# Acupoints for Ileus

39 sourced protocols for Ileus. Canonical page: https://acuiq.com/symptoms/ileus

## Protocols

| # | Points | Course | Result | Source | Kind | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ST25 (Celestial Pivot), CV08 (Spirit Palace Gate) | Moxibustion | – | doi:10.1155/2012/426829 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 2 | LI04 (Junction Valley), ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection), SP09 (Yin Mound Spring), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Needling + Electroacupuncture | No better than sham needling | doi:10.1245/s10434-012-2759-7 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 3 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow) | Needling | – | doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(16)30038-3 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 4 | LI04 (Junction Valley), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection) | Needling + Electroacupuncture | – | doi:10.1155/2018/3178472 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 5 | LI04 (Junction Valley), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection), PC06 (Inner Gate), TB06 (Branch Ditch) | Needling + Electroacupuncture | – | doi:10.1155/2018/3178472 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 6 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection) | Electrical stimulation on the skin | – | doi:10.1155/2018/7341920 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 7 | LI04 (Junction Valley), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection), SP09 (Yin Mound Spring), TB06 (Branch Ditch) | Needling, 1 session | – | doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000013352 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 8 | ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), PC06 (Inner Gate), GV20 (100 Convergences) | Electrical stimulation on the skin | – | doi:10.1155/2021/5594263 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 9 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Electrical stimulation on the skin, 4 sessions over 4 days | – | doi:10.2147/JMDH.S391852 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 10 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection) | Electroacupuncture, 3 sessions over 2 days | – | doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20210711 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 11 | SP04 (Grandfather Grandson), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Needling + Electroacupuncture, 5 sessions over 5 days | – | doi:10.1186/s12906-024-04418-0 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 12 | LI04 (Junction Valley), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection) | Needling + Electroacupuncture | – | doi:10.1245/s10434-025-17239-3 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 13 | LI04 (Junction Valley), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), ST39 (Lower Great Hollow), LV03 (Great Surge) | Needling + Acupressure | – | doi:10.3389/fsurg.2024.1349975 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 14 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Electroacupuncture, 2 sessions | – | doi:10.1186/s13020-016-0122-9 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 15 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Needling | – | doi:10.3389/fonc.2023.1206196 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 16 | LI04 (Junction Valley), LI11 (Pond At The Bend), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Electroacupuncture | – | doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20240618-k0003 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 17 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Needling + Electroacupuncture, 4 sessions over 3 days | – | doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250805-0002 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 18 | LI11 (Pond At The Bend), ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), ST39 (Lower Great Hollow), CV06 (Sea Of Qi), CV12 (Stomach Centre) | Needling + Electroacupuncture, 5 sessions over 5 days | – | doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250221-k0003 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 19 | LI04 (Junction Valley), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), ST39 (Lower Great Hollow), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Electrical stimulation on the skin | – | doi:10.2174/0113862073255619231102112544 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 20 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), ST39 (Lower Great Hollow), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Herbal plaster on points | – | doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20200327-k0003 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 21 | LI04 (Junction Valley), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Press needles, a 6-day course | – | doi:10.3389/fsurg.2025.1612766 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 22 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), SP09 (Yin Mound Spring), LV03 (Great Surge) | Needling + Electroacupuncture | – | doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20210125-0004 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 23 | LI04 (Junction Valley), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), BL21 (Stomach Shu Point), BL27 (Small Intestine Shu Point), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Electrical stimulation on the skin, 6 sessions over 3 days | – | doi:10.2147/CMAR.S292325 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 24 | LI04 (Junction Valley), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Electrical stimulation on the skin, 4 sessions over 4 days | – | doi:10.2147/JMDH.S391852 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 25 | ST21 (Ridge Gate), SP15 (Great Horizontal) | Electrical stimulation on the skin | – | doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20220505-0002 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 26 | LI04 (Junction Valley), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), ST39 (Lower Great Hollow), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Electroacupuncture | – | doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20220505-0002 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 27 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Electrical stimulation on the skin, 14 sessions over 7 days | – | doi:10.1080/00365521.2023.2261060 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 28 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), ST39 (Lower Great Hollow) | Electroacupuncture, 2 sessions over 2 days | – | doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2017.05.008 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 29 | ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), ST39 (Lower Great Hollow), CV12 (Stomach Centre) | Electroacupuncture, 2 sessions over 2 days | – | doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2017.05.008 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 30 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow) | – | – | Cheong Kah Bik et al. Effectiveness of acupuncture in postoperative ileus: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. J Tradit Chin Med, 2016, 36(3): 271-282 | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |
| 31 | CV08 (Spirit Palace Gate), CV16 (Central Court) | Needling | – | Abdominal Acupuncture for Gastrointestinal Function Recovery After Gynecologic Laparoscopic Surgery. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07293026 | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |
| 32 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles), BL25 (Large Intestine Shu Point), BL32 (Second Bone Hole), PC06 (Inner Gate) | Needling, 2 sessions over 2 days | – | Chen Jirui, Nissi Wang (eds). Acupuncture Case Histories from China. Seattle: Eastland Press, 1988 | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |
| 33 | SP14 (Abdominal Bind), CV04 (Original Qi Gate), CV06 (Sea Of Qi) | Moxibustion, 5 sessions | – | Zhang Dengbu. Acupuncture Cases from China: A Digest of Difficult and Complicated Case Histories. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 1994 | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |
| 34 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles) | – | – | pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 35 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles) | Acupressure, a 5-day course | – | doi:10.1016/j.apjon.2023.100229 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 36 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles) | Point injection | – | doi:10.7150/jca.24767 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 37 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles) | Point injection | – | doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2015.03.013 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 38 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles) | Electroacupuncture, a 7-day course | – | doi:10.4240/wjgs.v17.i10.109404 | study | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 39 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles) | Needling | – | Wan Q. Auricular-plaster therapy plus acupuncture at zusanli for postoperative recovery of intestinal function.. Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan, 2000 | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |

## Point locations

| Point | Name | Meridian | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| ST25 | Celestial Pivot | Stomach Meridian | 2 thumb widths lateral to the center of the umbilicus. |
| CV08 | Spirit Palace Gate | Conception Vessel | In the center of the umbilicus. |
| LI04 | Junction Valley | Large Intestine Meridian | On the dorsum of the hand between 1st & 2nd metacarpal bones approximately in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side. |
| ST36 | Leg Three Miles | Stomach Meridian | 3 thumb widths below ST35, 1 finger breadth (middle finger) from anterior border of the tibia. |
| SP06 | Three Yin Intersection | Spleen Meridian | 3 thumb widths directly above the tip of the medial malleolus posterior to the medial border of the tibia. |
| SP09 | Yin Mound Spring | Spleen Meridian | On the lower border of the medial condyle of the tibia in the depression the posterior and inferior to the medial condyle of the tibia. |
| PC06 | Inner Gate | Pericardium Meridian | 2 thumb widths above the transverse crease of the wrist between tendons of the palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis. |
| ST37 | Upper Great Hollow | Stomach Meridian | 6 thumb widths below ST35, 1 finger breadth (middle finger) from anterior border of the tibia. |
| TB06 | Branch Ditch | Triple Burner Meridian | 3 thumb widths proximal to the dorsal crease of the wrist on the line connecting TB04 and tip of the olecranon the between radius and ulna on the radial side of the extensor digitorum. |
| GV20 | 100 Convergences | Governing Vessel | 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. |
| SP04 | Grandfather Grandson | Spleen Meridian | In the depression the distal and inferior to the base of the 1st metatarsal bone at the junction of the red and white skin. |
| ST39 | Lower Great Hollow | Stomach Meridian | 9 thumb widths below ST35, 1 finger breadth (middle finger) from anterior border of the tibia. |
| LV03 | Great Surge | Liver Meridian | On the dorsum of the foot in the depression the distal to the junction of the 1st and 2nd metatarsal bones. |
| LI11 | Pond At The Bend | Large Intestine Meridian | When elbow is flexed point is in the depression the at the lateral end of the transverse cubital crease midway between LU05 and lateral epicondyle of the humerus. |
| CV06 | Sea Of Qi | Conception Vessel | On the anterior midline 1.5 thumb widths below umbilicus. |
| CV12 | Stomach Centre | Conception Vessel | On the anterior midline 4 thumb widths above the umbilicus. |
| BL21 | Stomach Shu Point | Bladder Meridian | 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the du mai at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 12th thoracic vertebra. |
| BL27 | Small Intestine Shu Point | Bladder Meridian | 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the du mai at the level of the 1st posterior sacral foramen. |
| ST21 | Ridge Gate | Stomach Meridian | 4 thumb widths above the umbilicus 2 thumb widths lateral to the CV12. |
| SP15 | Great Horizontal | Spleen Meridian | 4 thumb widths lateral to the center of the umbilicus lateral to the rectus abdominis. |
| CV16 | Central Court | Conception Vessel | On the anterior midline at the level with 5th intercostal space on the xiphoid process. |
| BL25 | Large Intestine Shu Point | Bladder Meridian | 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV03 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 4th lumbar vertebra. |
| BL32 | Second Bone Hole | Bladder Meridian | On the sacrum medial and inferior to the posterior superior iliac spine just at the 2nd posterior sacral foramen. |
| SP14 | Abdominal Bind | Spleen Meridian | 13 thumb widths below SP15, 4 thumb widths lateral to the anterior midline, on the lateral side of the rectus abdominis. |
| CV04 | Original Qi Gate | Conception Vessel | On the anterior midline 3 thumb widths below umbilicus. |

## Registered, results not reported

Not counted above, and not an indication.

| Points | Result | Source | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| LI04, ST36, ST37, TB06 | – | doi:10.1007/s00384-024-04768-8 | – |
| LI04, ST36, ST37, PC06 | – | doi:10.1186/s13063-020-04470-4 | – |
| LI04, ST36, ST37, ST39, PC06 | – | doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.1017375 | Source prints Hegu as LI6 in the arm descriptions and LI4 in the procedure; coded as LI4 |
| ST21, SP15 | – | doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.1017375 | – |
| LI04, ST21, ST36, ST37, ST39, SP15, PC06 | – | doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.1017375 | Source prints Hegu as LI6 in the arm descriptions and LI4 in the procedure; coded as LI4 |
| ST25, ST36, ST37, PC06, CV12 | – | doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-083460 | – |
| ST25, ST36, ST37, PC06, CV04, CV12 | – | doi:10.3389/fneur.2025.1615489 | – |
| ST36, ST37 | – | doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2025-108722 | – |

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AcuiQ-authored prose (symptom and meridian descriptions, the wiki, the auricular crosswalk) is licensed CC-BY-4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The assembled protocol compilation is not: build on it with attribution, but do not redistribute it whole as a dataset – https://acuiq.com/terms. The underlying findings are the cited sources' claims – each entry carries its citation; verify against the source before relying on it. Not medical advice: https://acuiq.com/terms