HT01 (Highest Spring)

極泉jí quán

Heart Meridian

Location of acupuncture point HT01 (Highest Spring)

Indications

Protocols

Location

When upper arm is abducted point is in the center of the axilla on the medial side of the axillary artery.

Cautions

Contraindicated for needling; proximity to axillary artery.

Indications

Conditions for which HT01 is listed as indicated. An indication list is a reference index, not a prescription – see the protocols below for sourced treatments.

Agitation Anxiety Benefit Arms Benefit Arms Cold Arm Cold Arm Cold Elbow Cold Elbow Counterflow Inversion Arm Counterflow Inversion Arm Counterflow Inversion Elbow Counterflow Inversion Elbow Sadness & Depression Sadness & Depression Costal Lateral Bloating Costal Lateral Bloating Dry Throat Dry Throat Breathing Shortness Of Breath Problems Breathing Shortness Of Breath Problems Costal Lateral Fullness Costal Lateral Fullness Limbs Stiffness Shoulder Musculoskeletal Stiffness Shoulder Raising Stiffness Immobility Limbs Immobility Shoulder Musculoskeletal Immobility Shoulder Raising Jaundice Eyes Jaundice Eyes Arm Numbness Arm Numbness Arm Pain Arm Pain Armpit Pain Armpit Pain Chest Pain Chest Pain Elbow Pain Elbow Pain Heart Pain Heart Pain Palpitations Retching Scrofula Channel Stagnation Channel Stagnation Bi Arthralgia Arm Syndrome Bi / Arthralgia Arm Syndrome Bi Arthralgia Heart Syndrome Bi / Arthralgia Heart Syndrome Thirsting Excessive Thirsting Excessive Unbind Chest Unbind Chest

Protocols using HT01

Motor Dysfunction, Ischemic Stroke, Neurological Deficits – LU05, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, GV26 (doi:10.1016/j.jtcm.2018.02.012 ↗)
Hemiparesis, Paralysis Unilateral, Sensorimotor Deficit, Brain Tumor Astrocytoma – LU05, ST36, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06 (doi:10.1155/2013/859763 ↗)
Upper Limb Pain, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Hand Swelling, Loss Of Function Upper Limb, Cold Sensation Hand – LU02, LI05, HT01, SI10, SI11, GB21 (doi:10.1016/j.jams.2014.03.004 ↗)
Ischemic Stroke, Neurological Deficit, Paralysis Hemiplegia – LU05, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, GV26 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000025480 ↗)
Coma, Limb Weakness, Ischemic Stroke, Dysarthria, Language Problems, Injury Electrical, Paralysis Eyelid, Infarction Thalamic, Infarction Mesencephalic – LU05, ST36, SP06, HT01, BL10, BL40, PC06, GB12, GB20, LV03, CV23, GV26 (doi:10.3389/fnins.2023.1139537 ↗)
Mutism, Immobility, Rigidity, Catatonia, Stupor, Lupus Neuropsychiatric – LI04, SP06, HT01, PC06, LV03, GV20, GV26 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000033746 ↗)
Paralysis Upper-limb, Stroke Sequela, Grip Weakness, Paralysis Hand, Motor-impairment Finger – LU05, LI04, LI10, HT01, PC06, GV26 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000035755 ↗)
Stroke, Aphasia, Ischemic Stroke, Aphasia Motor Poststroke, Speech Nonfluent, Speech Disorder – LU05, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, CV23, GV26 (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.52580 ↗)
Shoulder Pain, Neuropathic Pain, Upper-limb Numbness, Paralysis Limb, Upper-limb Weakness, Lower-limb Weakness, Polyneuropathy – LU05, LI04, LI10, LI11, LI14, LI15, ST34, ST36, ST37, ST39, SP06, SP09, SP10, HT01, KD03, PC06, GB20, GB34, LV03 (doi:10.12659/AJCR.945539 ↗)
Cognitive Dysfunction Postoperative, Memory Impairment Postoperative, Attention Deficit Postoperative – LU05, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, GV26 (doi:10.3389/fneur.2025.1637566 ↗)
Paralysis Lower Limb, Paralysis Upper Limb, Spastic Hemiplegia Post-stroke – LU05, SP06, SP09, SP10, HT01, KD06, PC06, PC07 (doi:10.13935/j.cnki.sjzx.210408 ↗)
Stroke Recovery, Spasticity Upper Limb, Spasticity Lower Limb – LU05, LI04, LI10, LI11, LI15, ST36, SP06, HT01, BL40, GB30, GB31, LV03 (doi:10.27180/d.cnki.gjxzc.2023.000057 ↗)
Stroke Recovery, Spasticity Upper Limb, Spasticity Lower Limb – LU05, LI04, LI10, LI11, LI15, ST36, SP06, SP09, HT01, BL40, PC06, TB05, GB30, GB31, GB34, LV03 (doi:10.27180/d.cnki.gjxzc.2023.000057 ↗)
Motor Dysfunction, Paralysis Hemiplegia, Stroke Sequela, Hemiplegia Post-stroke – LU05, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, GV26 (doi:10.27127/d.cnki.ghlzu.2025.000611 ↗)
Shoulder Pain, Restricted Range Of Motion Shoulder, Adhesive Capsulitis – LI15, ST38, HT01, SI09, BL57, TB14, GB34 (doi:10.27180/d.cnki.gjxzc.2023.000109 ↗)
Stroke Sequelae, Thalamic Post-stroke Pain – LI11, LI15, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, TB05, GB07, GB30, GB31, GV20, GV26 (doi:10.19917/j.cnki.1005-0779.024011 ↗)
Paralysis Post-stroke Motor Dysfunction, Motor Impairment Upper Limb, Motor Impairment Lower Limb – LU05, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, GV26 (doi:10.27127/d.cnki.ghlzu.2025.000525 ↗)
Paralysis Upper Limb, Post-stroke, Subluxation Shoulder – HT01, SI11, TB15 (doi:10.13729/j.issn.1671-7813.2016.11.38 ↗)
Stroke Hemiplegia, Paralysis Limb – LU05, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, GB12, GB20, GV26 (doi:10.16841/j.issn1003-8450.2024.01.20 ↗)
Stroke, Paralysis, Ischemic Stroke, Consciousness Impaired – LU05, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, GV26 (doi:10.1002/brb3.70373 ↗)
Post-stroke Sequelae, Paralysis Upper Limb Spastic, Hypertonia Upper Limb – LU05, HT01, GB20, GV20, GV26, XH03 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20240925-0001 ↗)
Stroke, Aphasia, Aphasia Motor Poststroke, Speech Disorder – LU05, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, CV23, GV26 (doi:10.1186/s13063-022-06280-2 ↗)
Stroke, Spasticity, Paralysis Spastic Upper Limb – LU05, HT01, GB20, GV20, GV26, XH03, MS06 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20240925-0001 ↗)
Cervical Spondylosis, Neck Pain – HT01, GV20 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20231128-0001 ↗)
Hypertension, Hemiplegia, Ischemic Stroke – LU05, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, GV26 (doi:10.3389/fneur.2026.1717706 ↗)
Stroke Ischemic Acute – LU05, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, GV26 (doi:10.1016/j.jtcm.2018.02.012 ↗)
Stroke Ischemic Acute – LU05, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, GV26, MS06 (doi:10.1016/j.jtcm.2018.02.012 ↗)
Heart Blood Stagnation, Heart Blood Stagnation – LI16, HT01, HT05, HT06, HT09, SI03, XB02T5 (Yang Yong-Xuan, clinical point-selection notes)
Stroke, Cerebral Infarction, Intracerebral Hemorrhage, Transient Ischemic Attack – LU05, SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, GV26 (Zhao XF, Su SJ, Guo YH, Wang S. Mortality and recurrence of vascular disease among stroke patients treated with combined TCM therapy. J Tradit Chin Med 2012; 32(2): 173-178)
Paralysis Hemiplegia, Paralysis Flaccid – LU05, LI04, SP06, HT01, BL40, KD01, PC06, GB40, CV04, GV26 (Mao Min, Chen Xin, Chen Yuefeng, Rao Ping, Liu Jian. Stage-oriented Comprehensive Acupuncture Treatment plus Rehabilitation Training for Apoplectic Hemiplegia. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2008, 28(2): 90-93)
Paralysis Facial, Stroke Sequelae, Paralysis Limb, Wry Mouth – LU05, LI04, LI10, LI11, LI15, ST04, ST06, ST36, ST40, ST44, SP06, SP09, SP10, HT01, BL40, KD03, PC06, GB20, GB30, GB31, LV03, CV06, GV20, GV26 (Luo Lu et al.. Clinical observation on Wang Juyi's applied channel theory in treating stroke-sequel patients.. Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan, 2020)
Heart Disease, Shoulder Pain, Paralysis Upper Limb – LI11, LI15, HT01 (秦文秀许军峰高莹杜健强. 极泉穴的古今应用规律研究. 世界中医药 ., 2023 [CNKI])
Thalamic Pain, Post-stroke Pain – SP06, HT01, BL40, PC06, GV26 (孙兆祺徐晓玉刘志华. 针灸治疗卒中后丘脑痛选穴规律研究. 世界中医药 ., 2024 [CNKI])
Paralysis Spastic Post-stroke – LI04, LI11, LI15, SP06, SP09, HT01, HT03, BL60, KD01, KD03, PC06, PC07, PC08, TB04, TB05, GB30, GB31, GB33, GB34, GB39, LV03, LV08 (Liu Xiafei, Bao Chunling, Dong Guirong. Using acupoint-to-acupoint penetrative needling to treat poststroke spastic paralysis: a clinical progress review. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2014 October 15; 34(5): 609-615.)
Muscle Hypertonia Post-hemorrhagic Stroke – LU05, LI04, SP05, SP06, SP09, HT01, SI03, KD01, KD10, PC03, PC06, PC07, TB05, GB33, GB34, GB39, GB40, LV03, GV20, XH05 (Liu Xiafei, Bao Chunling, Dong Guirong. Using acupoint-to-acupoint penetrative needling to treat poststroke spastic paralysis: a clinical progress review. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2014 October 15; 34(5): 609-615.)
Muscle Hypertonia Post-stroke – LU07, LI05, LI11, LI15, ST32, SP06, SP09, HT01, HT03, BL37, BL60, KD03, PC06, TB05, GB34, GB39 (Liu Xiafei, Bao Chunling, Dong Guirong. Using acupoint-to-acupoint penetrative needling to treat poststroke spastic paralysis: a clinical progress review. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2014 October 15; 34(5): 609-615.)
Paralysis Spastic Post-stroke – LU05, LI15, ST31, SP10, HT01, BL36, BL62, KD06, PC07, TB04, TB10, LV08 (Liu Xiafei, Bao Chunling, Dong Guirong. Using acupoint-to-acupoint penetrative needling to treat poststroke spastic paralysis: a clinical progress review. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2014 October 15; 34(5): 609-615.)

Other points on the Heart Meridian

HT02 HT03 HT04 HT05 HT06 HT07 HT08 HT09