枢》说：足厥阴肝经的经脉，穿过膈肌，分布于胁肋。又说：胸部宽阔且肋骨上翘的是肝位偏高，肋骨收敛且肋骨下缘内陷的是肝位偏低；胸胁形态匀称的是肝脏坚实，肋骨软弱的是肝脏脆弱；胸腹比例协调的是肝脏位置端正，肋骨偏斜上举的是肝脏位置倾斜。又说：邪气侵犯肝脏，会导致两侧胁肋中间疼痛。《素问》说：病位在肝脏，其病症内部留滞于胁肋。又说：青色脉象到来时，脉形长且左右搏动有力，心下有积气支撑着肋骨，名为肝痹。这是由于感受寒湿所致，治疗方法与疝病相同，症状包括腰痛、脚冷、头痛。又说：肝病会导致头晕目眩、呕吐泄泻、胁肋胀满。又说：肝脉搏动坚实而长，面色却不发青，应当诊断为类似被击打的损伤。因为血液瘀滞在胁下，会导致人喘息气逆。朱丹溪说：胁痛，是因为肝火旺盛，木气实盛。肝火旺盛，用姜汁送服当归龙荟丸来泻火；木气实盛，用川芎、苍术、青皮、当归之类的药物来疏泄。又说：去除滞气，使用青皮，青皮是肝胆二经的药物。人容易发怒，胁下有郁结积聚，本来就应该用此药来解除这两经的实证。如果这两经气虚不足，应当先补血，少量加入青皮即可。戴复庵说：胁痛如果没有其他杂症，左侧疼痛是肝经受病，适宜用川芎、枳壳、甘草；右侧疼痛是肝将热邪转移给肺，适宜用姜黄、枳壳、桂心、甘草）。胁肋部位又归属于足少阳胆经（《灵枢》说：足少阳胆经的支脉，沿着胁肋内部，出于气街。经脉发生变动就会生病，表现为胁痛，身体不能转动侧身。《素问》说：邪气客居在足少阳胆经的络脉，使人胁痛不能呼吸，咳嗽并出汗。又说：少阳经气有余，会导致筋痹和胁肋胀满。又说：伤寒病三天，少阳经受邪，其经脉循行经过胁肋联络耳朵，所以出现胸胁疼痛和耳聋。李东垣说：两胁疼痛，针刺少阳经的丘墟穴。丘墟穴位于两足外踝下方，略微向前方的骨缝凹陷处，是足少阳胆经的原穴）。同时也兼属足太阴脾经和足太阳膀胱经（《灵枢》说：足太阴脾经的筋脉，循行于腹部内部，结聚于肋骨，散布于胸中，其病症表现为两侧胁痛牵引至胸中。沈承之说：胁前部位属于足少阳胆经，胁后部位属于足太阳膀胱经）。
(Ribs are the bones of the hypochondrium; "hypochondrium" (Xie) is the general term, while "ribs" (Lei) refers to the specific parts. The old saying that areas without bones are called hypochondrium is a major error.) The hypochondriac region primarily belongs to the Foot-Jueyin Liver Meridian (Jueyin Liver Channel of Foot-Shaoyin). *Ling Shu* states: "The meridian of the Foot-Jueyin penetrates the diaphragm and spreads over the hypochondrium." It also states: "Broad chest and elevated ribs indicate a high liver position; converging ribs and sunken lower rib margins indicate a low liver position; well-proportioned chest and hypochondrium indicate a firm liver; weak ribs indicate a fragile liver; harmonious relationship between chest and abdomen indicates an upright liver; obliquely elevated ribs indicate a tilted liver." Furthermore: "When pathogenic factors affect the Liver, pain occurs in the middle of both hypochondria." *Su Wen* states: "When the disease resides in the Liver, it internally lodges in the hypochondrium." It also states: "When the green pulse arrives, long and pulsating on both sides, with stagnant Qi supporting beneath the heart, it is named Liver Bi (Liver Impediment). Caused by Cold-Dampness, it follows the same treatment principles as Hernia, presenting with lower back pain, cold feet, and headache." Additionally: "Liver diseases cause dizziness and vertigo of the head and eyes, vomiting, diarrhea, and fullness/distension in the hypochondrium." Also: "If the Liver pulse is firm and long, but the complexion is not green, the condition should be diagnosed as resembling trauma from beating. This is due to blood stasis under the hypochondrium, causing panting and rebellious Qi." Zhu Danxi stated: "Hypochondriac pain is caused by excessive Liver Fire and excess Wood Qi. For excessive Liver Fire, administer Danggui Longhui Wan (Angelica Sinensis and Scutellaria Barbadensis Pill) with ginger juice to purge it; for excess Wood Qi, use herbs such as Chuanxiong Rhizome (Chuanxiong), Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome (Cangzhu), Tangerine Peel (Qingpi), and Angelica Sinensis Root (Danggui) to drain it." He further stated: "To remove stagnant Qi, use Qingpi (Tangerine Peel), which is a herb for the Liver and Gallbladder meridians. People prone to anger often have stagnation and accumulation in the hypochondrium; thus, this herb is suitable for resolving excess in these two meridians. If there is Qi deficiency in these two meridians, one should first tonify Blood, adding a small amount of Qingpi." Dai Fu'an stated: "For hypochondriac pain without other mixed symptoms, left-sided pain indicates disease in the Liver Meridian, treated with Chuanxiong Rhizome (Chuanxiong), Aurantium Fruit (Zhike), and Licorice Root (Gancao); right-sided pain indicates Heat transferred from the Liver to the Lung, treated with Turmeric Rhizome (Jianghuang), Aurantium Fruit (Zhike), Cinnamon Twig (Guixin), and Licorice Root (Gancao)."
The hypochondriac region also belongs to the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian (Shaoyang Gallbladder Channel of Foot-Shaoyang). *Ling Shu* states: "The branch of the Foot-Shaoyang meridian runs inside the hypochondrium and emerges at the Qichong point. When the meridian is disturbed, it causes hypochondriac pain and inability to turn or lie sideways." *Su Wen* states: "When pathogenic factors lodge in the collateral of the Foot-Shaoyang, they cause hypochondriac pain, difficulty breathing, coughing, and sweating." It also states: "Excess in Shaoyang leads to Jin Bi (Sinew Impediment) and hypochondriac fullness." Furthermore: "In San-Yang stage of Cold Damage, if Shaoyang is affected, its meridian connects the hypochondrium and ears, resulting in chest-hypochondriac pain and deafness." Li Dongyuan stated: "For bilateral hypochondriac pain, puncture Qiuxu (GB40) of the Shaoyang meridian. Qiuxu is located in the depression slightly anterior to the bone crease below the lateral malleolus of both feet, which is the Yuan-Source point of the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian."
It also concurrently belongs to the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Meridian (Taiyin Spleen Channel of Foot-Taiyin) and the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian (Taiyang Bladder Channel of Foot-Taiyang). *Ling Shu* states: "The sinews of the Foot-Taiyin run inside the abdomen, knot at the ribs, and scatter in the chest; their pathology presents as bilateral hypochondriac pain radiating to the chest." Shen Chengzhi stated: "The anterior part of the hypochondrium belongs to the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, and the posterior part belongs to the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Meridian."