Acupuncture Points for Bladder Dysfunction

4 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (3 points)

100%

BL32 · BL33 · BL35

BL32Second Bone Hole

BL32 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 次髎 (cì liáo)

🎯 Location: On the sacrum medial and inferior to the posterior superior iliac spine just at the 2nd posterior sacral foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in sacroiliac dysfunction.

🛡️ Treats: Constipation, Pain, Urinary Retention, Infertility, Sciatica

BL33Middle Bone Hole

BL33 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 中髎 (zhōng liáo)

🎯 Location: On the sacrum medial and inferior to the BL32 just at the 3rd posterior sacral foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in sacroiliac dysfunction.

🛡️ Treats: Constipation, Abdominal Bloating, Pain, Urinary Retention, Infertility

BL35Meeting Of Yang

BL35 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 會陽 (huì yáng)

🎯 Location: On the sacrum 0.5 thumb widths lateral to the tip of the coccyx.

⚠️ Cautions: Do not needle into thrombosed or actively inflamed haemorrhoidal tissue, and observe strict asepsis in this region.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Leg Pain, Dysentery, Rectal Prolapse, Hemorrhoids

Study-reported

Electroacupuncture + Moxibustion

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20231216-k0001 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL32 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20230831-0004 ↗

Protocol (3 points)

100%

SP06 · CV03 · CV04

SP06Three Yin Intersection

SP06 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 三陰交 (sān yīn jiāo)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Palpitations, Abdominal Bloating

CV03Central Pivot

CV03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 中極 (zhōng jí)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Absent Periods, Back Pain, Pain, Damp, Edema

CV04Original Qi Gate

CV04 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 關元 (guān yuán)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Anxiety, Shortness of Breath, Kidney Deficiency

Study-reported

Electroacupuncture + Moxibustion

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20231216-k0001 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. CV03, CV04 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.0255-2930.20230831-0004 ↗

Protocol (4 points)

100%

ST25 · ST34 · ST37 · ST40

ST25Celestial Pivot

ST25 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 天樞 (tiān shū)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Poor Appetite, Diarrhea, Constipation, Vomiting, Abdominal Bloating

ST34Ridge Mound

ST34 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 梁丘 (liáng qiū)

🎯 Location: When knee is flexed point is 2 thumb widths above the laterosuperior border of the patella.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with depth.

🛡️ Treats: Knee Pain, Wind, Numbness, Leg Pain, Pain

ST37Upper Great Hollow

ST37 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 上巨虛 (shàng jù xū)

🎯 Location: 6 thumb widths below ST35, 1 finger breadth (middle finger) from anterior border of the tibia.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Spleen Weakness, Stomach Weakness, Common Cold

ST40Abundant Bulge

ST40 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 豐隆 (fēng lóng)

🎯 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.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Shortness of Breath, Phlegm, Asthma

Study-reported

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.19763/j.cnki.2096-7403.2024.03.14 ↗
Not corroborated. No other study in the index uses any of these points for this search.

Protocol (7 points)

100%

BL23 · BL28 · BL32 · CV03 · CV04 · GV03 · GV04

BL23Kidney Shu Point

BL23 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腎俞 (shèn shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV04 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Asthma, Tinnitus, Qi Deficiency

BL28Bladder Shu Point

BL28 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 膀胱俞 (páng guāng shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the du mai at the level of the 2nd posterior sacral foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Qi Deficiency, Constipation, Abdominal Pain, Swelling

BL32Second Bone Hole

BL32 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 次髎 (cì liáo)

🎯 Location: On the sacrum medial and inferior to the posterior superior iliac spine just at the 2nd posterior sacral foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in sacroiliac dysfunction.

🛡️ Treats: Constipation, Pain, Urinary Retention, Infertility, Sciatica

CV03Central Pivot

CV03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 中極 (zhōng jí)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Absent Periods, Back Pain, Pain, Damp, Edema

CV04Original Qi Gate

CV04 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 關元 (guān yuán)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Anxiety, Shortness of Breath, Kidney Deficiency

GV03Yang Lumbar Gate

GV03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腰陽關 (yāo yáng guān)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 4th lumbar vertebra at the level with iliac crest.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Numbness, Lower Back Pain, Urine White, Benefit Legs, Benefit Back Lumbar

GV04Life Gate

GV04 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 命門 (mìng mén)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Anxiety, Kidney Deficiency, Dizziness, Tinnitus

Study-reported

Electroacupuncture · 36 sessions over 6 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20230831-0004 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. CV03, CV04 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.0255-2930.20231216-k0001 ↗
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Points cited for Bladder Dysfunction

How often each point appears across the 4 entries ranked highest for Bladder Dysfunction. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • BL32Second Bone HoleBladder Meridian2 of 4
  • CV03Central PivotConception Vessel2 of 4
  • CV04Original Qi GateConception Vessel2 of 4
  • BL23Kidney Shu PointBladder Meridian1 of 4
  • BL28Bladder Shu PointBladder Meridian1 of 4
  • BL33Middle Bone HoleBladder Meridian1 of 4
  • BL35Meeting Of YangBladder Meridian1 of 4
  • GV03Yang Lumbar GateGoverning Vessel1 of 4
  • GV04Life GateGoverning Vessel1 of 4
  • SP06Three Yin IntersectionSpleen Meridian1 of 4
  • ST25Celestial PivotStomach Meridian1 of 4
  • ST34Ridge MoundStomach Meridian1 of 4

How the studies delivered it

What the 3 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.

  • Electroacupuncture2 of 3
  • Moxibustion1 of 3

After a treatment: what large safety surveys recorded, and which reactions need a doctor.

Disclaimer: The acupoint information provided is for educational purposes only.