BL43 Gaohuangshu (Vital Region Shu Point)

Location

3 thumb widths lateral to the du mai at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 4th thoracic vertebra on the spinal border of the scapula.

Cautions

Avoid deep perpendicular needling due to risk of pneumothorax.

Indications

Conditions for which BL43 is listed as indicated. An indication list is a reference index, not a prescription – see the protocols below for sourced treatments.

AsthmaBoil / Furuncle WoollyBoil Furuncle WoollyClove SoresCommon ColdConstriction OesophagusCough Coughing Blood Deficiency Spleen Deficiency Stomach DeficiencyDisease Heart AcuteDisease StomachPsychological DisorderSteaming Bone DisorderDizziness Dreaming Erectile DysfunctionErectile / Impotence ProblemsEmaciationEnteritisEyesight / Vision DizzyDizzy VisionFever Heat Hemiplegia High Blood PressureInjury Body Acute ClimateInjury Heart GriefInjury Kidneys DampInjury Kidneys FatigueInjury Liver AngerInjury Lungs Cold Food DrinkInjury Lungs Cold Food / DrinkInjury Seven InjuriesInjury Spleen - Over FullnessInjury Spleen- Over-fullnessInjury Will Fear & IndulgenceInsomniaLung Syndrome Deficiency TaxationLung Syndrome Deficiency-taxationPoor Memory Numbness Foot Numbness Hand Numbness Back Pain Lower Back Pain Headache Knee Pain Shoulder PainStomach AchePapules Paralysis PhlegmPhlegm Heat FirePhlegm-heat FirePulse / Heart Rate PoundingPulse Heart Rate PoundingOrgans Phase StagnationUndigested Food in StoolStroke Sweating Night SweatsSweating Night-timeDeficiency Taxation SyndromeDeficiency-taxation SyndromeWind Cold Acute SyndromeWind-cold Acute SyndromeWind Cold Interior SyndromeWind-cold Interior SyndromeTaxation Five TaxationsTuberculosis PulmonaryVomitingVomiting Blood WeaknessHeart Zang WeaknessLimbs WeaknessWind Organs Phase

TCM actions

What classical sources say BL43 does in the terms of Chinese medicine theory. These describe the point, not a condition.

Benefit Qi YuanBenefit Tonify LungCalm Spirit ShenNourish HeartNourish KidneysNourish LungNourish SpleenNourish StomachNourish YinTonify Lung

Protocols using BL43

Bronchial Asthma, Allergic Rhinitis, COPD, Bronchitis Chronic, Infection Respiratory Recurrent – BL13, BL15, BL17, BL23, BL43, CV17, GV14 (doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(10)60037-4 ↗)
Bronchial Asthma – BL13, BL43, CV17, CV22 (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗)
Asthma, Immune Dysregulation, Respiratory Chronic – BL13, BL43, CV14, CV22 (doi:10.1155/2015/896247 ↗)
Pneumothorax Spontaneous, Respiratory Dysfunction Postoperative, Pulmonary Infection Postoperative – BL13, BL23, BL43, CV22 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000014575 ↗)
Cancer Gastric, Cancer Advanced, Post-chemotherapy – LU10, ST16, ST36, SP18, BL21, BL23, BL43, GB42, CV12 (doi:10.1155/2020/8274021 ↗)
Nasal Congestion, Allergic Rhinitis, Sneezing, Nasal Itching, Rhinorrhea Clear – BL12, BL13, BL43 (doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29262 ↗)
COPD, Dyspnea, Exercise Capacity Reduced, Airflow Obstruction – ST40, BL13, BL20, BL23, BL43 (doi:10.1088/1742-6596/884/1/012134 ↗)
Fatigue, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – BL15, BL20, BL43 (doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.2011.06.011 ↗)
Memory Loss, Mild Cognitive Impairment Amnestic – LU07, HT07, BL15, BL43, GV20 (doi:10.19917/j.cnki.1005-0779.022173 ↗)
Forgetfulness, Memory Impairment, Mild Cognitive Impairment – LU03, LU07, HT03, HT07, BL15, BL43, KD01, KD21, GV11, GV20 (doi:10.19917/j.cnki.1005-0779.022173 ↗)
Shoulder Pain, Neck Pain, Arm Numbness, Cervical Spondylotic Radiculopathy – BL43 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2016.02.007 ↗)
Cough, Asthma, Wheezing, Bronchial Asthma – LU01, BL13, BL43, CV17, GV14 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20221003-k0001 ↗)
Cough, Asthma, Cough Chronic, Asthma Cough-variant – ST36, BL13, BL43 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20230509-0001 ↗)
Allergic Rhinitis, Sneezing, Rhinitis Allergic Perennial – ST36, BL13, BL43, GV12 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20231107-0005 ↗)
Cough, Dyspnea, Copd Stable – BL13, BL14, BL15, BL17, BL20, BL23, BL43, CV04, CV06, CV17, GV09, GV14 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20240725-0001 ↗)
Cough, Cough Chronic, Asthma Cough Variant, Cold Wind Lung – ST36, BL12, BL43, XB01A, XB01B (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250301-k0001 ↗)
Qi Blood Yin Yang Syndrome Deficiency – ST36, BL20, BL21, BL43, GB21, CV10, GV14 (doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(13)60060-6 ↗)
Cough, Dyspnea, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Copd Stable – BL13, BL43, GV14 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20190903-0002 ↗)
Allergic Rhinitis – BL13, BL20, BL23, BL43, GV14 (doi:10.1186/s12906-016-1418-0 ↗)
Cough, Asthma Cough Variant – ST36, BL12, BL43, XB01B (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250301-k0001 ↗)
Neck Pain, Stiffness Shoulder – LI16, SI14, BL10, BL43, GB21 (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0129006 ↗)
Reduced Lung Function – BL13, BL23, BL43, CV22 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000014575 ↗)
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – ST36, SP04, SP06, HT07, BL43, KD01, TB05, GV20 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250222-k0003 ↗)
Cancer Gastric Advanced – LU10, ST16, ST36, SP18, BL21, BL23, BL43, GB42, CV12, XB04 (doi:10.1155/2020/8274021 ↗)
Rhinitis Allergic Persistent – BL13, BL20, BL23, BL43, CV06, GV04, GV14, XB01B (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2017.11.011 ↗)
Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Tuberculosis Tb, Cough, Sputum White, Sputum Blood, Haemoptysis, Chest Pain, Chest Discomfort, Fever, Sweating Nighttime, Fatigue, Poor Appetite, Weight Low, Diarrhea, Anxiety, Heat Five Palm, Listlessness, Temperature 37.8, Complexion Pallor, Malar Flush, Voice Weakness, Tongue Coating Pale, Tongue Body Thin, Tongue Coating Yellow, Pulse Deep, Pulse Thin, Pulse Weak, Shortness of Breath, Lung Yin Deficiency, Spleen Weakness, Stomach Weakness, Kidney Yin Deficiency, Fire Deficiency, Heat Deficiency, Lung Weakness, Upright Zheng Qi Weakness, Benefit Regulate Qi, Phlegm, Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Tuberculosis Tb, Sputum White, Sputum Blood, Chest Pain, Discomfort Chest, Sweating Nighttime, Poor Appetite, Weight Low, Heat Five Palm, Temperature 37.8, Complexion Pallor, Malar Flush, Voice Weakness, Tongue Coating Pale, Tongue Body Thin, Tongue Coating Yellow, Pulse Deep, Pulse Thin, Pulse Weak, Lung Yin Deficiency, Spleen Weakness, Stomach Weakness, Kidney Yin Deficiency, Fire Deficiency, Heat Deficiency, Lung Weakness, Upright Zheng Qi Weakness, Benefit Regulate Qi – LU01, ST36, BL13, BL43, KD03, CV12, CV17, GV13, XH15 (Acupuncture Point Prescriptions, entry ACC1)
Psychological Restlessness Disorder, Psychological Restlessness Disorder – LI04, SP06, HT05, HT07, SI03, BL15, BL43, BL44, KD01, KD06, PC06, PC07, LV03 (Deadman, Al-Khafaji & Baker, A Manual of Acupuncture – point group actions)
Sweating Nighttime, Sweating Nighttime – LI04, HT06, SI03, BL43, KD07, GV14 (Deadman, Al-Khafaji & Baker, A Manual of Acupuncture – point group actions)
Cough, Phlegm, Bronchial Asthma, Dyspnea, Suffocation – BL13, BL20, BL23, BL43, PC06, CV04, CV08, CV17, CV22, GV14 (Wen BL, Liu BY, Peng J, Wang XF, Xiang XX, Liu XF, Hu JQ, Lu F, He LY, Zhu WZ, Fang YG, Wang Y. Clinical research of acupoint application for treatment of winterdisease in summer' used to prevent and treat bronchial asthma in children. J Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2012, 32(1): 31-39')
Epidemic Disease, Infection Prevention – ST25, ST36, BL13, BL43, CV04, CV06, CV08, CV12, CV14, GV13, GV14 (龚玉张旭东袁静云孙娇刘继鹏李音音刘鑫刘清国. 艾灸防治疫病的古代文献分析. 安徽中医药大学学报 ., 2022 [CNKI])
Fatigue, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – ST36, BL17, BL20, BL23, BL43, CV06 (钱桂凤谢韶东张云逸裴文娅张盘德. 基于数据挖掘探析《中华医典》针灸治疗慢性疲劳综合征选穴规律. 中国中医药图书情报杂志 ., 2025 [CNKI])
Leg Pain, Shoulder Pain, Neck Pain, Lumbar Pain, Yang Type Pain – SI06, BL23, BL28, BL40, BL43, BL60, PC07, GV09, GV14, GV20 (曹文忠. 提高针灸治痛疗效创新理论的探讨. 江西中医药 ., 2011 [CNKI])
Wei Syndrome Flaccid Paralysis, Muscular Atrophy – ST36, BL23, BL43, GV14 (魏子捷虎力. 基于古代文献的针灸治疗痿病选穴及配穴特点研究. 中医文献杂志 ., 2025 [CNKI])
Lumbar Pain, Postpartum Pain – LI04, LI11, ST36, HT02, BL43, GB21 (Sisman Mukerrem et al.. The Effect of Acupressure Applied in the Postpartum Weeks 1 and 4 After Cesarean Delivery on Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.. Alternative therapies in health and medicine, 2025)
Asthma, Common Cold, Excess, Wind – LU07, LI04, BL12, BL13, BL43, GV12, GV14 (sacredlotus.com ↗)
Bi Syndrome, Fever Rheumatic, Arthritis Rheumatoid, Fibrositis, Neuralgia, Gout, Shoulder Blade Pain, Bi Syndrome, Fever Rheumatic, Arthritis Rheumatoid, Shoulder Blade Pain – SI11, SI12, SI14, BL43 (sacredlotus.com ↗)
Kidney Deficiency, Deficiency, Asthma Persistent, Kidney Deficiency, Asthma Persistent – BL13, BL23, BL43, KD03, CV06, CV17, GV12 (sacredlotus.com ↗)
Lung Deficiency, Deficiency, Asthma Persistent, Lung Deficiency, Asthma Persistent – LU09, ST36, SP03, BL13, BL43, GV12 (sacredlotus.com ↗)
Phlegm, Heat, Excess, Asthma Persistent, Asthma Persistent – LU05, ST40, BL13, BL43, CV22, GV12, XB01B (sacredlotus.com ↗)

Most often selected alongside BL43

How many sourced protocols in the index pair each point with BL43. Corpus frequency, not a combination to use.

BL13Lung Shu Point21 protocols
BL23Kidney Shu Point14 protocols
ST36Leg Three Miles14 protocols
GV14Great Vertebra13 protocols
BL20Spleen Shu Point8 protocols
CV17Chest Centre7 protocols
BL15Heart Shu Point6 protocols
CV22Celestial Prominence6 protocols
CV06Sea Of Qi5 protocols
GV12Body Pillar5 protocols
BL12Wind Gate4 protocols
CV12Stomach Centre4 protocols