Acupuncture Points for Gluteal Pain

3 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (7 points)

100%

BL23 · BL25 · BL40 · BL53 · BL54 · BL57 · GB34

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

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

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

BL53Bladder Vitals

BL53 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 胞肓 (bāo huāng)

🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths lateral to the median sacral crest at the level of the 2nd posterior sacral foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Abdominal Bloating, Pain, Edema, Urinary Retention, Sciatica

BL54Lowermost In Order

BL54 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 秩邊 (zhì biān)

🎯 Location: On the level of the 4th posterior sacral foramen 3 thumb widths lateral to the median sacral crest.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Kidney Deficiency, Pain, Urinary Retention, Hemorrhoids, Sciatica

BL57Mountain Support

BL57 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 承山 (chéng shān)

🎯 Location: On the posterior midline of the leg between BL40 and BL60 in the pointed depression the formed below gastrocnemius belly when leg is stretched or heel is lifted.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in severe varicose veins.

🛡️ Treats: Constipation, Pain, Rectal Prolapse, Malaria, Hemorrhoids

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 4-week course

Did better than another treatment

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1186/s12906-018-2087-y ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL23, BL25, BL40, BL54, BL57, GB34 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1177/2515690X251355513 ↗
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Protocol (9 points)

100%

BL23 · BL25 · BL40 · BL54 · BL57 · BL60 · GB30 · GB34 · GB39

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

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

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

BL54Lowermost In Order

BL54 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 秩邊 (zhì biān)

🎯 Location: On the level of the 4th posterior sacral foramen 3 thumb widths lateral to the median sacral crest.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Kidney Deficiency, Pain, Urinary Retention, Hemorrhoids, Sciatica

BL57Mountain Support

BL57 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 承山 (chéng shān)

🎯 Location: On the posterior midline of the leg between BL40 and BL60 in the pointed depression the formed below gastrocnemius belly when leg is stretched or heel is lifted.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in severe varicose veins.

🛡️ Treats: Constipation, Pain, Rectal Prolapse, Malaria, Hemorrhoids

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

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

GB39Suspended Bell

GB39 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 懸鐘 (xuán zhōng)

🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths above the tip of the external malleolus on the anterior border of the fibula.

⚠️ Cautions: Contraindicated during pregnancy.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Anxiety, Knee Pain, Dizziness, Heat

Study-reported

Needling + Moxibustion · 9 sessions over 3 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1177/2515690X251355513 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL23, BL25, BL40, BL54, BL57, GB34 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1186/s12906-018-2087-y ↗
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Protocol (2 points)

100%

BL57 · PC04

BL57Mountain Support

BL57 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 承山 (chéng shān)

🎯 Location: On the posterior midline of the leg between BL40 and BL60 in the pointed depression the formed below gastrocnemius belly when leg is stretched or heel is lifted.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in severe varicose veins.

🛡️ Treats: Constipation, Pain, Rectal Prolapse, Malaria, Hemorrhoids

PC04Cleft Gate

PC04 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Pericardium Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 郄門 (xì mén)

🎯 Location: 5 thumb widths above the transverse crease of the wrist on the line connecting PC03 and PC07 between tendons of the palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Chest Pain, Anxiety, Coughing Blood, Vomiting, Blood Stagnation

Study-reported

Needling · 9 sessions over 3 weeks

Improved from baseline; no control group

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20240630-0002 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL57 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1186/s12906-018-2087-y ↗
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18 needles for this course · 1 box, $19.99
AcuiQ Self-Treatment Guide
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Points cited for Gluteal Pain

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

  • BL57Mountain SupportBladder Meridian3 of 3
  • BL23Kidney Shu PointBladder Meridian2 of 3
  • BL25Large Intestine Shu PointBladder Meridian2 of 3
  • BL40Middle Of The CreaseBladder Meridian2 of 3
  • BL54Lowermost In OrderBladder Meridian2 of 3
  • GB34Yang Mound SpringGallbladder Meridian2 of 3
  • BL53Bladder VitalsBladder Meridian1 of 3
  • BL60Kunlun (Mountains)Bladder Meridian1 of 3
  • GB30Jumping CircleGallbladder Meridian1 of 3
  • GB39Suspended BellGallbladder Meridian1 of 3
  • PC04Cleft GatePericardium Meridian1 of 3

Tested, no effect found

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

SP06 · BL40 · BL54 · GB30 · GB34 · XB02L1 · XB02L2 · XB02L3 · XB02L4 · XB02L5 – doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2016.10.011 – No better than another treatment

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.

  • Needling3 of 3
  • Moxibustion1 of 3

Course: the 3 studies that gave a length ran a median of 3 weeks (middle half 3 weeks to 25 days).

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

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