Acupuncture Points for Exhaustion

2 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

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Related symptoms

Often treated alongside Exhaustion:

Points cited for Exhaustion

How often each point appears across the 50 entries ranked highest for Exhaustion. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • SP06Three Yin IntersectionSpleen Meridian25 of 50
  • ST36Leg Three MilesStomach Meridian22 of 50
  • PC06Inner GatePericardium Meridian21 of 50
  • CV04Original Qi GateConception Vessel20 of 50
  • LI04Junction ValleyLarge Intestine Meridian20 of 50
  • GV20100 ConvergencesGoverning Vessel18 of 50
  • HT07Spirit GateHeart Meridian18 of 50
  • LV03Great SurgeLiver Meridian14 of 50
  • CV12Stomach CentreConception Vessel13 of 50
  • CV06Sea Of QiConception Vessel11 of 50
  • BL23Kidney Shu PointBladder Meridian9 of 50
  • KD03Great StreamKidney Meridian9 of 50

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (7 points)

100%

ST36 · SP06 · HT07 · PC06 · LV03 · GV20 · GV23

Point 1 of 7

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

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

HT07Spirit Gate

HT07 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Heart Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 神門 (shén mén)

🎯 Location: At the ulnar end of the transverse crease of the wrist in the depression on the radial side of the tendon of the flexor carpi ulnaris.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in cardiac arrhythmias.

🛡️ Treats: Anxiety, Shortness of Breath, Palpitations, Common Cold, Heat

PC06Inner Gate

PC06 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Pericardium Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 內關 (nèi guān)

🎯 Location: 2 thumb widths above the transverse crease of the wrist between tendons of the palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in severe deficiency conditions.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Anxiety, Dizziness, Spleen Qi Deficiency

LV03Great Surge

LV03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Liver Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 太衝 (tài chōng)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Anxiety, Shortness of Breath, Sweating

GV20100 Convergences

GV20 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 百會 (bǎi huì)

🎯 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.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Palpitations, Jaundice, Qi Deficiency

GV23Upper Star

GV23 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 上星 (shàng xīng)

🎯 Location: 1 thumb width directly above the midpoint of the anterior hairline.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Depression, Wind, Redness, Swelling, Malaria

Study-reported

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(10)60038-6 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. ST36, SP06, HT07, 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 ↗

Protocol (6 points)

100%

LI04 · SP03 · HT07 · KD01 · CV04 · CV08

Point 1 of 6

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

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

HT07Spirit Gate

HT07 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Heart Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 神門 (shén mén)

🎯 Location: At the ulnar end of the transverse crease of the wrist in the depression on the radial side of the tendon of the flexor carpi ulnaris.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in cardiac arrhythmias.

🛡️ Treats: Anxiety, Shortness of Breath, Palpitations, Common Cold, Heat

KD01Bubbling Spring

KD01 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Kidney Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 湧泉 (yǒng quán)

🎯 Location: On the sole in the depression the when foot is in the plantar flexion the approximately at the junction of the anterior 1/3 and posterior 2/3 of the line connecting base of the 2nd and 3rd toes and heel.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in patients with severe deficiency conditions.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Anxiety, Shortness of Breath, Dizziness, Coughing Blood

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

CV08Spirit Palace Gate

CV08 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 神闕 (shén què)

🎯 Location: In the center of the umbilicus.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications; often use moxa only.

🛡️ Treats: Abdominal Bloating, Rectal Prolapse, Edema, Cold Blood, Loss of Consciousness

Study-reported

Needling + Moxibustion · a 90-day course

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1016/j.imr.2013.01.002 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. LI04, HT07, CV04 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1177/15347354211019103 ↗

Protocol (4 points)

57%

ST25 · BL23 · BL32 · GB26

Point 1 of 4

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

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

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

GB26Girdle Vessel

GB26 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 帶脈 (dài mài)

🎯 Location: Directly below lr13 (zhangmen) at the crossing point of the vertical line through free end of the 11th rib and horizontal line through umbilicus.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Pain, Channel Stagnation, Period / Menstruation Irregular, Vaginal Discharge, Regulate Damp

Study-reported

Electroacupuncture · 36 sessions over 12 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20230575 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. ST25, BL23, BL32 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.2147/IJWH.S541559 ↗

Protocol (2 points)

56%

CV04 · CV06

Point 1 of 2

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

CV06Sea Of Qi

CV06 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 氣海 (qì hǎi)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Constipation, Yang Weakness, Abdominal Bloating

Study-reported

Point injection · 18 sessions over 9 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1186/s13063-019-3482-5 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. CV04, CV06 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1155/2013/613596 ↗

Protocol (3 points)

53%

LI18 · SI17 · GB12

Point 1 of 3

LI18Beside The Prominence

LI18 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 扶突 (fú tū)

🎯 Location: On the lateral side of the neck, level with tip of the adam's apple between sternal and clavicular heads of the scm muscle.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep needling; proximity to carotid artery and thyroid.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Asthma, Swelling, Sore Throat, Facial Pain

SI17Celestial Hood

SI17 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 天容 (tiān róng)

🎯 Location: Posterior to the angle of the mandible in the depression on the anterior border of the scm.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution near facial nerve.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Fever, Asthma, Tinnitus

GB12Mastoid Process

GB12 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 完骨 (wán gǔ)

🎯 Location: In the depression the posterior and inferior to the mastoid process.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications for head points.

🛡️ Treats: Wind, Pain, Deviation Eye, Facial Droop, Epilepsy

Study-reported

Acupressure · a 2-week course

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.5539/gjhs.v7n4p40 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. LI18, GB12 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1186/s12906-024-04353-0 ↗

Protocol (9 points)

50%

ST36 · SP06 · SP18 · BL13 · BL20 · BL23 · KD27 · CV04 · CV06

Point 1 of 9

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

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

SP18Celestial Cleft

SP18 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 天谿 (tiān xī)

🎯 Location: In the 4th intercostal space 6 thumb widths lateral to the anterior midline.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep needling; risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Chest Fullness, Breast Abscess, Hiccups

BL13Lung Shu Point

BL13 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肺俞 (fèi shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV12 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 3rd thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

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

BL20Spleen Shu Point

BL20 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 脾俞 (pí shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV06 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 11th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Poor Appetite, Diarrhea, Spleen Qi Deficiency

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

KD27Shu Mansion

KD27 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Kidney Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 俞府 (shū fǔ)

🎯 Location: In the depression on the lower border of the clavicle 2 thumb widths lateral to the anterior midline.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep needling; risk of pneumothorax.

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

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

CV06Sea Of Qi

CV06 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 氣海 (qì hǎi)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Constipation, Yang Weakness, Abdominal Bloating

Text or case report

Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report.

Acupuncture Point Prescriptions, entry ACC2
Substantiated by a study. ST36, SP06, BL20, BL23, CV04, CV06 also appear in a study-reported protocol for the same search. That study did not test this prescription. doi:10.1155/2022/6541600 ↗
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How the studies delivered it

What the 44 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.

  • Needling18 of 44
  • Acupressure9 of 44
  • Electroacupuncture7 of 44
  • Moxibustion6 of 44
  • Point injection3 of 44
  • Thread embedding1 of 44
  • Electrical stimulation on the skin1 of 44
  • Bloodletting1 of 44

Sessions: the 20 studies that gave a count ran a median of 15 (middle half 9 to 20).

Course: the 25 studies that gave a length ran a median of 5 weeks (middle half 4 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.