BL26 Guanyuanshu (Original Qi Gate Shu Point)

關元俞guān yuán shūGuanyuanshu

Bladder Meridian

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Location of acupuncture point BL26 Guanyuanshu (Original Qi Gate Shu Point)
15
Indications
63
Protocols
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Location

1.5 thumb widths lateral to the du mai at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 5th lumbar vertebra.

Cautions

Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

Indications

Conditions for which BL26 is listed as indicated. An indication list is a reference index, not a prescription – see the protocols below for sourced treatments.

Muscle WastingConstipationDistension DeficiencyDiarrheaAbdominal BloatingUrinary ProblemsBedwettingFibroids / Masses Jia Ju AbdomenFibroids Masses Jia Ju AbdomenLower Back PainWind Taxation SyndromeWind-taxation SyndromeThirsting ExcessiveFrequent UrinationBack Lumbar Weakness

TCM actions

What classical sources say BL26 does in the terms of Chinese medicine theory. These describe the point, not a condition.

Benefit Regulate Jiao LowerRegulate Jiao Lower

Protocols using BL26

The 50 best-sourced of 63, ranked by strength of evidence. The count above is the full figure.

  • Fatigue, Dizziness, Headache, Depression, Lassitude, Knee Pain, Head Vertex Pain, Dyspnea, Heaviness Lower Limbs, Lower Back Pain – LI04, ST36, SP06, HT07, BL15, BL17, BL18, BL20, BL21, BL23, BL26, KD03, PC06, GB20, LV03, CV06, CV12, GV20, GV24 (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗)
  • Low Back Pain, Pelvic Girdle Pain, Sacroiliac Pain, Symphysis Pain, Pregnancy Second Trimester, Pregnancy Third Trimester – LI04, ST36, SP12, BL26, BL32, BL33, BL54, BL60, KD11, GB30, GV20 (doi:10.1186/1472-6882-8-34 ↗)
  • Back Pain, Sciatica Pain, Herniated Nucleus Pulposus – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, BL40, BL57, BL60, GB30 (doi:10.1093/ecam/nep085 ↗)
  • Lumbar Pain, Low-back Pain – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL32, BL40, BL60, GB30, GB34 (doi:10.1155/2013/872142 ↗)
  • Tinnitus, Tinnitus Kidney-yin-deficiency – SI19, BL26, KD13, TB21, GB02 (doi:10.1186/1745-6215-15-397 ↗)
  • PCOS, Infertility Anovulatory, Hyperandrogenism, Anovulation, Oligoovulation – SP06, SP10, BL17, BL26, KD03, LV03, CV03, GV04 (doi:10.1186/s13063-016-1375-4 ↗)
  • Low Back Chronic Pain – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, BL60, GV03 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000010790 ↗)
  • Leg Pain, Lower Back Pain, Disc Herniation Lumbar – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, BL60, GB30, GV03 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000011951 ↗)
  • Radicular Pain, Low-back Pain, Paresthesia Lower-limb, Disc-herniation Lumbar – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, BL60, GB03, GV03 (doi:10.1155/2018/5871657 ↗)
  • Chronic Pain, Back Low Pain, Disability Lumbar – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, BL60, GB30, GB31, GV03 (doi:10.1186/s13063-018-3049-x ↗)
  • Low Back Pain, Paresthesia Lower Extremity, Disc Herniation Lumbar, Radiating Lower Extremity Pain, Lower Extremity Weakness – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, BL60, GB03, GV03 (doi:10.2147/JPR.S234761 ↗)
  • Back Low Chronic Pain – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, BL60, GV03 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000022526 ↗)
  • Leg Weakness, Low-back Pain, Claudication Neurogenic, Lower-extremity Pain, Stenosis Lumbar-spinal – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, BL60, GB30, GB31, GV03 (doi:10.2147/JPR.S399132 ↗)
  • Leg Weakness, Low-back Pain, Claudication Neurogenic, Lower-extremity Pain, Stenosis Lumbar-spinal – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, BL60, GB30, GB31, GV03 (doi:10.2147/JPR.S399132 ↗)
  • Leg Numbness, Lumbar Pain, Back Low Pain, Lower-limb Pain, Lower-limb Numbness, Disc-herniation Lumbar, Herniation Disc Lumbar – SP06, BL22, BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, KD03, GB30 (doi:10.12998/wjcc.v11.i10.2308 ↗)
  • Back Pain, Lumbar Pain, Low Back Pain, Back Low Pain, Disability Functional, Lumbosacral Pain – BL23, BL25, BL26, BL54 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000034407 ↗)
  • Sciatica, Lumbar Pain, Low Back Pain, Lumbar Disc Herniation, Disc-herniation Lumbar, Lower-extremity Right Pain, Leg Right Numbness, Scoliosis Lumbar – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL36, BL37, BL40, BL57, BL60, GB30 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000036684 ↗)
  • Lumbar Pain, Radiculopathy Lumbar, Herniation Disc Lumbar – BL25, BL26 (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗)
  • Radiculopathy, Lower-limb Numbness, Lower-back Pain, Radiating Lower-limb Pain, Disc-herniation Lumbar Extruded – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL27, BL28, BL29, BL30, GB30 (doi:10.3389/fneur.2024.1381292 ↗)
  • Groin Pain, Lower Back Pain, Sacroiliac Pain, Pubic Symphysis Pain, Difficulty Walking, Postpartum Symphysis Pubis Diastasis, Qi Stagnation Blood Stasis – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL27, BL28, BL29, BL30, BL53, BL54, GB27, GB28 (doi:10.21037/acr-2025-189 ↗)
  • Contracture Knee, Brachial Plexus Injury, Muscle Atrophy, Paralysis Upper Extremity, Paralysis Lower Extremity, Contracture Ankle, Contracture Shoulder, Contracture Elbow, Scoliosis, Neuromotor Impairment, Steppage Gait – LU01, LI04, LI05, LI11, LI14, ST34, ST36, ST41, SP09, SP10, SI05, SI06, SI07, SI09, BL11, BL12, BL22, BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL36, BL37, BL39, BL55, BL56, BL57, BL58, BL60, BL61, BL62, KD03, KD04, KD05, KD06, TB09, GB20, GB21, GB40 (doi:10.3831/KPI.2013.16.009 ↗)
  • Cough, Fatigue, Anxiety, Insomnia, Respiratory Dysfunction, Loss Of Appetite, Post-covid Rehabilitation – LU06, LI11, ST25, ST36, BL13, BL17, BL26, CV06, CV08, CV12, GV14 (doi:10.1016/j.imr.2020.100479 ↗)
  • Fatigue, Anxiety, Respiratory Dysfunction, Loss Of Appetite, Post-covid Rehabilitation, Digestive Weakness – LU01, ST25, ST36, SP06, BL26, PC06, CV12, CV17, GV20 (doi:10.1016/j.imr.2020.100479 ↗)
  • Fatigue, Respiratory Dysfunction, Post-covid Rehabilitation – ST36, BL24, BL26, CV12, GV14 (doi:10.1016/j.imr.2020.100479 ↗)
  • Leg Pain, Buttock Pain, Low Back Pain, Mobility Reduced, Spinal Stenosis Lumbar, Neurogenic Claudication – ST36, ST40, BL22, BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL53, BL54, GB30, GB31, GB34, LV03, GV03, GV04, GV05 (doi:10.1016/j.imr.2025.101204 ↗)
  • Leg Pain, Leg Numbness, Leg Weakness, Radiculopathy Lumbar, Lower-back Pain – BL22, BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL27, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, BL54, GB30, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.3831/KPI.2025.28.4.269 ↗)
  • Lumbar Pain, Low Back Pain – BL22, BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26 (doi:10.15294/kemas.v16i2.22650 ↗)
  • Lumbar Pain, Lumbar Disc Herniation, Sciatica Radicular – BL25, BL26, BL36, BL54, BL57, GB30, GB34 (doi:10.16448/j.cjtcm.2005.06.045 ↗)
  • Lumbar Pain, Stenosis Lumbar Spinal, Claudication Neurogenic, Lower Extremity Pain – SP06, BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL27, BL36, BL40, BL57, BL60, GB30, GB31, GB34, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.13517/j.cnki.ccm.2025.05.015 ↗)
  • Back Pain, Lumbar Stiffness, Lumbar Pain, Back Acute Pain, Low Back Acute Pain – SP06, BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.3390/healthcare11222939 ↗)
  • Pelvic Pain, Pubic Pain, Diastasis Symphysis-pubis – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, GB27, GB28 (doi:10.21037/acr-2025-189 ↗)
  • Sciatica, Leg Pain, Lower Back Pain, Sciatica Discogenic – BL25, BL26 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250402-0001 ↗)
  • Obesity Simple – BL25, BL26, BL27, BL28, BL30, KD03, KD11, KD12, KD13, KD14, KD15, TB06 (doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(08)60033-3 ↗)
  • Infertility Male, Asthenospermia – ST29, BL26, CV03, CV04, CV12, GV03 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20210927-k0003 ↗)
  • Low Back Chronic Pain – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, BL60, GV03, XB05 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000022526 ↗)
  • Low Back Pain, Stenosis Lumbar Spinal – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, BL60, GB30, GB31, GV03 (doi:10.2147/JPR.S399132 ↗)
  • Low Back Pain, Chronic Nonspecific Low-back Pain – BL23, BL25, BL26, BL54 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000034407 ↗)
  • Low Back Pain, Low Back Acute Pain – SP06, BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, XB02L3, XB02L4, XB02L5 (doi:10.3390/healthcare11222939 ↗)
  • Low Back Pain, Low Back Acute Pain – SP06, BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, GV03, GV04, XB02L3, XB02L4, XB02L5 (doi:10.3390/healthcare11222939 ↗)
  • Sciatica, Low Back Pain, Disc Herniation Lumbar – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL27, BL28, BL29, BL30, GB30 (doi:10.3389/fneur.2024.1381292 ↗)
  • Pelvic Girdle Pain – LI04, ST36, SP12, BL26, BL32, BL33, BL54, BL60, KD11, GB30, GV20 (doi:10.1186/1472-6882-8-34 ↗)
  • Low Back Pain, Pelvic Girdle Pain – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL27, BL28, BL31, BL32, BL54 (doi:10.1186/s40814-016-0107-6 ↗)
  • Leg Pain, Low Back Pain, Spinal Stenosis Lumbar Degenerative, Claudication Neurogenic – ST36, ST40, BL22, BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL53, BL54, GB30, GB31, GB34, LV03, GV03, GV04, GV05, XB02L1, XB02L2, XB02L3, XB02L4, XB02L5 (doi:10.1016/j.imr.2025.101204 ↗)
  • Pubic Symphysis Pain, Postpartum Symphysis Pubis Diastasis – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL27, BL28, BL29, BL30, BL53, BL54, GB27, GB28 (doi:10.21037/acr-2025-189 ↗)
  • Infection Urinary Recurrent – ST36, SP06, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL27, BL28, BL60, KD06, KD07, KD13, KD14, KD15, GV20, CYC11, CYC13, IAC03 (doi:10.1007/s00192-024-05872-7 ↗)
  • Lumbar Pain, Lumbar Disc Herniation – BL23, BL25, BL26, BL36, BL40, BL57, GB30, GB34, GB39, GV03 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000036425 ↗)
  • Sacroiliac Pain, Postpartum Pain – BL23, BL26, BL28, BL31, BL40, GB29 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000036858 ↗)
  • Sciatica, Lumbar Disc Herniation – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL27, BL30, BL40, GB30 (doi:10.3389/fpain.2026.1853632 ↗)
  • Low Back Chronic Pain – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, BL60, GB30, GB31, GV03, XB07 (doi:10.1186/s13063-018-3049-x ↗)
  • Leg Pain, Back Low Pain, Lumbar Disc Herniation – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL40, BL60, GB30, GV03 (doi:10.2147/JPR.S234761 ↗)

Most often selected alongside BL26

How many sourced protocols in the index pair each point with BL26. Corpus frequency, not a combination to use.

  • BL25Large Intestine Shu Point48 protocols
  • BL23Kidney Shu Point46 protocols
  • BL24Sea Of Qi Shu Point40 protocols
  • BL40Middle Of The Crease27 protocols
  • GB30Jumping Circle26 protocols
  • GV03Yang Lumbar Gate24 protocols
  • BL60Kunlun (Mountains)23 protocols
  • ST36Leg Three Miles16 protocols
  • BL54Lowermost In Order12 protocols
  • BL27Small Intestine Shu Point10 protocols
  • GB34Yang Mound Spring10 protocols
  • SP06Three Yin Intersection10 protocols

Other points on the Bladder Meridian

BL01BL02BL03BL04BL05BL06BL07BL08BL09BL10BL11BL12BL13BL14BL15BL16BL17BL18BL19BL20BL21BL22BL23BL24BL25BL27BL28BL29BL30BL31BL32BL33BL34BL35BL36BL37BL38BL39BL40BL41BL42BL43BL44BL45BL46BL47BL48BL49BL50BL51BL52BL53BL54BL55BL56BL57BL58BL59BL60BL61BL62BL63BL64BL65BL66BL67