KD16 Huangshu (Vital Point)

Location

0.5 thumb widths lateral to the umbilicus level with CV08.

Indications

Conditions for which KD16 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 KD16 does in the terms of Chinese medicine theory. These describe the point, not a condition.

Protocols using KD16

• Hives, Itching – LI11, SP06, SP10, HT07, BL12, BL13, BL15, BL17, BL18, BL20, BL23, KD16, GB20, GB31, CV06, CV09, GV14, GV20, GV24 (doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(09)60041-8 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Paresthesia, Neuropathy Peripheral Chemotherapy-induced, Extremities Numbness, Tingling Extremities – LI04, LI11, ST36, SP06, KD16, GB34, CV04, CV06 (doi:10.1186/s12906-024-04603-1 ↗)
• Hypertension, Dementia, Hiccups Persistent, Pneumonia Covid-19, Stroke Basal Ganglia Hemorrhage – KD16, CV06, CV09 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000044036 ↗)
• Hypertension, Hiccups Intractable, Stroke Brainstem, Stroke Cerebellar, Pneumonia Aspiration – KD16, CV06, CV09 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000044036 ↗)
• Infertility Female, Diminished Ovarian Reserve – LU07, ST30, SP04, KD06, KD12, KD14, KD16, KD18, PC06, CV04, CV06 (doi:10.19879/j.cnki.1005-5304.202211467 ↗)
• Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Liver-gut Dysfunction – SP15, KD16, LV13, CV04 (doi:10.13457/j.cnki.jncm.2025.08.022 ↗)
• Insomnia, Restlessness Insomnia, Infertility Diminished-ovarian-reserve – ST36, SP06, HT07, BL23, BL25, BL32, BL62, KD03, KD12, KD16, GB13, GB26, LV03, CV04, CV06, CV12, GV20, GV24 (doi:10.2147/IJWH.S553524 ↗)
• Hiccups, Hiccups Persistent – KD16, CV06, CV09 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000044036 ↗)
• Infertility, Oligomenorrhea, Premature Ovarian Insufficiency – SP06, SP10, BL18, BL20, BL23, BL32, KD16, CV04, CV06, XC01 (doi:10.3389/fmed.2024.1357824 ↗)
• Hiccups, Hiccups Persistent – KD16, CV06, CV09 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000044036 ↗)
• Retention Placenta – SP06, KD16 (doi:10.1136/acupmed-2014-010607 ↗)
• Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Infertility Diminished-ovarian-reserve – ST36, SP06, BL23, BL32, KD03, KD12, KD16, GB13, LV03, CV04, GV20, GV24 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2017.10.009 ↗)
• Sexual Difficulties in Women – ST25, ST36, SP06, KD03, KD12, KD16, GB13, GB26, LV03, CV04, CV12, GV20, GV24 (doi:10.1016/j.esxm.2022.100541 ↗)
• Dysmenorrhea Primary – ST29, BL17, BL18, BL20, BL23, KD16, CV07, CV09, XC01 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20240509-k0001 ↗)
• Infertility Recurrent Implantation Failure – SP06, SP10, KD16, GB13, GV04, GV24, XC01 (doi:10.1007/s11655-024-3758-9 ↗)
• Hearing Loss Sensorineural – ST09, SI19, KD03, KD16, TB17, TB21, GB02, GB20, CV04, CV06, GV19, GV24 (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗)
• Obesity Abdominal, PCOS – ST24, ST25, KD16, GB26, CV03, CV04, CV06, CV09, CV12 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2018.12.006 ↗)
• Obesity – ST23, ST25, ST27, SP14, SP15, KD14, KD16, GB26, CV05, CV06, CV07, CV09, CV12 (doi:10.1186/s13020-019-0258-5 ↗)
• Cold Large Intestine, Cold Large Intestine – BL25, BL26, KD16 (Yang Yong-Xuan, clinical point-selection notes)
• Dryness Large Intestine, Dryness Large Intestine – BL25, BL38, KD16 (Yang Yong-Xuan, clinical point-selection notes)
• Menstrual Irregularity, Ovarian Insufficiency – ST30, KD12, KD16, CV04, CV06, CV07 (苏晨晨许焕芳杨莉李佳珊杨会生刘思雨丰逸轩勾明会肖奇蔚黎蔚欣范素房繄恭. 从冲任理论探讨卵巢功能衰退性疾病的针灸诊疗思路. 中华中医药杂志 ., 2025 [CNKI])
• Insomnia, Stroke – KD16, CV06, CV09, CV10, CV11, CV12, CV13 (Li Li-Jun. [On academic thought and clinical application of LI Yan-Fang's middle-warmer energy method].. Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion, 2010)
• Achalasia – ST36, BL11, BL13, BL14, BL15, BL17, BL18, BL19, BL21, KD16, PC06, CV12, CV14, CV22, CV23, GV14 (Henry C. Lu. Clinical Cases of Acupuncture)

Most often selected alongside KD16

How many sourced protocols in the index pair each point with KD16. Corpus frequency, not a combination to use.

• CV06Sea Of Qi15 protocols
• CV04Original Qi Gate11 protocols
• CV09Water Separation9 protocols
• SP06Three Yin Intersection9 protocols
• BL23Kidney Shu Point6 protocols
• CV12Stomach Centre6 protocols
• GV24Spirit Court6 protocols
• BL18Liver Shu Point5 protocols
• KD12Great Manifestation5 protocols
• ST36Leg Three Miles5 protocols
• BL20Spleen Shu Point4 protocols
• BL32Second Bone Hole4 protocols

Other points on the Kidney Meridian