ST18 Rugen (Breast Root)

Location

On the chest directly below nipple, on the lower border of the breast, in the 5th intercostal space 4 thumb widths lateral to the anterior midline.

Indications

Conditions for which ST18 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 ST18 does in the terms of Chinese medicine theory. These describe the point, not a condition.

Protocols using ST18

The 50 best-sourced of 55, ranked by strength of evidence. The count above is the full figure.

• Neuralgia Trigeminal, Facial Trigeminal Pain – LI04, LI20, ST02, ST04, ST06, ST18, SI18, SI19, BL02, TB23, GB03, GB13, GB14, CV24, GV23 (doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(08)60005-9 ↗)
• Breast Cancer, Surgical Intraoperative Pain, Surgical Postoperative Pain – LU01, LI04, ST14, ST18, ST36, KD22, KD27, GB24 (doi:10.3831/KPI.2018.21.016 ↗)
• Surgical Intraoperative Pain, Surgical Postoperative Pain, Fistula Breast – LU01, LI04, ST14, ST18, ST36, KD22, KD27, GB24 (doi:10.3831/KPI.2018.21.016 ↗)
• Lactation Deficiency, Postpartum Insufficient Milk Production – ST13, ST15, ST16, ST18, ST36, SP06, SP10, GB21, CV17 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000016456 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Lactation Insufficiency, Breastfeeding Postpartum – ST18, ST36, SP06, SP10, SI01, BL20, BL21, PC06, LV03, LV14, CV06, CV17 (doi:10.22038/ijp.2020.54458.4305 ↗)
• Lactation Insufficiency, Breastfeeding Postpartum – ST18, GB21, CV17 (doi:10.22038/ijp.2020.54458.4305 ↗)
• 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 – LI04, LI11, ST18, SI01, CV12, CV17 (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 – 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 ↗)
• Lactation Insufficiency, Breastfeeding Postpartum – ST18, ST36, SP06, SI01, PC06, LV03, CV17 (doi:10.22038/ijp.2020.54458.4305 ↗)
• Hypogalactia, Breastfeeding Insufficiency, Lactation Postpartum – ST18, ST36, SP06, SP10, SI01, BL20, BL21, PC06, LV03, LV14, CV06, CV17 (doi:10.1186/s13643-025-02773-8 ↗)
• Hypogalactia, Breastfeeding Insufficiency, Lactation Postpartum – ST18, GB21, CV17 (doi:10.1186/s13643-025-02773-8 ↗)
• Hypogalactia, Breastfeeding Insufficiency, Lactation Postpartum – ST18, SI01, BL18, BL20, BL21, CV17, GV14 (doi:10.1186/s13643-025-02773-8 ↗)
• Hypogalactia, Breastfeeding Insufficiency, Lactation Postpartum – LI04, LI11, ST18, SI01, CV12, CV17 (doi:10.1186/s13643-025-02773-8 ↗)
• Hypogalactia, Breastfeeding Insufficiency, Lactation Postpartum – LU01, LI04, ST17, ST18, SP20, SI01, BL17, BL18, BL20, BL21, GB21, CV17 (doi:10.1186/s13643-025-02773-8 ↗)
• 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 ↗)
• Hypogalactia, Breastfeeding Insufficiency, Lactation Postpartum – ST18, SI01, CV17 (doi:10.1186/s13643-025-02773-8 ↗)
• Insufficient Lactation, Breastfeeding Difficulty – ST18, SI01, CV17 (doi:10.4103/ijnmr.ijnmr_378_23 ↗)
• Insufficient Lactation, Postpartum Hypogalactia – ST18, ST36, SI01, LV03, CV17 (doi:10.1145/3715020.3715068 ↗)
• Breast Hyperplasia – LI04, ST15, ST18, ST36, SI11, GB21, LV03, CV17 (doi:10.16040/j.cnki.cn15-1101.2017.10.121 ↗)
• Breast Pain, Hyperplasia Mammary Glands, Distending Pain Breast, Breast Masses – LI04, ST15, ST18, ST36, SP06, SI11, BL18, BL20, BL23, KD03, TB05, GB21, LV03 (doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(10)60047-7 ↗)
• Breathing Problems, COPD, Dyspnea, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – ST16, ST18, ST25, ST40, CV04, CV12, CV17 (doi:10.1016/j.imr.2024.101117 ↗)
• Copd Stable – ST18, ST25, CV04, CV12, CV17 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2017.04.005 ↗)
• Pulmonary Disease Chronic Obstructive – ST16, ST18, ST25, CV04, CV12, CV17 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20200813-0001 ↗)
• Postoperative Pain, Cancer Breast Pain – LI04, ST14, ST18, ST36, KD22, KD27, GB24 (doi:10.3831/KPI.2018.21.016 ↗)
• Mastitis, Breast Mastitis Pain – ST18, LV14, CV17 (doi:10.3389/fsurg.2026.1715357 ↗)
• Lactation Insufficiency – ST13, ST15, ST16, ST18, ST36, SP06, SP10, GB21, CV17 (doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000016456 ↗)
• Mastitis, Breast Mass – ST18, ST36, ST40, SP06 (doi:10.1016/J.WJAM.2018.06.005 ↗)
• Paralysis Facial – LI20, ST02, ST04, ST06, ST18, BL01, GB14, XH29 (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗)
• Lactation Insufficiency – ST16, ST18, ST36, SP06, SI03, CV17, AH14, IN01 (doi:10.1177/08903344221078802 ↗)
• Breast Swelling, Breast Pain, Breast Swelling – ST18, ST36, ST40, PC01, PC06, GB34, GB41, LV03, LV14 (Deadman, Al-Khafaji & Baker, A Manual of Acupuncture – point group actions)
• Lactation Deficiency, Lactation Deficiency – ST18, ST36, SP03, SI01, LV14, CV17 (Deadman, Al-Khafaji & Baker, A Manual of Acupuncture – point group actions)
• Breast Mastitis Pain, Breast Mastitis Pain – ST18, SI01, PC06, LV02, LV14, CV17 (Deadman, Al-Khafaji & Baker, A Manual of Acupuncture – point group actions)
• 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)
• Postpartum Insufficient Lactation – ST18, ST36, CV17 (王官丽代继红张代碧唐素华. 穴位艾灸促进产后泌乳的临床研究. 护理研究 ., 2017 [CNKI])
• Insufficient Lactation Postpartum – ST18, ST36, CV17 (余满荣. 乳房穴位艾灸和通乳颗粒治疗产后缺乳的效果分析. 江西医药 ., 2017 [CNKI])
• COPD, Copd Stable – ST18, ST25, CV04, CV12, CV17 (Tong Juan et al.. [Regulatory effects of acupuncture on exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at stable phase: a randomized controlled trial].. Zhongguo zhen jiu = Chinese acupuncture & moxibustion, 2015)
• Breast Pain, Breast Hyperplasia, Breast Nodules – ST15, ST18, ST36, SP10, GB34, CV17 (Zhou Lei et al.. [Effect of acupoint-catgut-embedment on mammary gland hyperplasia].. Zhen ci yan jiu = Acupuncture research, 2011)
• Breast Pain, Breast Hyperplasia – LI04, ST18, ST36, SI01, GB21, LV03, LV08, CV17 (Chen Jirui, Nissi Wang (eds). Acupuncture Case Histories from China. Seattle: Eastland Press, 1988)
• Mammary Gland Hyperplasia – ST18, AH08, IN01 (Henry C. Lu. Clinical Cases of Acupuncture)
• Lactation Insufficiency – ST18, ST36, SI01, CV17 (Henry C. Lu. Clinical Cases of Acupuncture)
• Hypochondriac Pain – ST18, SP09, PC01, PC05, TB06, GB34 (Zhu Bing, Wang Hongcai (eds). Case Studies from the Medical Records of Leading Chinese Acupuncture Experts. London: Singing Dragon, 2011)
• 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)
• Breast Pain, Breast Hyperplasia – LI04, ST15, ST18, GB34 (Zhu Bing, Wang Hongcai (eds). Case Studies from the Medical Records of Leading Chinese Acupuncture Experts. London: Singing Dragon, 2011)
• Breast Pain, Breast Hyperplasia – ST15, ST18, ST36, SI11, BL20, GB21 (Zhu Bing, Wang Hongcai (eds). Case Studies from the Medical Records of Leading Chinese Acupuncture Experts. London: Singing Dragon, 2011)
• Discharge Nipple Bloody, Papilloma Intraductal – LI04, ST15, ST18, ST36, BL17, BL18, BL20 (Zhu Bing, Wang Hongcai (eds). Case Studies from the Medical Records of Leading Chinese Acupuncture Experts. London: Singing Dragon, 2011)

Most often selected alongside ST18

How many sourced protocols in the index pair each point with ST18. Corpus frequency, not a combination to use.

• CV17Chest Centre39 protocols
• ST36Leg Three Miles33 protocols
• SI01Lesser Marsh19 protocols
• LI04Junction Valley16 protocols
• GB21Shoulder Well15 protocols
• LV03Great Surge14 protocols
• SP06Three Yin Intersection14 protocols
• ST15Roof12 protocols
• CV12Stomach Centre11 protocols
• ST16Breast Window11 protocols
• BL18Liver Shu Point10 protocols
• BL20Spleen Shu Point9 protocols

Other points on the Stomach Meridian