BL18 Ganyu (Liver Shu Point)

Location

1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV08 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 9th thoracic vertebra.

Indications

Conditions for which BL18 is listed as indicated. An indication list is a reference index, not a prescription – see the protocols below for sourced treatments.

Protocols using BL18

The 50 best-sourced of 228, ranked by strength of evidence. The count above is the full figure.

• Immune Deficiency, Immune Dysregulation – ST36, BL18, BL20, BL23 (doi:10.1093/ecam/nel107 ↗)
• Chronic Pain, Post-thoracotomy Pain, Acute Pain – ST36, BL12, BL13, BL14, BL15, BL16, BL17, BL18, BL19 (doi:10.1016/j.jtcvs.2008.07.053 ↗)
• Glaucoma Open-angle, Intraocular Pressure Elevated, Retrobulbar Circulation Impaired – ST02, ST36, SP06, BL02, BL18, BL23, KD03, GB20, LV03 (doi:10.1155/2011/157090 ↗)
• Fatigue, Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Fibromyalgia, Widespread Pain – LI04, SP06, BL18, BL20, PC06, GB34, LV03 (doi:10.1186/1745-6215-12-59 ↗)
• Dysmenorrhea, Kidney Deficiency, Liver Deficiency, Menstrual Pain, Mood Changes – ST36, SP06, BL17, BL18, BL23, KD03, CV04, CV06 (doi:10.1093/ecam/nep239 ↗)
• Hot Flashes, Vasomotor Symptoms, Menopause Perimenopause, Menopause Postmenopause – LI04, LI11, ST36, SP06, HT07, BL15, BL18, BL20, BL23, KD03, PC06, GB34, LV03, CV06, CV17, GV14, GV20 (doi:10.1097/gme.0b013e31821f9171 ↗)
• Glaucoma Open-angle, Circulation Retrobulbar Impaired – ST02, ST36, SP06, BL02, BL18, BL23, KD03, GB20, LV03 (doi:10.1155/2012/513638 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Cancer Pain, Cancer Liver – BL18, BL19, LV14 (doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(13)60121-1 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Tic Disorder Motor, Tic Disorder Vocal, Tourette Syndrome – BL15, BL18, BL23, GB20, GV16, GV20 (doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0873-0 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Hyperglycemia, Prediabetes, Impaired Glucose Tolerance – LI04, ST36, ST37, ST39, ST40, SP06, SP09, BL18, BL20, BL21, LV03, LV13, LV14, CV12, GV09 (doi:10.1186/s13063-017-2014-4 ↗)
• Hyperlipidemia, Elevated Ldl-c, Elevated Tc, Elevated Tg – ST25, ST40, BL15, BL18, BL20, BL23, CV14 (doi:10.1186/s13063-017-2029-x ↗)
• Fatigue, Loss of Appetite, Low-back Pain, Cough Chronic Intractable, Throat Dry, Lupus Nephropathy – LU07, LI04, LI20, ST21, ST25, ST36, ST40, ST41, SP04, SP06, SI03, BL13, BL18, BL23, BL62, KD03, KD06, PC06, TB05, GB41, LV03, CV04, CV06, CV22, GV01, GV08, GV14, GV24 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000009309 ↗)
• Anxiety, Bloating, Abdominal Pain, Premenstrual Syndrome, Mood Irritability, Breast Tenderness, Depression Premenstrual – LI04, SP06, BL18, PC06, LV03, CV04, CV06, CV17, GV20 (doi:10.1155/2019/6246285 ↗)
• Copd, Reduced Quality Of Life – BL13, BL15, BL18, BL20, BL23 (doi:10.1186/s12906-020-02899-3 ↗)
• Diarrhea, Abdominal Pain, Ulcerative Colitis, Blood In Stool – ST25, ST36, SP06, BL18, BL20, BL23, GV01 (doi:10.1186/s12906-020-03101-4 ↗)
• Anxiety, Insomnia, Lethargy, Diarrhea, Psychomotor Retardation, Depression Bipolar, Malaise General – LI04, ST25, ST27, ST36, SP06, BL15, BL18, BL20, PC06, GB20, GB21, LV03, CV04, GV20 (doi:10.1177/1179547620967379 ↗)
• Vomiting, Nausea, Abdominal Pain, Abdominal Bloating, Postprandial Fullness, Satiety Early, Gastroparesis Diabetic, Loss Of Appetite – ST21, ST25, ST36, SP06, BL18, BL20, BL21, BL23, PC06, CV12 (doi:10.1155/2021/6649331 ↗)
• Anxiety, Stool Loose, Menstruation Irregular, Vision Visual Field Defect, Vision Blind Spot, Neck Myofascial Pain – LI04, LI10, ST36, SP03, SP06, SP09, SP10, HT08, SI03, SI13, BL10, BL18, BL20, BL22, BL23, BL65, PC06, PC07, GB20, GB21, GB34, LV03, GV14, GV20, MS14 (doi:10.1177/21649561211021081 ↗)
• Cognitive Impairment Memory, Mild Cognitive Impairment Amnestic – BL18, BL23, GV14, GV20 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000027686 ↗)
• Dysuria, Leg Pain, Lower Back Pain, Spasticity, Balance Impaired, Lower Extremity Weakness, Gait Disturbance – LU08, ST34, ST36, ST37, SP01, SP02, SP03, SP10, HT08, BL15, BL16, BL17, BL18, BL19, KD03, KD07, LV01 (doi:10.12998/wjcc.v9.i31.9691 ↗)
• Fatigue, Depression, Insomnia, Poor Appetite, Lower Limb Weakness, Upper Limb Weakness, Muscle Atrophy Progressive, Paralysis Motor Neuron – LI04, LI10, LI11, LI15, ST32, ST36, ST41, SP06, BL18, BL20, BL23, KD03, PC06, TB05, GB20, GB34, CV04, CV06, CV12, CV23, GV14, GV20 (doi:10.1155/2022/6541600 ↗)
• Sleep Disturbance, Restless Legs Syndrome, Lower Limb Abnormal Sensation – ST34, ST36, SP05, SP06, SP10, BL18, BL23, BL56, BL57, BL64, KD03, GB34, GB39 (doi:10.1016/j.bj.2021.05.005 ↗)
• Breast Pain, Mastalgia Cyclic, Breast Pain Premenstrual, Mammary Gland Hyperplasia – LI04, ST15, ST18, SP06, SI11, BL17, BL18, LV03, CV17 (doi:10.1186/s12906-022-03779-8 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Spasticity, Cerebral Palsy Spastic, Motor Impairment Gross Motor, Movement Disorder Posture – SP03, SP06, BL18, BL20, GB34, LV03 (doi:10.2147/NDT.S424102 ↗)
• Epilepsy Drug-resistant, Seizures Focal, Seizures Tonic-clonic – ST40, BL15, BL18, GB34, GV14, GV20 (doi:10.1155/2023/5871991 ↗)
• Osteoporosis, Back Low Pain, Muscle Weakness Skeletal, Sarcopenia – BL18, BL23, BL25, GV03, GV04 (doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20210812 ↗)
• Lumbar Pain, Low Back Pain, Lumbar Disc Herniation, Disc Herniation Lumbar, Restricted Range Of Motion Lumbar – ST25, BL18, BL23, GB34, GV14 (doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20210951 ↗)
• Pelvic Pain, Anorectal Pain, Defecation Disorder, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction – BL18, BL23, BL25, BL33, BL34 (doi:10.5152/tjg.2024.22516 ↗)
• Constipation, Nausea, Liver Pain, Cancer Pain – LI04, ST36, BL17, BL18, PC06, LV03, LV13, LV14 (doi:10.2147/JPR.S456874 ↗)
• Fatigue, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Depression, Absent Periods, Dysmenorrhea, Insomnia, Infertility, Arthralgia, Oligomenorrhea, Hot Flashes, Vaginal Dryness, Premature Ovarian Insufficiency – SP06, SP10, BL18, BL20, BL23, BL32, KD16, CV04, CV06 (doi:10.3389/fmed.2024.1357824 ↗)
• Anxiety, Fibromyalgia, Whole-body Pain, Mood Depressive – ST25, ST27, ST36, SP04, SP06, HT07, SI03, BL16, BL18, BL19, BL20, BL21, BL23, BL62, KD03, KD06, TB05, LV03, LV08 (doi:10.7759/cureus.74385 ↗)
• Hiv/aids, Immunodeficiency Immune Non-response, Substance Abuse Amphetamine – ST25, ST36, SP06, BL18, BL20, BL23, CV04, CV12 (doi:10.1186/s12906-024-04724-7 ↗)
• Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee – ST34, ST35, ST36, SP10, BL18, BL23, GB33, GB34 (doi:10.1186/s12984-025-01692-y ↗)
• Anxiety, Insomnia, Restlessness Insomnia, Insomnia Chronic, Fatigue Daytime, Mood Disturbance, Liver-fire Heart-disturbance – HT07, BL15, BL18, LV03 (doi:10.2147/NSS.S521578 ↗)
• Epilepsy, Epilepsy Benign Childhood Epilepsy With Central Temporal Spikes, Seizure Generalized Tonic-clonic, Seizure Nocturnal, Tonic-Clonic Seizures, Childhood Epilepsy with Centrotemporal Spikes – BL13, BL18, GV06, GV08, GV11, GV14 (doi:10.3389/fnhum.2025.1618266 ↗)
• Tic Disorder Motor, Tic Disorder Vocal, Eye Blinking, Mouth Twitching, Sniffing, Throat Clearing – BL14, BL15, BL18, KD07, GB20, GV20 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000045844 ↗)
• Dry Eye, Perimenopausal Syndrome, Perimenopause, Dry Eye Perimenopausal – BL13, BL15, BL18, BL20, BL23, GB19 (doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20230536 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Lactation Insufficiency, Breastfeeding Postpartum – ST18, ST36, SI01, BL18, BL20, BL21, LV03, LV14, CV12, CV17, GV14 (doi:10.22038/ijp.2020.54458.4305 ↗)
• Lactation Insufficiency, Breastfeeding Postpartum – LU01, LI04, ST17, ST18, SP20, SI01, BL17, BL18, BL20, BL21, GB21, CV17 (doi:10.22038/ijp.2020.54458.4305 ↗)
• Lactation Insufficiency, Breastfeeding Postpartum – LI04, ST11, ST17, SP20, SI01, BL17, BL18, BL20, BL21, GB21, CV16, CV17 (doi:10.22038/ijp.2020.54458.4305 ↗)
• Fatigue, Blood Deficiency – ST36, SP04, SP06, HT07, BL17, BL18, LV08, GV20 (doi:10.1177/2164956119870444 ↗)
• Arthritis Rheumatoid, Joint Pain, Stiffness Morning, Inflammation Joint – LI04, ST36, BL18, BL23, GB39 (doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.829409 ↗)
• Memory Impaired, Cognitive Impairment Mild – BL18, BL23, GV14, GV16, GV20, GV24 (doi:10.3389/fneur.2022.942682 ↗)
• Anxiety, Low Mood, Depression Cancer-related – BL13, BL15, BL17, BL18, BL20, BL23 (doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.1036634 ↗)
• Anxiety, Low Mood, Depression Cancer-related – ST40, SP06, BL18, BL62 (doi:10.3389/fonc.2022.1036634 ↗)

Most often selected alongside BL18

How many sourced protocols in the index pair each point with BL18. Corpus frequency, not a combination to use.

• BL23Kidney Shu Point133 protocols
• BL20Spleen Shu Point105 protocols
• ST36Leg Three Miles104 protocols
• SP06Three Yin Intersection87 protocols
• LV03Great Surge82 protocols
• GV20100 Convergences65 protocols
• BL15Heart Shu Point60 protocols
• LI04Junction Valley58 protocols
• BL17Diaphragm Shu Point55 protocols
• GB20Wind Pool46 protocols
• PC06Inner Gate46 protocols
• CV04Original Qi Gate45 protocols

Other points on the Bladder Meridian