Location
On the lateral side of the neck directly below posterior border of the mastoid process on the level of the mandibular angle and on the posterior border of the scm.
No specific contraindications.
Indications
Conditions for which TB16 is listed as indicated. An indication list is a reference index, not a prescription – see the protocols below for sourced treatments.
Loss of SmellBenefit Descend QiBenefit Regulate HeadBenefit Regulate QiBenefit Regulate Sense OrgansBlindness TemporaryCongestion NoseDeafnessDescend QiDizzinessDreaming ConfusedEyesight / Vision DimDim VisionHearing ImpairedEyes Closed StiffnessStiff NeckUnable to Turn NeckImmobility Eyes ClosedImmobility NeckImmobility Neck TurningWatery EyesMalariaNosebleedEye PainHeadacheNeck PainPharyngitisRegulate HeadRegulate QiRegulate Sense OrgansRhinitisScrofulaBreast SwellingFacial SwellingSubmandibular SwellingSupraclavicular Fossa SwellingWindWind Head
Protocols using TB16
- Shoulder Pain, Neck Pain, Stiffness Neck – SI03, SI04, SI09, SI10, SI11, SI12, SI14, BL11, BL12, BL65, TB14, TB15, TB16, TB17, GB21 (doi:10.1136/acupmed-2013-010410 ↗)
- Neck Pain, Stiffness Neck, Limited Range Of Motion Neck – LI04, LI05, LI17, LI18, SI03, SI14, SI15, SI16, BL10, BL11, BL60, TB03, TB10, TB16, GB20, GB21, GB39, GV14, GV16 (doi:10.1016/j.imr.2018.01.002 ↗)
- Neck Pain, Stiffness Neck, Limited Range Of Motion Neck – SI15, TB16, GB20, GB21 (doi:10.1016/j.imr.2018.01.002 ↗)
- Insomnia, Restlessness Insomnia, Insomnia Primary – SI17, TB16, GB20 (doi:10.2196/84122 ↗)
- Hearing Loss, Conductive Hearing Loss – LI04, ST07, ST36, SI16, SI19, TB16, TB21, GB02 (doi:10.3831/KPI.2026.29.2.233 ↗)
- Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, Jaw Pain, Tmj Pain – ST05, ST06, ST07, TB16, TB17, TB20, GB03, GB07, GB08 (doi:10.2147/JPR.S383965 ↗)
- Migraine, Headache Migraine – ST02, ST09, TB16, GB20, XH04, XH05 (doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250220-k0008 ↗)
- Tinnitus, Hearing Loss, Ear Fullness – LI04, ST07, ST36, SI16, SI19, TB16, TB21, GB02 (doi:10.3831/KPI.2026.29.2.233 ↗)
- Neck Pain, Headache Cervicogenic, Restricted Cervical Range Of Motion – LI04, BL10, TB16, GB12, GB20, GB41, LV03 (姚旭周慧林咸明. “项四穴”微调进针点为主温针灸治疗颈源性头痛临床随机对照研究. 中华中医药杂志 ., 2015 [CNKI])
Most often selected alongside TB16
How many sourced protocols in the index pair each point with TB16. Corpus frequency, not a combination to use.
- GB20Wind Pool5 protocols
- LI04Junction Valley4 protocols
- GB21Shoulder Well3 protocols
- SI16Celestial Windows3 protocols
- ST07Below The Arch3 protocols
- BL10Celestial Pillar2 protocols
- BL11Great Shuttle2 protocols
- GB02Hearing Convergence2 protocols
- SI03Back Stream2 protocols
- SI14Outer Shoulder Point2 protocols
- SI15Middle Shoulder Point2 protocols
- SI19Palace Of Hearing2 protocols
