Acupuncture Points for Defecation Incomplete

4 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (3 points)

100%

ST25 · ST37 · SP14

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

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

SP14Abdominal Bind

SP14 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腹結 (fù jié)

🎯 Location: 13 thumb widths below SP15, 4 thumb widths lateral to the anterior midline, on the lateral side of the rectus abdominis.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in pregnancy.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Constipation, Abdominal Bloating, Dysentery

Study-reported

Electroacupuncture · 28 sessions over 8 weeks

Did better than another treatment

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1155/2015/670963 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. ST25 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1186/s12906-018-2243-4 ↗

Protocol (4 points)

100%

ST25 · ST27 · BL25 · BL52

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

ST27Great Bulge

ST27 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大巨 (dà jù)

🎯 Location: 2 thumb widths below umbilicus 2 thumb widths lateral to the CV05.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in pregnancy.

🛡️ Treats: Palpitations, Insomnia, Urinary Retention, Agitation, Fullness

BL25Large Intestine Shu Point

BL25 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大腸俞 (dà cháng shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV03 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 4th lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Common Cold, Constipation, Abdominal Bloating, Abdominal Pain

BL52Willpower Room

BL52 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 志室 (zhì shì)

🎯 Location: 3 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 due to risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Vomiting, Back Pain, Swelling, Edema, Dreaming

Study-reported

Needling · 12 sessions over 4 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1186/s12906-018-2243-4 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. ST25 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1155/2015/670963 ↗
Press Needles
48 needles for this course · 1 box, $19.99

Protocol (4 points)

100%

BL31 · BL32 · BL33 · BL34

BL31Upper Bone Hole

BL31 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 上髎 (shàng liáo)

🎯 Location: On the sacrum at the midpoint between posterior superior iliac spine and posterior midline just at the 1st posterior sacral foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in sacroiliac dysfunction.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Knee Pain, Common Cold, Vomiting, Back Pain

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

BL34Lower Bone Hole

BL34 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 下髎 (xià liáo)

🎯 Location: On the sacrum medial and inferior to the BL33 just at the 4th posterior sacral foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in sacroiliac dysfunction.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Constipation, Swelling, Lower Back Pain, Painful Urination

Study-reported

Thread embedding · 6 sessions over 10 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1097/md.0000000000046143 ↗
Not corroborated. No other study in the index uses any of these points for this search.

Single-point entry

100%

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

Study-reported

Needling

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1155/2020/2171587 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. ST25 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1155/2015/670963 ↗
Press Needles
1 box, $19.99
AcuiQ Self-Treatment Guide
Acupressure you can do at home, every protocol traced to a trial. – $12.99, free updates for life

Points cited for Defecation Incomplete

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

  • ST25Celestial PivotStomach Meridian3 of 4
  • BL25Large Intestine Shu PointBladder Meridian1 of 4
  • BL31Upper Bone HoleBladder Meridian1 of 4
  • BL32Second Bone HoleBladder Meridian1 of 4
  • BL33Middle Bone HoleBladder Meridian1 of 4
  • BL34Lower Bone HoleBladder Meridian1 of 4
  • BL52Willpower RoomBladder Meridian1 of 4
  • SP14Abdominal BindSpleen Meridian1 of 4
  • ST27Great BulgeStomach Meridian1 of 4
  • ST37Upper Great HollowStomach Meridian1 of 4

Tested, no effect found

These studies tested the points below for Defecation Incomplete and found no effect. They are not counted above.

ST25 – doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000000284 – No better than another treatment

How the studies delivered it

What the 4 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.

  • Needling2 of 4
  • Electroacupuncture1 of 4
  • Thread embedding1 of 4

Sessions: the 3 studies that gave a count ran a median of 12 (middle half 9 to 20).

Course: the 3 studies that gave a length ran a median of 8 weeks (middle half 6 weeks to 9 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.