Acupuncture Points for Infant Colic

17 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (2 points)

89%

LI04 · ST36

LI04Junction Valley

LI04 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

ST36Leg Three Miles

ST36 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

Study-reported

Needling

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1155/2013/456712 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. LI04, ST36 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1136/acupmed-2016-011208 ↗
Press Needles
1 box, $19.99

Protocol (3 points)

89%

LI04 · GB20 · LV03

LI04Junction Valley

LI04 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

GB20Wind Pool

GB20 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 風池 (fēng chí)

🎯 Location: In the depression the between upper portion of the scm and trapezius on the same level with GV16.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with vertebral artery; avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Stress, Fever, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Wind

LV03Great Surge

LV03 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

Study-reported

Needling

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1155/2013/456712 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. LI04 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1136/acupmed-2016-011208 ↗
Press Needles
1 box, $19.99

Protocol (2 points)

89%

LI04 · ST36

LI04Junction Valley

LI04 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

ST36Leg Three Miles

ST36 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

Study-reported

Needling · 4 sessions over 2 weeks

Did better than usual care

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1136/acupmed-2016-011208 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. LI04, ST36 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1155/2013/456712 ↗
Press Needles
8 needles for this course · 1 box, $19.99

Protocol (2 points)

89%

LI04 · ST36

LI04Junction Valley

LI04 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

ST36Leg Three Miles

ST36 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

Study-reported

Needling

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1155/2018/7526234 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. LI04, ST36 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1155/2013/456712 ↗
Press Needles
1 box, $19.99

Protocol (6 points)

89%

LI04 · ST36 · XU10A · XU10B · XU10C · XU10D

LI04Junction Valley

LI04 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

ST36Leg Three Miles

ST36 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

XU10AFour Stitches

XU10A acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Upper limbs

🇨🇳 Chinese: 四縫 (sì fèng)

🎯 Location: Four points on the each hand, on the palmer side of the 2nd to the 5th fingers and at the centre of the proximal interphalangeal joints.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Spleen Weakness, Asthma, Food Stagnation, Cough Whooping, Infantile Nutrition Deficiency

XU10BFour Stitches

XU10B acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Upper limbs

🇨🇳 Chinese: 四縫 (sì fèng)

🎯 Location: Four points on the each hand, on the palmer side of the 2nd to the 5th fingers and at the centre of the proximal interphalangeal joints.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Spleen Weakness, Asthma, Food Stagnation, Cough Whooping, Infantile Nutrition Deficiency

XU10CFour Stitches

XU10C acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Upper limbs

🇨🇳 Chinese: 四縫 (sì fèng)

🎯 Location: Four points on the each hand, on the palmer side of the 2nd to the 5th fingers and at the centre of the proximal interphalangeal joints.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Spleen Weakness, Asthma, Food Stagnation, Cough Whooping, Infantile Nutrition Deficiency

XU10DFour Stitches

XU10D acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Upper limbs

🇨🇳 Chinese: 四縫 (sì fèng)

🎯 Location: Four points on the each hand, on the palmer side of the 2nd to the 5th fingers and at the centre of the proximal interphalangeal joints.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Spleen Weakness, Asthma, Food Stagnation, Cough Whooping, Infantile Nutrition Deficiency

Study-reported

Needling · 4 sessions over 2 weeks

Did better than usual care

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1136/acupmed-2016-011208 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. LI04, ST36 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1155/2013/456712 ↗
Press Needles
24 needles for this course · 1 box, $19.99

Single-point entry

89%

LI04Junction Valley

LI04 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

Study-reported

Needling · 6 sessions over 3 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1186/1472-6882-11-93 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. LI04 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1155/2013/456712 ↗
Press Needles
6 needles for this course · 1 box, $19.99
AcuiQ Self-Treatment Guide
Acupressure you can do at home, every protocol traced to a trial. – $12.99, free updates for life

Points cited for Infant Colic

How often each point appears across the 17 entries ranked highest for Infant Colic. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • LI04Junction ValleyLarge Intestine Meridian14 of 17
  • ST36Leg Three MilesStomach Meridian5 of 17
  • GB20Wind PoolGallbladder Meridian1 of 17
  • LV03Great SurgeLiver Meridian1 of 17
  • PC07Great MoundPericardium Meridian1 of 17
  • PC09Central SurgePericardium Meridian1 of 17
  • XU10AFour StitchesExtra Points: Upper limbs1 of 17
  • XU10BFour StitchesExtra Points: Upper limbs1 of 17
  • XU10CFour StitchesExtra Points: Upper limbs1 of 17
  • XU10DFour StitchesExtra Points: Upper limbs1 of 17

Tested, no effect found

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

ST36 – doi:10.3109/02813432.2013.862915 – No better than a waitlist

LI04 – doi:10.1177/0964528420920308 – No better than a waitlist

LI04 · ST36 – doi:10.1177/0964528420920308 – No better than a waitlist

LI04 · ST36 · XU10A · XU10B · XU10C · XU10D – doi:10.1177/0964528420920308 – No better than a waitlist

ST36 – doi:10.3109/02813432.2013.862915 – No better than a waitlist

Registered, results not reported

These trials registered a protocol for Infant Colic and have not reported results. They are not counted above.

LI04 – doi:10.1186/s12906-015-0850-x

LI04 · ST36 – doi:10.1186/s12906-015-0850-x

LI04 · ST36 · XU10A · XU10B · XU10C · XU10D – doi:10.1186/s12906-015-0850-x

How the studies delivered it

What the 8 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.

  • Needling8 of 8

Sessions: the 4 studies that gave a count ran a median of 5 (middle half 4 to 6).

Course: the 3 studies that gave a length ran a median of 3 weeks (middle half 18 days to 3 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.