Acupuncture Points for Hiv

3 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

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Related symptoms

Often treated alongside Hiv:

Points cited for Hiv

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

  • CV04Original Qi GateConception Vessel4 of 4
  • ST36Leg Three MilesStomach Meridian3 of 4
  • BL20Spleen Shu PointBladder Meridian2 of 4
  • BL23Kidney Shu PointBladder Meridian2 of 4
  • SP06Three Yin IntersectionSpleen Meridian2 of 4
  • BL15Heart Shu PointBladder Meridian1 of 4
  • BL17Diaphragm Shu PointBladder Meridian1 of 4
  • BL18Liver Shu PointBladder Meridian1 of 4
  • CV06Sea Of QiConception Vessel1 of 4
  • CV08Spirit Palace GateConception Vessel1 of 4
  • CV12Stomach CentreConception Vessel1 of 4
  • GB31Wind MarketGallbladder Meridian1 of 4

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (6 points)

100%

BL20 · BL23 · CV04 · CV06 · CV08 · GV14

Point 1 of 6

BL20Spleen Shu Point

BL20 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 脾俞 (pí yú)

🎯 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 yú)

🎯 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

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

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

GV14Great Vertebra

GV14 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大椎 (dà zhuī)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra approximately at the level of the shoulders.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with C7 vertebra.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Shortness of Breath, Weakness, Heat, Chest Fullness

Study-reported

Moxibustion · 24 sessions over 12 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000044437 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL20, BL23, CV04 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1186/s12906-024-04724-7 ↗

Protocol (8 points)

100%

ST25 · ST36 · SP06 · BL18 · BL20 · BL23 · CV04 · CV12

Point 1 of 8

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

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

BL18Liver Shu Point

BL18 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肝俞 (gān yú)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV08 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 9th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Dizziness, Coughing Blood, Jaundice

BL20Spleen Shu Point

BL20 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 脾俞 (pí yú)

🎯 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 yú)

🎯 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

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

CV12Stomach Centre

CV12 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 中脘 (zhōng wǎn)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Poor Appetite, Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Common Cold, Depression

Study-reported

Electrical stimulation on the skin · 144 sessions over 48 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1186/s12906-024-04724-7 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL20, BL23, CV04 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000044437 ↗

Protocol (3 points)

100%

ST36 · SP06 · CV04

Point 1 of 3

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

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

Study-reported

Moxibustion · a 540-day course

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2018.01.001 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. ST36, SP06, CV04 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1186/s12906-024-04724-7 ↗

Protocol (7 points)

75%

ST36 · SP10 · BL15 · BL17 · GB31 · CV04 · GV20

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

SP10Sea Of Blood

SP10 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 血海 (xuè hǎi)

🎯 Location: When knee is flexed point is 2 thumb widths above the mediosuperior border of the patella on the bulge of the medial portion of the quadriceps femoris.

⚠️ Cautions: Anticoagulant therapy or a coagulopathy raises the risk of haematoma at the needling site – apply prolonged pressure on withdrawal. The precaution governs technique; bleeding disorders remain a treatable indication.

🛡️ Treats: Knee Pain, Absent Periods, Blood Stagnation, Pain, Hives

BL15Heart Shu Point

BL15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 心俞 (xīn yú)

🎯 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.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Anxiety, Sweating, Coughing Blood

BL17Diaphragm Shu Point

BL17 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 膈俞 (gé yú)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV09 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 7th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Sweating, Dizziness

GB31Wind Market

GB31 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 風市 (fēng shì)

🎯 Location: On the midline of the lateral aspect of the thigh, 7 thumb widths above the transverse popliteal crease; when patient is standing erect with hands close to the sides, point is where tip of the middle finger touches.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Knee Pain, Wind, Pain, Hives, Sciatica

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

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

Study-reported

Thread embedding · 4 sessions over 8 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.2196/54376 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. ST36, CV04 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1186/s12906-024-04724-7 ↗
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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.

  • Moxibustion2 of 4
  • Electrical stimulation on the skin1 of 4
  • Thread embedding1 of 4

Sessions: the 3 studies that gave a count ran a median of 24 (middle half 14 to 84).

Course: the 4 studies that gave a length ran a median of 30 weeks (middle half 11 weeks to 387 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.