Acupuncture Points for Claudication Intermittent

3 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (10 points)

100%

LI04 · LI11 · ST36 · ST40 · ST42 · SP03 · SP06 · SP09 · KD03 · GB34

LI04Junction Valley

LI04 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 合谷 (hé gǔ)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Tinnitus, Release Exterior, Absent Periods, Wind

LI11Pond At The Bend

LI11 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 曲池 (qū chí)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Dizziness, Heat, Vomiting, Abdominal Bloating

ST36Leg Three Miles

ST36 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 足三里 (zú sān lǐ)

🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths below ST35, 1 finger breadth (middle finger) from anterior border of the tibia.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in cases of severe varicose veins.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Poor Appetite, Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath

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

ST42Surging Yang

ST42 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 衝陽 (chōng yáng)

🎯 Location: On the dome of the instep of the foot between tendons of the long extensor muscle of the great the toe and long extensor muscle of the toes where pulsation of the dorsal artery of the foot is palpable.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Depression, Vomiting, Abdominal Bloating, Swelling

SP03Great White

SP03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 太白 (tài bái)

🎯 Location: Proximal and inferior to the 1st metatarsophalangeal joint in the depression of the junction of the red and white skin.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in patients with cardiac arrhythmias.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Knee Pain, Constipation, Heat, Vomiting

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

SP09Yin Mound Spring

SP09 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 陰陵泉 (yīn líng quán)

🎯 Location: On the lower border of the medial condyle of the tibia in the depression the posterior and inferior to the medial condyle of the tibia.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in cases of knee inflammation.

🛡️ Treats: Heat Chest, Fever, Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Jaundice

KD03Great Stream

KD03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Kidney Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 太谿 (tài xī)

🎯 Location: In the depression the between tip of the medial malleolus and achilles tendon.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Shortness of Breath, Heat Deficiency, Asthma

GB34Yang Mound Spring

GB34 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 陽陵泉 (yáng líng quán)

🎯 Location: In the depression the anterior and inferior to the head of the fibula.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Knee Pain, Jaundice, Constipation, Vomiting

Study-reported

Needling · a 15-week course

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.12659/MSM.909733 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. GB34 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1142/S1013702522500044 ↗
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Protocol (20 points)

100%

LI04 · LI11 · ST36 · ST40 · ST42 · SP03 · SP06 · SP09 · KD03 · GB34 · XL05A · XL05B · XL10A · XL10B · XL10C · XL10D · XL10E · XL10F · XL10G · XL10H

LI04Junction Valley

LI04 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 合谷 (hé gǔ)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Tinnitus, Release Exterior, Absent Periods, Wind

LI11Pond At The Bend

LI11 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 曲池 (qū chí)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Dizziness, Heat, Vomiting, Abdominal Bloating

ST36Leg Three Miles

ST36 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 足三里 (zú sān lǐ)

🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths below ST35, 1 finger breadth (middle finger) from anterior border of the tibia.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in cases of severe varicose veins.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Poor Appetite, Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath

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

ST42Surging Yang

ST42 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 衝陽 (chōng yáng)

🎯 Location: On the dome of the instep of the foot between tendons of the long extensor muscle of the great the toe and long extensor muscle of the toes where pulsation of the dorsal artery of the foot is palpable.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Depression, Vomiting, Abdominal Bloating, Swelling

SP03Great White

SP03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 太白 (tài bái)

🎯 Location: Proximal and inferior to the 1st metatarsophalangeal joint in the depression of the junction of the red and white skin.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in patients with cardiac arrhythmias.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Knee Pain, Constipation, Heat, Vomiting

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

SP09Yin Mound Spring

SP09 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 陰陵泉 (yīn líng quán)

🎯 Location: On the lower border of the medial condyle of the tibia in the depression the posterior and inferior to the medial condyle of the tibia.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in cases of knee inflammation.

🛡️ Treats: Heat Chest, Fever, Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Jaundice

KD03Great Stream

KD03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Kidney Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 太谿 (tài xī)

🎯 Location: In the depression the between tip of the medial malleolus and achilles tendon.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Shortness of Breath, Heat Deficiency, Asthma

GB34Yang Mound Spring

GB34 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 陽陵泉 (yáng líng quán)

🎯 Location: In the depression the anterior and inferior to the head of the fibula.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Knee Pain, Jaundice, Constipation, Vomiting

XL05AMedial Eye Of The Knee

XL05A acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Lower limbs

🇨🇳 Chinese: 內膝眼 (nèi xī yǎn)

🎯 Location: When the knee is flexed, in the depression medial to the patellar ligament. The medial member of the Xiyan (EX-LE 5) pair; EX-LE 4 (Neixiyan) denotes this point alone.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in acute knee injuries.

🛡️ Treats: Swelling, Pain, Leg Muscle Wasting, Qi Leg, Leg Numbness

XL05BLateral Eye Of The Knee

XL05B acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Lower limbs

🇨🇳 Chinese: 外膝眼 (wài xī yǎn)

🎯 Location: When the knee is flexed, in the depression lateral to the patellar ligament. The lateral member of the Xiyan (EX-LE 5) pair; the same depression as ST35 (Dubi), which is why prescriptions naming both Dubi and Xiyan describe two hollows, not three.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in acute knee injuries.

🛡️ Treats: Swelling, Pain, Leg Muscle Wasting, Qi Leg, Leg Numbness

XL10AEight Winds

XL10A acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Lower limbs

🇨🇳 Chinese: 八風 (bā fēng)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot, between the toes, 0.5 thumb widths proximal to the margin of the web. these points include xingjian liv-2, neiting st-44 & xiaxi gb-43.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in patients with bleeding disorders.

🛡️ Treats: Heat, Redness, Swelling, Malaria, Headache

XL10BEight Winds

XL10B acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Lower limbs

🇨🇳 Chinese: 八風 (bā fēng)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot, between the toes, 0.5 thumb widths proximal to the margin of the web. these points include xingjian liv-2, neiting st-44 & xiaxi gb-44.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in patients with bleeding disorders.

🛡️ Treats: Heat, Redness, Swelling, Malaria, Headache

XL10CEight Winds

XL10C acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Lower limbs

🇨🇳 Chinese: 八風 (bā fēng)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot, between the toes, 0.5 thumb widths proximal to the margin of the web. these points include xingjian liv-2, neiting st-44 & xiaxi gb-45.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in patients with bleeding disorders.

🛡️ Treats: Heat, Redness, Swelling, Malaria, Headache

XL10DEight Winds

XL10D acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Lower limbs

🇨🇳 Chinese: 八風 (bā fēng)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot, between the toes, 0.5 thumb widths proximal to the margin of the web. these points include xingjian liv-2, neiting st-44 & xiaxi gb-46.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in patients with bleeding disorders.

🛡️ Treats: Heat, Redness, Swelling, Malaria, Headache

XL10EEight Winds

XL10E acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Lower limbs

🇨🇳 Chinese: 八風 (bā fēng)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot, between the toes, 0.5 thumb widths proximal to the margin of the web. these points include xingjian liv-2, neiting st-44 & xiaxi gb-47.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in patients with bleeding disorders.

🛡️ Treats: Heat, Redness, Swelling, Malaria, Headache

XL10FEight Winds

XL10F acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Lower limbs

🇨🇳 Chinese: 八風 (bā fēng)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot, between the toes, 0.5 thumb widths proximal to the margin of the web. these points include xingjian liv-2, neiting st-44 & xiaxi gb-48.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in patients with bleeding disorders.

🛡️ Treats: Heat, Redness, Swelling, Malaria, Headache

XL10GEight Winds

XL10G acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Lower limbs

🇨🇳 Chinese: 八風 (bā fēng)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot, between the toes, 0.5 thumb widths proximal to the margin of the web. these points include xingjian liv-2, neiting st-44 & xiaxi gb-49.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in patients with bleeding disorders.

🛡️ Treats: Heat, Redness, Swelling, Malaria, Headache

XL10HEight Winds

XL10H acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Lower limbs

🇨🇳 Chinese: 八風 (bā fēng)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot, between the toes, 0.5 thumb widths proximal to the margin of the web. these points include xingjian liv-2, neiting st-44 & xiaxi gb-50.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in patients with bleeding disorders.

🛡️ Treats: Heat, Redness, Swelling, Malaria, Headache

Study-reported

Needling · a 15-week course

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.12659/MSM.909733 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. GB34 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1142/S1013702522500044 ↗
Press Needles
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Protocol (9 points)

100%

ST41 · BL40 · BL60 · BL61 · GB30 · GB34 · GB38 · GB40 · LV02

ST41Dividing Cleft

ST41 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 解谿 (jiě xī)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot at the midpoint of the transverse crease of the ankle joint in the depression the between tendons of the extensor digitorum longus and hallucis longus approximately at the level of the tip of the external malleolus.

⚠️ Cautions: Rule out fracture, dislocation and joint instability before needling, and do not needle into an acutely swollen joint or a haemarthrosis.

🛡️ Treats: Knee Pain, Dizziness, Palpitations, Constipation, Abdominal Bloating

BL40Middle Of The Crease

BL40 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 委中 (wěi zhōng)

🎯 Location: Midpoint of the transverse crease of the popliteal fossa between tendons of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in weakness/fatigue; avoid strong stimulation.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Knee Pain, Vomiting, Abdominal Pain

BL60Kunlun (Mountains)

BL60 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 崑崙 (kūn lún)

🎯 Location: In the depression the between tip of the external malleolus and achilles tendon.

⚠️ 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: Cough, Shortness of Breath, Heat, Chest Fullness, Abdominal Pain

BL61Subservient Visitor

BL61 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 僕參 (pú cān)

🎯 Location: Posterior and inferior to the external malleolus directly below BL60 lateral to the calcaneum at the junction of the red and white skin.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Vomiting, Pain, Loss of Consciousness, Lower Back Pain, Channel Stagnation

GB30Jumping Circle

GB30 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 環跳 (huán tiào)

🎯 Location: At the junction of the lateral ⅓ and medial ⅔ of the distance between prominence of the greater trochanter and hiatus of the sacrum, GV02; when locating point put patient in the lateral recumbent position the with thigh flexed.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with sciatic nerve.

🛡️ Treats: Knee Pain, Back Pain, Leg Pain, Hip Pain, Pain

GB34Yang Mound Spring

GB34 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 陽陵泉 (yáng líng quán)

🎯 Location: In the depression the anterior and inferior to the head of the fibula.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Knee Pain, Jaundice, Constipation, Vomiting

GB38Yang Assistance

GB38 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 陽輔 (yáng fǔ)

🎯 Location: 4 thumb widths above the tip of the external malleolus slightly anterior to the anterior border of the fibula, between extensor digitorum longus and peroneus brevis.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Chest Pain, Fever, Sweating, Common Cold, Numbness

GB40Mound

GB40 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 丘墟 (qiū xū)

🎯 Location: Anterior and inferior to the external malleolus in the depression on the lateral side of the tendon of the extensor digitorum longus.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Chest Pain, Fever, Common Cold, Vomiting, Redness

LV02Passing Between

LV02 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Liver Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 行間 (xíng jiān)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot between 1st and 2nd toe proximal to the margin of the web at the junction of the red and white skin.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Chest Pain, Diarrhea, Anxiety, Dizziness, Coughing Blood

Study-reported

Laser · 10 sessions over 5 weeks

Did better than usual care

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1142/S1013702522500044 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. GB34 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.12659/MSM.909733 ↗
AcuiQ Self-Treatment Guide
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Points cited for Claudication Intermittent

How often each point appears across the 3 entries ranked highest for Claudication Intermittent. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • GB34Yang Mound SpringGallbladder Meridian3 of 3
  • KD03Great StreamKidney Meridian2 of 3
  • LI04Junction ValleyLarge Intestine Meridian2 of 3
  • LI11Pond At The BendLarge Intestine Meridian2 of 3
  • SP03Great WhiteSpleen Meridian2 of 3
  • SP06Three Yin IntersectionSpleen Meridian2 of 3
  • SP09Yin Mound SpringSpleen Meridian2 of 3
  • ST36Leg Three MilesStomach Meridian2 of 3
  • ST40Abundant BulgeStomach Meridian2 of 3
  • ST42Surging YangStomach Meridian2 of 3
  • BL40Middle Of The CreaseBladder Meridian1 of 3
  • BL60Kunlun (Mountains)Bladder Meridian1 of 3

Registered, results not reported

These trials registered a protocol for Claudication Intermittent and have not reported results. They are not counted above.

BL23 · BL25 · BL40 · BL57 · KD03 – doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012821

How the studies delivered it

What the 2 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.

  • Needling1 of 2
  • Laser1 of 2

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

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