🎯 Location: 2 thumb widths lateral to the center of the umbilicus.
⚠️ Cautions: Acute appendicitis is a surgical emergency – treatment here is adjunctive at most and must never delay surgical assessment. Avoid needling over the gravid uterus after the first trimester; where used in pregnancy, needle shallowly and only on a clear obstetric indication.
🎯 Location: 4 thumb widths below umbilicus 2 thumb widths lateral to the CV03.
⚠️ Cautions: Traditionally forbidden in pregnancy – these are the points used to bring on labour at term. Controlled data show no excess of preterm birth or stillbirth (Carr 2015), but in pregnancy needle only on a clear obstetric indication.
🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 4 thumb widths below umbilicus.
⚠️ Cautions: Avoid needling over the gravid uterus after the first trimester; where used in pregnancy, needle shallowly and only on a clear obstetric indication. Empty the bladder before needling.
🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 3 thumb widths below umbilicus.
⚠️ Cautions: Avoid needling over the gravid uterus after the first trimester; where used in pregnancy, needle shallowly and only on a clear obstetric indication. Bleeding in pregnancy requires obstetric assessment.
🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 1.5 thumb widths below umbilicus.
⚠️ Cautions: Avoid needling over the gravid uterus after the first trimester; where used in pregnancy, needle shallowly and only on a clear obstetric indication.
Corroborated by a second study. CV04, CV06, CV08 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0170952 ↗
Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report.
Chen Xuan, Ye Xiaoran, Ge Suying, Yao Zhifang, Huang Xiaoqing. Frequency steps and compositions determine properties of needling sensation during electroacupuncture. J Tradit Chin Med 2015; 35(2): 154-159
Substantiated by a study. BL23, BL25 also appear in a study-reported protocol for the same search. That study did not test this prescription. doi:10.1093/ecam/nep085 ↗
🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the hand between 1st & 2nd metacarpal bones approximately in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side.
⚠️ Cautions: Traditionally forbidden in pregnancy – these are the points used to bring on labour at term. Controlled data show no excess of preterm birth or stillbirth (Carr 2015), but in pregnancy needle only on a clear obstetric indication.
🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths directly above the tip of the medial malleolus posterior to the medial border of the tibia.
⚠️ Cautions: Traditionally forbidden in pregnancy – these are the points used to bring on labour at term. Controlled data show no excess of preterm birth or stillbirth (Carr 2015), but in pregnancy needle only on a clear obstetric indication.
🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV11 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 5th thoracic vertebra.
⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling – risk of pneumothorax. New, worsening or unstable cardiac symptoms need medical assessment before treatment.
🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot in the depression the distal to the junction of the 1st and 2nd metatarsal bones.
⚠️ Cautions: Monitor blood pressure and avoid strong stimulation where hypertension is uncontrolled or unstable; hypertensive crisis is a medical emergency.
🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 1.5 thumb widths below umbilicus.
⚠️ Cautions: Avoid needling over the gravid uterus after the first trimester; where used in pregnancy, needle shallowly and only on a clear obstetric indication.
🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 4 thumb widths above the umbilicus.
⚠️ Cautions: Avoid needling over the gravid uterus after the first trimester; where used in pregnancy, needle shallowly and only on a clear obstetric indication.
🎯 Location: On the midline of the head 5 thumb widths directly above the midpoint of the anterior hairline approximately on the midpoint of the line connecting apex of the ears.
Corroborated by a second study. ST36, BL18, BL20, BL23, KD03, PC06, GB20, LV03, CV12, GV20 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(10)60025-8 ↗
🎯 Location: When elbow is flexed point is in the depression the at the lateral end of the transverse cubital crease midway between LU05 and lateral epicondyle of the humerus.
⚠️ Cautions: Monitor blood pressure and avoid strong stimulation where hypertension is uncontrolled or unstable; hypertensive crisis is a medical emergency. Avoid excessive stimulation in weak patients.
🎯 Location: Anteroinferior to the acromion on the upper portion of the deltoid muscle; when arm is in the full abduction the point is in the depression the appearing at the anterior border of the acromioclavicular joint.
⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling due to risk of pneumothorax; caution in shoulder injuries.
🎯 Location: 8 thumb widths superior to the tip of the external malleolus, lateral to the ST38 about 2 finger breadth (middle finger) lateral to the anterior border of the tibia.
🎯 Location: 2 thumb widths proximal to the dorsal crease of the wrist on the line connecting TB04 and tip of the olecranon the between radius and ulna.
🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot in the depression the distal to the junction of the 1st and 2nd metatarsal bones.
⚠️ Cautions: Monitor blood pressure and avoid strong stimulation where hypertension is uncontrolled or unstable; hypertensive crisis is a medical emergency.
🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 4 thumb widths above the umbilicus.
⚠️ Cautions: Avoid needling over the gravid uterus after the first trimester; where used in pregnancy, needle shallowly and only on a clear obstetric indication.
🎯 Location: On the midline of the head 5 thumb widths directly above the midpoint of the anterior hairline approximately on the midpoint of the line connecting apex of the ears.
Corroborated by a second study. ST36, BL18, BL20, BL23, KD03, PC06, GB20, LV03, CV12, GV20 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 3 thumb widths below umbilicus.
⚠️ Cautions: Avoid needling over the gravid uterus after the first trimester; where used in pregnancy, needle shallowly and only on a clear obstetric indication. Bleeding in pregnancy requires obstetric assessment.
🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 1.5 thumb widths below umbilicus.
⚠️ Cautions: Avoid needling over the gravid uterus after the first trimester; where used in pregnancy, needle shallowly and only on a clear obstetric indication.
🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 4 thumb widths above the umbilicus.
⚠️ Cautions: Avoid needling over the gravid uterus after the first trimester; where used in pregnancy, needle shallowly and only on a clear obstetric indication.
Corroborated by a second study. CV04, CV06, CV12 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20240522-k0002 ↗
🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the hand between 1st & 2nd metacarpal bones approximately in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side.
⚠️ Cautions: Traditionally forbidden in pregnancy – these are the points used to bring on labour at term. Controlled data show no excess of preterm birth or stillbirth (Carr 2015), but in pregnancy needle only on a clear obstetric indication.
🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths directly above the tip of the medial malleolus posterior to the medial border of the tibia.
⚠️ Cautions: Traditionally forbidden in pregnancy – these are the points used to bring on labour at term. Controlled data show no excess of preterm birth or stillbirth (Carr 2015), but in pregnancy needle only on a clear obstetric indication.
🎯 Location: In the depression the below tip of the medial malleolus.
⚠️ Cautions: Traditionally forbidden in pregnancy – these are the points used to bring on labour at term. Controlled data show no excess of preterm birth or stillbirth (Carr 2015), but in pregnancy needle only on a clear obstetric indication.
🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot in the depression the distal to the junction of the 1st and 2nd metatarsal bones.
⚠️ Cautions: Monitor blood pressure and avoid strong stimulation where hypertension is uncontrolled or unstable; hypertensive crisis is a medical emergency.
🎯 Location: On the midline of the head 5 thumb widths directly above the midpoint of the anterior hairline approximately on the midpoint of the line connecting apex of the ears.
Corroborated by a second study. LI04, ST36, SP06, HT07, KD03, PC06, LV03, GV20 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
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Back Pain
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How the studies delivered it
What the 41 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.
Needling18 of 41
Moxibustion5 of 41
Electroacupuncture5 of 41
Thread embedding3 of 41
Acupressure2 of 41
Laser2 of 41
Cupping2 of 41
Point injection1 of 41
Bloodletting1 of 41
Sessions: the 18 studies that gave a count ran a median of 8 (middle half 5 to 12).
Course: the 17 studies that gave a length ran a median of 4 weeks (middle half 2 weeks to 6 weeks).
After a treatment: what large safety surveys recorded, and which reactions need a doctor.
Disclaimer: The acupoint information provided is for educational purposes only.
