BL16 Dushu (Governing Vessel Shu Point)

督俞dū shūDushu

Bladder Meridian

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Location of acupuncture point BL16 Dushu (Governing Vessel Shu Point)
47
Indications
12
Protocols
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Location

1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV10 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 6th thoracic vertebra.

Cautions

Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

Indications

Conditions for which BL16 is listed as indicated. An indication list is a reference index, not a prescription – see the protocols below for sourced treatments.

Boil / Furuncle WoollyBoil Furuncle WoollyStomach RumblingClove SoresCommon ColdCold PathogenCold StomachCoughQi DeficiencyDisease Heart AcuteDisease StomachEating ProblemsShortness of BreathEmaciationEnteritisFeverChest FullnessCostal Lateral FullnessHeatHeat KidneysHeaviness LimbsHemiplegiaHigh Blood PressureSpinal StiffnessImmobility SpineJaundice Five TypesNumbnessFoot NumbnessHand NumbnessLower Back PainHeadacheLimbs PainLumbar Spine PainStomach AchePapulesParalysisSpeech ImpairmentOrgans Phase StagnationStrokeWind Cold Acute SyndromeWind-cold Acute SyndromeWind Cold Interior SyndromeWind-cold Interior SyndromeVomitingHeart Zang WeaknessLimbs WeaknessWind Organs Phase

TCM actions

What classical sources say BL16 does in the terms of Chinese medicine theory. These describe the point, not a condition.

Benefit Regulate AbdomenBenefit Regulate ChestBenefit Regulate QiRegulate AbdomenRegulate ChestRegulate Qi

Protocols using BL16

  • Chronic Pain, Post-thoracotomy Pain, Acute Pain – ST36, BL12, BL13, BL14, BL15, BL16, BL17, BL18, BL19 (doi:10.1016/j.jtcvs.2008.07.053 ↗)
  • Diarrhea, Abdominal Pain, Ulcerative Colitis, Blood In Stool – ST25, ST36, SP04, BL16, BL20, BL21, BL22, BL25, KD03, CV04, GV02, GV06 (doi:10.1186/s12906-020-03101-4 ↗)
  • Dysuria, Leg Pain, Lower Back Pain, Spasticity, Balance Impaired, Lower Extremity Weakness, Gait Disturbance – LU08, ST34, ST36, ST37, SP01, SP02, SP03, SP10, HT08, BL15, BL16, BL17, BL18, BL19, KD03, KD07, LV01 (doi:10.12998/wjcc.v9.i31.9691 ↗)
  • Anxiety, Fibromyalgia, Whole-body Pain, Mood Depressive – ST25, ST27, ST36, SP04, SP06, HT07, SI03, BL16, BL18, BL19, BL20, BL21, BL23, BL62, KD03, KD06, TB05, LV03, LV08 (doi:10.7759/cureus.74385 ↗)
  • Anxiety, Fibromyalgia, Whole-body Pain, Mood Depressive – ST25, ST27, ST36, SP04, SP06, HT07, SI03, BL16, BL18, BL19, BL20, BL21, BL23, BL62, KD03, KD06, TB05, LV03, LV08 (doi:10.7759/cureus.74385 ↗)
  • Fibromyalgia Pain Musculoskeletal Diffuse – LI11, ST14, ST15, ST36, HT07, BL15, BL16, BL17, BL35, BL54, KD03, PC06, GB20, GB21, GB30, LV08 (doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(15)30037-6 ↗)
  • Post-thoracotomy Pain, Postoperative Pain – ST36, BL12, BL13, BL14, BL15, BL16, BL17, BL18, BL19 (doi:10.1186/1471-2253-6-5 ↗)
  • Angina Pectoris – BL14, BL15, BL16, CV14 (doi:10.1155/2021/7228033 ↗)
  • Pulse Thin, Pulse Weak, Tongue Coating White, Cold Limbs, Tongue Body Swollen, Stools Loose, Emaciated, Tongue Coating Thin, Weakness, Difficulty Swallowing, Achalasia, Achalasia Cardia, Vomiting, Intolerance Cold, Tongue Body Pale, Pulse Thin, Pulse Weak, Tongue Coating White, Cold Limbs, Tongue Body Swollen, Stools Loose, Tongue Coating Thin, Difficulty Swallowing, Achalasia Cardia, Intolerance Cold, Tongue Body Pale – ST36, BL16, BL20, BL21, PC06, LV14, CV12 (Acupuncture Point Prescriptions, entry ACC8)
  • Chest Pain, Chest Pain – LI04, BL13, BL14, BL15, BL16, BL17, PC04, PC06, CV17, XB02C3, XB02C4, XB02C5, XB02C6, XB02C7, XB02T1, XB02T2, XB02T3, XB02T4, XB02T5, XB02T6, XB02T7, XB02T8, XB02T9 (Deadman, Al-Khafaji & Baker, A Manual of Acupuncture – point group actions)
  • Liver Qi Stagnation, Liver Qi Stagnation – LI17, LI18, ST09, ST15, ST16, ST18, ST25, ST26, ST27, SP13, SP18, HT03, HT04, SI11, BL14, BL16, BL18, BL31, KD21, XB02T9 (Yang Yong-Xuan, clinical point-selection notes)
  • Qi Rebellious Stomach, Qi Rebellious Stomach – LI11, ST09, ST10, ST11, ST12, ST19, ST20, ST24, ST34, ST44, SP14, BL14, BL16, BL17, BL19, BL21, KD18, KD19, KD21, KD23, KD24, KD25, KD26 (Yang Yong-Xuan, clinical point-selection notes)

Most often selected alongside BL16

How many sourced protocols in the index pair each point with BL16. Corpus frequency, not a combination to use.

  • ST36Leg Three Miles8 protocols
  • BL14Absolute Yin Shu Point6 protocols
  • BL15Heart Shu Point6 protocols
  • BL17Diaphragm Shu Point6 protocols
  • BL18Liver Shu Point6 protocols
  • BL19Gallbladder Shu Point6 protocols
  • BL21Stomach Shu Point5 protocols
  • KD03Great Stream5 protocols
  • BL20Spleen Shu Point4 protocols
  • ST25Celestial Pivot4 protocols
  • BL13Lung Shu Point3 protocols
  • HT07Spirit Gate3 protocols

Other points on the Bladder Meridian

BL01BL02BL03BL04BL05BL06BL07BL08BL09BL10BL11BL12BL13BL14BL15BL17BL18BL19BL20BL21BL22BL23BL24BL25BL26BL27BL28BL29BL30BL31BL32BL33BL34BL35BL36BL37BL38BL39BL40BL41BL42BL43BL44BL45BL46BL47BL48BL49BL50BL51BL52BL53BL54BL55BL56BL57BL58BL59BL60BL61BL62BL63BL64BL65BL66BL67