GV04 Mingmen (Life Gate)

Location

Below spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra.

Indications

Conditions for which GV04 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 GV04 does in the terms of Chinese medicine theory. These describe the point, not a condition.

Protocols using GV04

The 50 best-sourced of 173, ranked by strength of evidence. The count above is the full figure.

• Dysmenorrhea Primary – ST25, ST36, SP06, SP08, SP10, BL23, BL32, KD03, GB34, GB39, LV03, CV03, CV04, CV06, GV04 (doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(09)60035-2 ↗)
• Sneezing, Nasal Itching, Nasal Discharge Watery, Coldness Body And Limbs, Soreness Waist And Knee, Waist And Knee Weakness – LU09, LI20, BL13, BL23, GB20, GV04 (doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(09)60062-5 ↗)
• Fatigue, Insomnia, Sleep Difficulty Falling Asleep, Sleep Early Awakening, Sleep Frequent Awakening, Memory Decreased – BL11, BL13, BL23, BL52, GV04, GV14 (doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(09)60025-x ↗)
• Low Back Pain, Disability Low Back – BL23, BL25, BL40, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0000919 ↗)
• Back Low Pain, Disability Musculoskeletal – BL23, BL25, BL40, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0000919 ↗)
• Disability Low Back, Low Back Chronic Pain – ST04, ST36, SP13, SP14, BL23, BL24, BL25, BL37, BL40, GB12, GB26, GB30, GB34, GB41, GV03, GV04, GV05, GV24, GV26 (doi:10.1186/1471-2474-11-118 ↗)
• Dysmenorrhea, Menstrual Pain, Mood Changes, Cold Stagnation – LU07, ST36, SP06, BL23, KD06, CV03, CV04, CV06, GV04 (doi:10.1093/ecam/nep239 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Low Back Chronic Pain, Musculoskeletal Pain – BL23, BL24, BL25, GB30, GV03, GV04, GV05 (doi:10.1186/1745-6215-14-16 ↗)
• Enuresis Nocturnal, Bedwetting – ST36, SP04, SP06, SP12, HT07, HT09, BL23, BL28, BL32, KD03, KD05, CV02, CV03, CV06, GV04, GV15, GV20 (doi:10.1177/147323000303100611 ↗)
• Insomnia, Restless Legs Syndrome, Sleep Onset Difficulty, Sleep Maintenance Difficulty, Leg Discomfort Nocturnal – ST36, SP06, SP10, BL23, BL57, KD03, LV03, GV04 (doi:10.1155/2015/343201 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Back Low Pain, Disability Functional, Back Chronic Pain – LI04, ST36, SP06, HT03, BL23, BL30, BL58, BL60, KD07, TB05, GB41, GV04 (doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0850-7 ↗)
• Lower Back Pain – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL40, GB30, GV03, GV04, GV05 (doi:10.1155/2015/808425 ↗)
• Leg Pain, Low-back Pain, Spinal-stenosis Lumbar, Claudication Neurological – SP06, SP09, BL23, BL25, BL56, BL57, GB30, GB34, GB39, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.1155/2015/263898 ↗)
• PCOS, Infertility Anovulatory, Hyperandrogenism, Anovulation, Oligoovulation – SP06, SP10, BL17, BL26, KD03, LV03, CV03, GV04 (doi:10.1186/s13063-016-1375-4 ↗)
• Spinal Cord Injury, Bladder Dysfunction Neurogenic, Urinary Retention Chronic – CV03, CV04, CV06, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.1155/2016/9245186 ↗)
• Anxiety, Back Pain, Miscarriage Threatened, Bleeding Vaginal, Cramping Abdominal – LU07, LI11, ST36, ST37, SP01, SP04, HT07, BL20, BL23, BL57, BL62, KD06, KD09, KD21, KD27, PC06, TB04, TB05, TB06, GB30, GB34, GB41, LV02, LV03, CV04, GV04, GV20 (doi:10.1186/s12884-016-1092-8 ↗)
• Bone Pain, Back Low Pain, Osteoporosis Primary – BL20, BL23, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.12659/MSM.909725 ↗)
• Dizziness, Headache, Syncope, Menstrual Pain, Uterine Bleeding Dysfunctional, Dysmenorrhea Severe, Menstruation Irregular, Clots Menstrual – LU07, LI04, LI11, ST29, ST36, ST40, ST44, SP04, SP06, SP08, SP09, SP10, SI03, BL23, BL32, BL62, KD03, KD06, KD07, KD14, GB41, GB43, LV03, CV03, CV04, CV06, GV04, GV20, GV24 (doi:10.1136/bcr-2018-224725 ↗)
• Chronic Pain, Back Lower Pain – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL40, GB30, GV03, GV04, GV05 (doi:10.1155/2018/4510909 ↗)
• Osteoporosis, Bone Pain, Muscle Weakness, Fracture Risk – ST36, SP06, BL11, BL20, BL23, BL40, KD03, CV04, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.1155/2019/2705263 ↗)
• Proteinuria, Chronic Kidney Disease, Renal Insufficiency, Elevated Creatinine – ST36, SP06, BL20, BL23, CV04, GV04 (doi:10.1155/2020/6128673 ↗)
• Ischemic Stroke, Neurological Deficit, Paralysis Hemiplegia – GV04, GV09, GV14 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000025480 ↗)
• Motor Dysfunction, Lower Limb Pain, Paralysis Hemiplegia, Contracture Joint, Spasticity Lower Limb Post-stroke – GV03, GV04, GV08, GV11, GV14 (doi:10.1155/2021/5511031 ↗)
• Sciatica, Low Back Pain, Spondylolisthesis Lumbar Degenerative – BL23, BL40, BL54, BL57, GB30, GB31, GB34, GV02, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.1155/2022/6016542 ↗)
• Sciatica, Low Back Pain, Spondylolisthesis Lumbar Degenerative – BL40, BL57, GB30, GV02, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.1155/2022/6016542 ↗)
• Sleep Disturbance, Restless Legs Syndrome, Lower Limb Abnormal Sensation, Urge Movement Legs – ST36, SP06, SP10, BL23, BL57, KD03, LV03, GV04 (doi:10.1016/j.bj.2021.05.005 ↗)
• Bone Pain, Osteoporosis Primary, Fracture Fragility – BL23, GV04 (doi:10.1155/2022/1268876 ↗)
• Headache, Sore Throat, Joint Pain, Muscle Pain, Fatigue Chronic, Sleep Unrefreshing, Memory Impaired, Fatigue Post-exertional, Cold Intolerance, Concentration Impaired, Yang Deficiency Spleen-kidney, Lumbar Weakness – BL11, BL13, BL14, BL15, BL17, BL18, BL19, BL20, BL21, BL22, BL23, BL25, GV02, GV03, GV04, GV05, GV06, GV07, GV08, GV09, GV10, GV11, GV12, GV13, GV14 (doi:10.1186/s12967-023-04250-z ↗)
• Post-operative Pain, Anal Pain, Anxiety Post-operative, Constipation Post-operative – BL57, GV01, GV02, GV04 (doi:10.1016/j.joim.2020.08.001 ↗)
• Osteoporosis, Back Low Pain, Muscle Weakness Skeletal, Sarcopenia – BL18, BL23, BL25, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20210812 ↗)
• Urination Frequent, Painful Urination, Urination Urgent, Perineum Pain, Chronic Prostatitis, Prostatitis Chronic, Erectile Problems – ST36, CV03, CV04, GV04 (doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20210278 ↗)
• Fatigue, Anxiety, Constipation, Drooling, Parkinson's Disease, Tremor Hand, Stiffness Neck, Dry Mouth, Bradykinesia, Dysphagia, Rigidity, Tremor Limb, Stiffness Back, Cramp Foot – LI04, LI10, LI11, ST25, ST37, SP06, SP09, BL40, BL57, GB19, GB34, GB39, LV03, CV04, GV04, GV08, GV14, GV17, GV19, GV20, GV21, GV24 (doi:10.3389/fneur.2023.1330054 ↗)
• Sciatica, Low Back Pain, Disc Herniation Lumbar, Sensory Disturbance Lower Limb – BL23, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.2147/JPR.S457724 ↗)
• Insomnia, Hypertension, Alopecia, Limb Pain, Diarrhea Chronic, Spasm Muscle – BL17, BL23, BL40, BL57, BL60, GB20, GV04, GV08, GV14, GV16, GV20 (doi:10.3389/fendo.2025.1543991 ↗)
• Memory Impairment, Attention Deficit, Cognitive Impairment Vascular, Sequela Stroke – GV03, GV04, GV09, GV14, GV16, GV20, GV24 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000044257 ↗)
• Sciatica, Lumbago, Leg Pain, Lower Back Pain – BL22, BL23, BL24, BL25, BL52, GV03, GV04, GV05 (doi:10.3831/KPI.2012.15.006 ↗)
• Airway Hyperresponsiveness, Asthma Intermittent, Asthma Mild – LU01, LU05, LU07, LU09, LU11, LI04, LI06, LI20, ST13, ST25, ST36, ST40, ST44, SP03, SP06, SP09, SP10, HT03, HT05, HT07, SI03, BL13, BL17, BL18, BL20, BL21, BL23, KD03, KD06, KD08, KD27, PC06, TB05, TB15, GB03, GB34, GB40, GB41, LV02, LV03, LV08, LV13, CV04, CV06, CV09, CV17, CV21, GV04, GV13 (doi:10.1186/s13052-015-0155-1 ↗)
• Fatigue, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Headache, Insomnia, Shoulder Pain, Lumbar Pain, Cervical Pain, Limb Numbness – BL23, GB20, GB21, GV03, GV04, GV17 (doi:10.3831/KPI.2021.24.3.122 ↗)
• Opioid Dependence, Withdrawal Insomnia, Withdrawal Anxiety, Withdrawal Craving, Withdrawal Restlessness – GV04, GV09, GV10, GV11, GV14, GV20 (doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.767613 ↗)
• Arthritis Rheumatoid, Joint Pain, Stiffness Morning, Inflammation Joint – ST36, BL20, BL23, GV04, GV14 (doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.829409 ↗)
• Memory Impaired, Cognitive Impairment Mild – GV04, GV09, GV14, GV20 (doi:10.3389/fneur.2022.942682 ↗)
• Memory Impaired, Cognitive Impairment Mild – CV04, GV04 (doi:10.3389/fneur.2022.942682 ↗)
• Renal Failure Chronic, Renal Fibrosis – BL20, BL23, GV04 (doi:10.3389/fneph.2022.1006506 ↗)
• Back Pain, Lumbar Pain, Stiffness Lumbar, Back Low Pain, Low Back Chronic Pain, Disability Functional – BL20, BL23, BL25, BL40, BL60, GB30, GB34, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.1016/j.imr.2025.101180 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Transient Ischemic Attack, Stroke Prevention – GV03, GV04, GV09, GV12, GV14, GV15, GV16, GV20 (doi:10.4103/1673-5374.180735 ↗)
• Impotence, Erectile Dysfunction – LU10, SI05, KD02, LV02, LV03, LV04, GV04 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20200519-0008 ↗)

Most often selected alongside GV04

How many sourced protocols in the index pair each point with GV04. Corpus frequency, not a combination to use.

• BL23Kidney Shu Point114 protocols
• GV03Yang Lumbar Gate75 protocols
• CV04Original Qi Gate58 protocols
• ST36Leg Three Miles48 protocols
• BL20Spleen Shu Point42 protocols
• BL25Large Intestine Shu Point41 protocols
• GV14Great Vertebra40 protocols
• SP06Three Yin Intersection40 protocols
• BL40Middle Of The Crease38 protocols
• GV20100 Convergences37 protocols
• KD03Great Stream32 protocols
• GB30Jumping Circle29 protocols

Other points on the Governing Vessel