BL31 Shangliao (Upper Bone Hole)

Location

On the sacrum at the midpoint between posterior superior iliac spine and posterior midline just at the 1st posterior sacral foramen.

Indications

Conditions for which BL31 is listed as indicated. An indication list is a reference index, not a prescription – see the protocols below for sourced treatments.

TCM actions

What classical sources say BL31 does in the terms of Chinese medicine theory. These describe the point, not a condition.

Protocols using BL31

• Dysmenorrhea Primary – ST28, BL20, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, LV03 (doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(09)60035-2 ↗)
• Leg Pain, Prolapse Of The Lumbar Intervertebral Disc, Low Back Pain – BL23, BL25, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, BL40, BL54 (doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(09)60003-0 ↗)
• Back Pain, Sciatica Pain, Herniated Nucleus Pulposus – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, BL40, BL57, BL60, GB30 (doi:10.1093/ecam/nep085 ↗)
• Back Low Pain, Acute Pain, Referred Pain – LI04, BL29, BL30, BL31, BL32, BL40, BL54, BL58, BL62, KD03, GB30, LV03, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.1186/1745-6215-12-241 ↗)
• Fever, Anhidrosis – LU06, BL31 (doi:10.1155/2012/268237 ↗)
• Incontinence Urinary Stress, Incontinence Urinary Mixed, Incontinence Urinary Urgency – SP03, SP06, BL14, BL18, BL20, BL23, BL28, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, KD03, KD07, PC06, LV03, CV03, CV04, CV06, GV04, GV20 (doi:10.1136/acupmed-2015-010828 ↗)
• Urinary Retention Post-stroke, Bladder Dysfunction Incomplete Emptying – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34 (doi:10.1186/s13063-016-1315-3 ↗)
• Spinal Cord Injury, Bladder Dysfunction Neurogenic, Urinary Retention Chronic – SP06, SP09, BL23, BL28, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, CV02, CV03, CV04, CV06 (doi:10.1155/2016/9245186 ↗)
• Diarrhea, Abdominal Pain, Ulcerative Colitis, Blood In Stool – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34 (doi:10.1186/s12906-020-03101-4 ↗)
• Insufficient Lactation, Urinary Retention Postpartum, Uterine Contraction Postpartum Pain, Depression Postpartum – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, KD01, CV08 (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.13261 ↗)
• Fatigue, Nausea, Diarrhea, Waist Pain, Dysmenorrhea Primary, Menstrual Pain, Lower-abdomen Pain – SP06, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, CV04 (doi:10.1155/2022/1281336 ↗)
• Chronic Pain, Low Back Pain, Disability Low Back, Low Back Chronic Pain – SP06, BL23, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL60 (doi:10.1016/j.jams.2018.02.002 ↗)
• Depression Postpartum, Mood Disorder Postpartum, Anxiety Postpartum, Insomnia Postpartum, Postpartum Mood Changes – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, KD01, CV08 (doi:10.1159/000543477 ↗)
• Fecal Incontinence, Sleep Disturbance, Defecation Frequent, Evacuation Incomplete, Bowel Urgency – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, GV01 (doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1517325 ↗)
• Fracture Coccyx, Coccyx Pain, Subluxation Coccyx, Difficulty Sitting – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000044068 ↗)
• Urinary Incontinence Stress, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction – ST36, SP06, BL23, BL24, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, BL35, CV03, CV04 (doi:10.11817/j.issn.1672-7347.2025.240242 ↗)
• Premature Ejaculation, Sexual Dysfunction – ST36, SP12, SP13, BL23, BL27, BL28, BL29, BL30, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, BL47, KD01, KD03, CV04, CV06 (doi:10.4103/0973-6131.113408 ↗)
• Childbirth Pain, Labor Pain – LI04, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, GB30, LV03 (doi:10.2147/JPR.S46693 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Dysuria, Urinary Frequency, Urinary Urgency, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34 (doi:10.27465/d.cnki.gzzyc.2024.000579 ↗)
• Urinary Tract Infection, Urinary Retention, Neurogenic Bladder – ST36, SP06, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, BL57, KD01, CV03, CV04, CV06, CV08, GV20 (doi:10.16821/j.cnki.hsjx.2014.16.027 ↗)
• Depression Post-stroke, Urinary Retention Post-stroke – SP06, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, PC06, GV20 (doi:10.27026/d.cnki.ggszc.2023.000230 ↗)
• Urinary Incontinence Stress Postpartum – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, CV08 (doi:10.13359/j.cnki.gzxbtcm.2022.10.021 ↗)
• Urinary Incontinence Stress Postpartum – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34 (doi:10.13359/j.cnki.gzxbtcm.2022.10.021 ↗)
• Lumbar Pain, Herniation Lumbar Disc Acute, Restricted Lumbar Mobility – ST43, BL31, BL65, GB41 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20240411-0001 ↗)
• Spinal Cord Injury, Neurogenic Bladder, Urinary Dysfunction Retention – ST36, SP06, SP09, BL23, BL28, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, CV03, CV04, CV06 (doi:10.16294/j.cnki.1007-659x.2020.02.006 ↗)
• Fecal Incontinence, Bowel Dysfunction Postoperative, Bowel Urgency, Fecal Incontinence, Bowel Urgency, Bowel Dysfunction, Rectal Cancer – BL23, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, GV04 (doi:10.3389/fmed.2026.1815559 ↗)
• Urinary Retention, Spinal Cord Injury, Bladder Dysfunction Neurogenic, Spinal Cord Injury, Bladder Neurogenic – ST36, SP09, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, CV03, CV04 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20221027-k0005 ↗)
• Erectile Dysfunction – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20240924-0001 ↗)
• Incontinence Urinary Stress, Pelvic Floor Weakness – ST36, SP06, BL23, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, BL35, CV03, CV04, CV06 (doi:10.11817/j.issn.1672-7347.2025.240242 ↗)
• Low-back Pain, Radiculopathy Lumbar – BL24, BL25, BL31, GB30 (doi:10.1097/md.0000000000039720 ↗)
• Constipation Functional, Straining Defecation, Defecation Incomplete, Defecation Difficulty – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34 (doi:10.1097/md.0000000000046143 ↗)
• Bleeding Uterine, Intrauterine Residue Post-curettage – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20200716-k0003 ↗)
• Lactation Insufficiency, Urinary Retention – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, KD01, CV08 (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.13261 ↗)
• Low Back Pain, Pelvic Girdle Pain – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL27, BL28, BL31, BL32, BL54 (doi:10.1186/s40814-016-0107-6 ↗)
• Defecation Frequent, Bowel Urgency, Rectal Cancer Lower Post-operative, Fecal Incontinence – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, GV01 (doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1517325 ↗)
• Coccyx Pain, Fracture Coccyx, Coccyx Pain – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000044068 ↗)
• Urinary Incontinence, Incontinence Urinary Stress, Urinary Incontinence Stress – ST36, SP06, BL23, BL24, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, BL35, CV03, CV04 (doi:10.11817/j.issn.1672-7347.2025.240242 ↗)
• Sacroiliac Pain, Postpartum Pain – BL23, BL26, BL28, BL31, BL40, GB29 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000036858 ↗)
• Chemotherapy Side Effects, Rectal Cancer – ST40, SP03, SP04, SP06, SP09, SP10, BL23, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, PC06, TB05, LV14, CV04, CV06, CV12, GV04, XH12, XH13 (doi:10.3389/fonc.2026.1957728 ↗)
• Perioperative Pain – HT07, BL31, BL32, PC06 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2017.07.017 ↗)
• Perioperative Pain – BL31, BL32 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2017.07.017 ↗)
• Labour Prolonged, Labour Prolonged, Labour Delayed, Labour Induce – LI04, SP06, BL31, BL32, BL60, BL67, GB21, LV03, LV05 (Deadman, Al-Khafaji & Baker, A Manual of Acupuncture – point group actions)
• Heat Bladder, Damp Bladder, Heat Bladder, Damp Bladder – ST28, SP11, SP12, HT08, BL22, BL27, BL28, BL31, BL35, BL36, BL39, KD10 (Yang Yong-Xuan, clinical point-selection notes)
• 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)
• Sciatica, Intervertebral Disc Displacement, Sciatic Radiculopathy – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL31, BL32, BL54, GB30 (The Effectiveness of Doin (Conduction Exercise) of the Pelvic Joint for HLD With Radiating Leg Pain. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03571503)
• PCOS, Kidney-yang Deficiency – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34 (王任阳陈培芳夏德鹏陈燕军张雪飞高楠. 针刺结合隔姜灸八髎穴治疗肾阳虚证多囊卵巢综合征疗效观察. 亚太传统医药 ., 2023 [CNKI])

Most often selected alongside BL31

How many sourced protocols in the index pair each point with BL31. Corpus frequency, not a combination to use.

• BL32Second Bone Hole41 protocols
• BL33Middle Bone Hole35 protocols
• BL34Lower Bone Hole34 protocols
• BL23Kidney Shu Point16 protocols
• SP06Three Yin Intersection12 protocols
• CV04Original Qi Gate11 protocols
• CV03Central Pivot8 protocols
• BL24Sea Of Qi Shu Point7 protocols
• BL28Bladder Shu Point7 protocols
• CV06Sea Of Qi7 protocols
• ST36Leg Three Miles7 protocols
• BL25Large Intestine Shu Point6 protocols

Other points on the Bladder Meridian