ST16 Yingchuang (Breast Window)
膺窗yīng chuāngYingchuang
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11
Indications
18
Protocols
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Location
In the 3rd intercostal space 4 thumb widths lateral to the anterior midline.
Cautions
Risk of pneumothorax; avoid deep needling.
Indications
Conditions for which ST16 is listed as indicated. An indication list is a reference index, not a prescription – see the protocols below for sourced treatments.
Breast AbscessStomach RumblingChillsCoughDiarrhoea WateryBreathing Shortness Of Breath ProblemsFeverChest FullnessRestlessness InsomniaLips SwellingWheezing
TCM actions
What classical sources say ST16 does in the terms of Chinese medicine theory. These describe the point, not a condition.
Benefit Breasts
Protocols using ST16
- Lactation Deficiency, Postpartum Insufficient Milk Production – ST13, ST15, ST16, ST18, ST36, SP06, SP10, GB21, CV17 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000016456 ↗)
- Cancer Gastric, Cancer Advanced, Post-chemotherapy – LU10, ST16, ST36, SP18, BL21, BL23, BL43, GB42, CV12 (doi:10.1155/2020/8274021 ↗)
- Lactation Insufficiency, Breastfeeding Postpartum – LU01, LU02, ST13, ST14, ST16, ST18, ST36, SP06, SP10, CV12, CV17 (doi:10.22038/ijp.2020.54458.4305 ↗)
- Lactation Insufficiency, Breastfeeding Postpartum – ST13, ST15, ST16, ST18, ST36, SP06, SP10, GB21, CV17 (doi:10.22038/ijp.2020.54458.4305 ↗)
- Hypogalactia, Breastfeeding Insufficiency, Lactation Postpartum – LU01, LU02, ST13, ST14, ST16, ST18, ST36, SP06, SP10, CV12, CV17 (doi:10.1186/s13643-025-02773-8 ↗)
- Hypogalactia, Breastfeeding Insufficiency, Lactation Postpartum – ST13, ST15, ST16, ST18, ST36, SP06, SP10, GB21, CV17 (doi:10.1186/s13643-025-02773-8 ↗)
- Depression Post-stroke, Stroke Sequelae, Depression Moderate-severe – LI04, ST16, ST40, SP06, HT07, PC06, LV03, GV20, GV24, XH03 (doi:10.1186/s12906-021-03277-3 ↗)
- Breathing Problems, COPD, Dyspnea, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – ST16, ST18, ST25, ST40, CV04, CV12, CV17 (doi:10.1016/j.imr.2024.101117 ↗)
- Pulmonary Disease Chronic Obstructive – ST16, ST18, ST25, CV04, CV12, CV17 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20200813-0001 ↗)
- Lactation Insufficiency – ST13, ST15, ST16, ST18, ST36, SP06, SP10, GB21, CV17 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000016456 ↗)
- Cancer Gastric Advanced – LU10, ST16, ST36, SP18, BL21, BL23, BL43, GB42, CV12, XB04 (doi:10.1155/2020/8274021 ↗)
- Postoperative Pain – LU05, LU07, ST16, ST25, ST44, SP06, LV03, CV17 (doi:10.1007/s11695-023-06654-8 ↗)
- Postoperative Pain – LI10, ST16, ST44, SP16, PC06, TB03, GB41, LV02, CV17 (doi:10.1007/s11695-023-06654-8 ↗)
- Liver Qi Stagnation, Liver Qi Stagnation – LI17, LI18, ST09, ST15, ST16, ST18, ST25, ST26, ST27, SP13, SP18, HT03, HT04, SI11, BL14, BL16, BL18, BL31, KD21, XB02T9 (Yang Yong-Xuan, clinical point-selection notes)
- Hypogalactia – ST16, SP04, PC06, CV17 (Henry C. Lu. Clinical Cases of Acupuncture)
- Mastitis – ST16, PC06, GB21 (Henry C. Lu. Clinical Cases of Acupuncture)
- Breast Hyperplasia – ST16, ST36, LV03, CV17 (Zhang Dengbu. Acupuncture Cases from China: A Digest of Difficult and Complicated Case Histories. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1994)
- Hypoplasia Breast – LI04, ST16, ST18, ST29, ST36, SP06, PC01, PC06, GB34, LV03, LV08, LV14, CV06, CV17 (Zhu Bing, Wang Hongcai (eds). Case Studies from the Medical Records of Leading Chinese Acupuncture Experts. London: Singing Dragon, 2011)
Most often selected alongside ST16
How many sourced protocols in the index pair each point with ST16. Corpus frequency, not a combination to use.
- CV17Chest Centre13 protocols
- ST18Breast Root10 protocols
- ST36Leg Three Miles10 protocols
- SP06Three Yin Intersection9 protocols
- CV12Stomach Centre6 protocols
- SP10Sea Of Blood6 protocols
- ST13Qi Door6 protocols
- GB21Shoulder Well5 protocols
- PC06Inner Gate5 protocols
- ST15Roof5 protocols
- LV03Great Surge4 protocols
- ST25Celestial Pivot4 protocols