BL33 Zhongliao (Middle Bone Hole)

Location

On the sacrum medial and inferior to the BL32 just at the 3rd posterior sacral foramen.

Indications

Conditions for which BL33 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 BL33 does in the terms of Chinese medicine theory. These describe the point, not a condition.

Protocols using BL33

The 50 best-sourced of 138, ranked by strength of evidence. The count above is the full figure.

• 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 ↗)
• Low Back Pain, Pelvic Girdle Pain, Sacroiliac Pain, Symphysis Pain, Pregnancy Second Trimester, Pregnancy Third Trimester – LI04, ST36, SP12, BL26, BL32, BL33, BL54, BL60, KD11, GB30, GV20 (doi:10.1186/1472-6882-8-34 ↗)
• Bladder Dysfunction Neurogenic, Incontinence Urinary – BL33 (doi:10.1093/ecam/nep010 ↗)
• Back Pain, Sciatica Pain, Herniated Nucleus Pulposus – BL23, BL24, BL25, BL26, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, BL40, BL57, BL60, GB30 (doi:10.1093/ecam/nep085 ↗)
• Absent Periods, Infertility, Night Sweats, Hot Flashes, Vaginal Dryness, Mood Swings – ST25, ST29, BL33, CV04 (doi:10.1155/2013/657234 ↗)
• Nocturia, Urinary Frequency, Urinary Urgency, Urinary Hesitancy, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, Urinary Straining, Urinary Dribbling, Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms – BL33 (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0059449 ↗)
• Constipation, Urinary Incontinence, Urinary Retention, Bladder Dysfunction Neurogenic, Bowel Dysfunction Neurogenic, Spinal Cord Injury Traumatic – BL32, BL33, BL35 (doi:10.1155/2013/543174 ↗)
• Constipation Functional, Stool Hard, Constipation Chronic, Defecation Difficulty – ST25, ST36, ST37, BL25, BL33, BL34, TB06, CV04, CV06 (doi:10.1155/2015/396396 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Incontinence Urinary Stress, Urine Leakage Exertion, Urine Leakage Coughing, Urine Leakage Sneezing – BL33, BL35 (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0150821 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Constipation, Urinary Incontinence, Incontinence Post-surgical – BL32, BL33, BL34 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000015687 ↗)
• Infertility Female, Hypomenorrhea, Menstrual Irregularity, Fallopian Tube Obstruction Bilateral, Diminished Ovarian Reserve – ST25, BL32, BL33, CV04 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000017160 ↗)
• Dysuria, Nocturia, Urinary Frequency, Urinary Urgency, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, Urinary Obstruction – BL32, BL33 (doi:10.1155/2019/1439141 ↗)
• Incontinence Urinary Stress, Incontinence Urinary Mixed Stress-predominant – BL33, BL35 (doi:10.1136/bmjspcare-2019-002034 ↗)
• Nocturia, Urinary Frequency, Urinary Urgency, Overactive Bladder, Urgency Incontinence – SP06, BL33, BL34, KD03, CV04, CV06, GV20 (doi:10.1155/2020/1705964 ↗)
• Diarrhea, Abdominal Pain, Ulcerative Colitis, Blood In Stool – BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34 (doi:10.1186/s12906-020-03101-4 ↗)
• Frequency Urinary, Urgency Urinary, Discomfort Urinary Catheter-related, Suprapubic Pain, Agitation Postoperative – BL32, BL33, BL34, CV03, CV04, CV05, CV06, CV07 (doi:10.1155/2021/6691459 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Nocturia, Urination Frequent, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, Urination Urgency, Urination Incomplete Emptying, Urinary Intermittent Stream – SP06, SP09, BL33, BL35, CV04 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000030429 ↗)
• Urinary Retention Postoperative, Postoperative Anal Pain, Anal Bloating, Hemorrhoids Mixed Postoperative – BL32, BL33 (doi:10.1007/s00384-023-04403-y ↗)
• Fatigue, Constipation, Abdominal Distension, Voiding Dysfunction, Urinary Retention Acute, Herpes Zoster Sacral – SP06, BL32, BL33, CV02, CV03 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000036007 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Pelvic Chronic Pain, Lumbosacral Pain, Lower-abdomen Pain, Pelvic-inflammatory-disease – LI04, SP06, SP09, BL33, BL35, LV03 (doi:10.3390/medicina61020354 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Incontinence Urinary, Incontinence Stress, Prostatectomy Post-radical, Postoperative Radical Prostatectomy – BL32, BL33, BL34 (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.34491 ↗)
• Fatigue, Anxiety, Depression, Lumbar Pain, Abdomen Lower Pain, Pelvic Chronic Pain, Bowel Dysfunction Constipation – ST25, SP06, BL23, BL32, BL33, BL35, CV03, CV04, CV12 (doi:10.2147/IJWH.S541559 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Infertility, Poor Ovarian Response, Diminished Ovarian Reserve – ST25, ST36, SP06, BL23, BL33, KD03, KD12, GB13, LV03, CV04, CV12, GV20, GV24 (doi:10.3389/fendo.2026.1765527 ↗)
• Urinary Retention, Spinal Cord Injury, Urinary Retention Spinal Cord Injury – BL32, BL33 (doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20250263 ↗)
• Urinary Dysfunction, Pelvic Pain, Prostatitis Chronic – BL33 (doi:10.1186/1749-8546-2-1 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Anorectal Pain, Levator Ani Syndrome – LI04, ST36, SP06, HT07, BL33, KD01, LV03, CV04, GV01 (doi:10.22246/jikm.2024.45.1.111 ↗)
• Urinary Retention, Bladder Dysfunction Neurogenic, Neurogenic Bladder, Bladder Dysfunction – BL32, BL33, BL35 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20231216-k0001 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Urinary Retention Post-stroke – ST28, SP06, SP09, BL28, BL32, BL33, BL34, CV03, CV04 (doi:10.19917/j.cnki.1005-0779.023135 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Prostatitis Chronic, Pelvic Chronic Pain – SP06, BL23, BL33, BL35 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20230626-k0003 ↗)

Most often selected alongside BL33

How many sourced protocols in the index pair each point with BL33. Corpus frequency, not a combination to use.

• BL32Second Bone Hole90 protocols
• BL34Lower Bone Hole59 protocols
• BL31Upper Bone Hole51 protocols
• SP06Three Yin Intersection44 protocols
• BL23Kidney Shu Point43 protocols
• BL35Meeting Of Yang41 protocols
• CV04Original Qi Gate38 protocols
• CV03Central Pivot23 protocols
• ST36Leg Three Miles21 protocols
• CV06Sea Of Qi19 protocols
• ST25Celestial Pivot16 protocols
• GV20100 Convergences14 protocols

Other points on the Bladder Meridian