🎯 Location: Laterosuperior to the sternum 1 thumb width below LU02 at the level of the 1st intercostal space 6 thumb widths lateral to the anterior midline.
⚠️ Cautions: Needle obliquely or laterally, never deeply or medially – risk of pneumothorax.
🎯 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: 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: 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 anterior midline at the level with 4th intercostal space, midway between nipples.
⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep needling – needle transversely along the sternum. New, worsening or unstable cardiac symptoms need medical assessment before treatment.
🎯 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.
🎯 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: 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.
