Location
1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV13 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 1st thoracic vertebra.
No specific contraindications.
Indications
Conditions for which BL11 is listed as indicated. An indication list is a reference index, not a prescription – see the protocols below for sourced treatments.
AgitationBenefit BonesBenefit JointsBenefit Regulate Qi LungCommon ColdCoughCough TaxationDepression ChestDisease BonePsychological Insanity DisorderDizzinessDefecation Urgent ProblemsShortness of BreathEyesight / Vision BlurredBlurred VisionFever FullnessChest FullnessHeat ChestStiff KneeNeck Nape StiffnessSpinal StiffnessStanding StiffnessStanding Collapse StiffnessTendon Ligament Contraction StiffnessImmobility KneeImmobility Neck NapeImmobility SpineImmobility StandingImmobility Standing CollapseImmobility Tendon / Ligament ContractionInjury ColdMalariaAbdominal PainBack PainLower Back PainBack Soreness PainHeadacheHeadache Bursting PainKnee PainShoulder Blade PainScapula Soreness PainPathogenic FactorsPharyngitisRebellion QiRegulate Qi LungHeaviness Head SensationShiveringMuscle SpasmsSpontaneous SweatingWind Cold SyndromeWind-cold SyndromeTetanyExterior WeaknessWind HeadWind Injury
Protocols using BL11
- Headache, Vomiting, Nausea, Migraine, Head Pain – LI04, ST08, ST36, ST40, ST44, SP06, BL02, BL10, BL11, BL60, PC06, TB05, GB02, GB08, GB14, GB34, GB41, LV02, LV03, GV18, GV23 (doi:10.1186/1745-6215-12-241 ↗)
- Headache, Muscle Pain, Fatigue Chronic, Fatigue Unexplained, Sleep Unrefreshing, Memory Impaired, Malaise Post-exertional – BL11, BL13, BL15, BL18, BL20, BL23, GB20, GV20 (doi:10.1186/1745-6215-14-147 ↗)
- Shoulder Pain, Neck Pain, Stiffness Neck – SI03, SI04, SI09, SI10, SI11, SI12, SI14, BL11, BL12, BL65, TB14, TB15, TB16, TB17, GB21 (doi:10.1136/acupmed-2013-010410 ↗)
- Neck Chronic Pain, Neck Non-specific Pain – SI12, SI14, BL11, BL12, TB15, GB21 (doi:10.1186/1745-6215-15-132 ↗)
- Neck Pain, Radiating Arm Pain, Disc Herniation Cervical, Radiculopathy Cervical – LI04, SI03, BL10, BL11, BL12, TB03, TB10, GB20, GB21, GV16 (doi:10.3831/KPI.2012.15.2.036 ↗)
- Joint Pain, Muscle Pain, Fatigue Chronic, Sleep Unrefreshing, Fatigue Post-exertional – BL11, BL13, BL15, BL18, BL20, BL23, GB20, GV20 (doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0857-0 ↗)
- Osteoporosis, Bone Pain, Muscle Weakness, Fracture Risk – ST36, SP06, BL11, BL20, BL23, BL40, KD03, CV04, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.1155/2019/2705263 ↗)
- 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 ↗)
- Chronic Pain, Neck Chronic Pain, Disability Cervical, Neck Pain – LI16, SI14, SI15, BL11, TB15 (doi:10.1111/cns.14335 ↗)
- Neck Pain, Disability Neck, Spondylosis Cervical, Radiculopathy Cervical, Cervical Spondylotic Radiculopathy, Calcification Nuchal Ligament – LI04, LI10, LI11, SI11, SI15, BL10, BL11, TB05, GB20, GB21 (doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20210531 ↗)
- Neck Pain, Cervicalgia – SI12, SI14, BL11, BL12, TB15, GB21 (doi:10.1186/s12906-025-04891-1 ↗)
- Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Inflammation Joint – ST35, ST36, BL11, KD01, GB39 (doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20221256 ↗)
- 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 ↗)
- Neck Pain, Stiffness Neck, Limited Range Of Motion Neck – LI04, LI05, LI17, LI18, SI03, SI14, SI15, SI16, BL10, BL11, BL60, TB03, TB10, TB16, GB20, GB21, GB39, GV14, GV16 (doi:10.1016/j.imr.2018.01.002 ↗)
- Hypertension, Cervical Pain, Spondylosis Cervical, Radiculopathy Arm – LI04, LI16, BL11, GB20, GB21 (doi:10.21275/sr24414084954 ↗)
- Shoulder Pain, Neck Pain, Radiculopathy Cervical, Upper Limb Numbness, Cervical Spondylotic Radiculopathy – LU07, LI04, LI10, LI11, LI15, SI03, SI09, SI11, SI14, SI15, BL10, BL11, TB05, GB20, GB21, GV14, GV16, GV20 (doi:10.19288/j.cnki.issn.1000-2723.2019.05.009 ↗)
- Asthma, Wheezing – LU01, LI04, BL11, BL13, GV14 (doi:10.16305/j.1007-1334.2021.2005036 ↗)
- Headache Occipital, Neuralgia Occipital, Occipital Pain – LU06, SI03, BL10, BL11, GV13 (doi:10.1186/s12906-020-02955-y ↗)
- Insomnia, Ulcer, Chronic Wound – SP06, BL11, BL30, BL41, BL53, BL54, GB39, CV08, GV03, GV14 (doi:10.12659/MSM.951574 ↗)
- Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee – ST35, ST36, BL11, KD01, GB39, XL05A, XL05B (doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20221256 ↗)
- Fever, Poor Appetite, Tongue Coating Yellow, Urine Scanty, Urine Red, Temperature 40, Tongue Body Red, Pulse Full, Common Cold, Common Cold, Autumn Warmth Syndrome, Flu Symptoms, Headache, Aching, Weakness, Soreness Head, Soreness Body, Soreness Throat, Constipation, Tongue Coating Thick, Pulse Tight, Heat External, Heat, Release Exterior, Poor Appetite, Tongue Coating Yellow, Urine Scanty, Urine Red, Temperature 40, Tongue Body Red, Pulse Full, Common Cold, Autumn Warmth Syndrome, Flu Symptoms, Soreness Head, Soreness Body, Soreness Throat, Tongue Coating Thick, Pulse Tight, Heat External, Release Exterior – LI04, ST08, ST36, SP06, BL11, BL17, BL23, GB20, GB34, GB39, CV06, CV12, CV17, GV14, GV16, GV20, XH01A, XH01B, XH01C, XH01D, XH03, XH05 (Acupuncture Point Prescriptions, entry ACC5)
- Kidney Jing Deficiency, Kidney Jing Deficiency – SP06, BL11, BL23, BL52, KD03, GB39, CV04, GV04, GV16 (Deadman, Al-Khafaji & Baker, A Manual of Acupuncture – point group actions)
- Heat Lung, Wind Lung, Heat Lung, Wind Lung – LU03, LU06, LU07, LU08, LU10, LU11, LI04, LI19, SI07, SI08, SI09, SI10, SI18, BL02, BL04, BL05, BL06, BL07, BL11 (Yang Yong-Xuan, clinical point-selection notes)
- Fatigue, Insomnia, Sleep Difficulty Falling Asleep, Sleep Early Awakening, Sleep Frequent Awakening, Memory Decreased – BL11, BL13, BL23, BL52, GV04, GV14 (HUANG Li-sha, WANG Dan-lin, WANG Cheng-wei, HU You-ping, ZHOU Jian-wei, LI Ning. The Needle-Rolling Therapy for Treatment of Non-organic Chronic Insomnia in 90 Cases. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2009, 29(1): 19-22)
- Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal – ST36, SP06, BL11, BL18, BL20, BL23, GB25, GB34, GB39, CV04, GV04 (Effect of Laser Acupuncture on Forearm Bone Mineral Density and Wrist Pain in Osteoporotic Postmenopausal Women. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05559619)
- Rheumatoid Arthritis – LI11, ST36, SP09, SP10, BL11, BL20, BL23, KD03, TB05, GB34, GV14 (Acupuncture Study on Rheumatoid Arthritis, Monitoring Microbiome and Blood. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01619176)
- Neck Pain, Upper Extremity Numbness, Cervical Radiculopathy – LU07, LI04, LI10, LI11, LI15, SI03, SI09, SI11, SI14, SI15, BL10, BL11, TB05, GB20, GB21, GV14, GV16, GV20 (李具宝高焕焕池细绿何瑞建韦佳佳李骥征杨晨旭周柏健马献伟王鼎彭文潘侯刚蒯永丽韦佳佳高焕焕张伟强. 近10年文献中针灸治疗神经根型颈椎病的选穴规律探讨. , [CNKI])
- Neck Pain, Radiculopathy Cervical, Cervical Spondylotic Radiculopathy – BL11 (陈维. 穴位埋线疗法治疗神经根型颈椎病临床疗效研究. , [CNKI])
- Fever, Common Cold, Headache, Aching, Weakness, Constipation, Heat, Poor Appetite, Tongue Coating Yellow, Urine Scanty, Urine Red, Temperature 40, Tongue Body Red, Pulse Full, Common Cold, Autumn Warmth Syndrome, Flu Symptoms, Soreness Head, Soreness Body, Soreness Throat, Tongue Coating Thick, Pulse Tight, Heat External, Release Exterior – LI04, ST08, ST36, SP06, BL11, BL17, BL23, GB20, GB34, GB39, CV06, CV12, CV17, GV14, GV16, GV20, XH01A, XH01B, XH01C, XH01D, XH03, XH05 (Acupuncture Point Prescriptions, entry ACC5)
- Psychological Trauma Post-disaster Depression Insomnia – BL11, BL23, BL30, GB31, GV02, GV14 (HAN Pei-yu, CAO Zheng-zhong, WANG Ru-fang, XU Zhong-huan (Supervisor). The Common Mental Problems after Calamity and the TCM Characteristic Treatment of Psychological Intervention. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, June 2010, 30(2): 93-97.)
- Dementia Senile – BL11, BL23, GV14 (CHENG Hai-ying, CHENG Dong-qi. Progress in Research on Acupuncture Treatment of Senile Dementia. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2009, 29(3): 224-233.)
- Bi Syndrome, Bi Bone, Soreness, Heaviness, Joint Pain, Bi Syndrome, Bi Bone, Joint Pain – BL11, GB39 (sacredlotus.com ↗)
Most often selected alongside BL11
How many sourced protocols in the index pair each point with BL11. Corpus frequency, not a combination to use.
- BL23Kidney Shu Point13 protocols
- GV14Great Vertebra12 protocols
- LI04Junction Valley12 protocols
- GB20Wind Pool11 protocols
- GB21Shoulder Well10 protocols
- GB39Suspended Bell9 protocols
- ST36Leg Three Miles9 protocols
- BL10Celestial Pillar7 protocols
- GV16Wind Mansion7 protocols
- SI14Outer Shoulder Point7 protocols
- SP06Three Yin Intersection7 protocols
- BL20Spleen Shu Point6 protocols
