# Acupoints for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

15 sourced protocols for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Canonical page: https://acuiq.com/symptoms/irritable-bowel-syndrome

## Protocols

| # | Points | Dosage | Frequency | Source | Kind | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LI04 (Junction Valley), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection), LV03 (Great Surge) | – | – | doi:10.1186/1471-230X-12-150 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 2 | ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow) | – | – | doi:10.1155/2015/361786 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 3 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow) | – | – | doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(15)30116-3 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 4 | LU05 (Cubit Marsh), LU11 (Lesser Metal), HT03 (Lesser Sea), HT09 (Lesser Surge), SI02 (Front Valley), SI03 (Back Stream), BL66 (Foot Valley Passage), KD10 (Yin Valley), GB41 (Foot Governor Of Tears), LV01 (Big Mound) | – | – | doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1545687 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 5 | ST36 (Leg Three Miles) | – | – | doi:10.1111/nmo.14799 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 6 | ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow) | – | – | doi:10.2147/jpr.s483750 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 7 | ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), CV12 (Stomach Centre) | – | – | doi:10.13194/j.jlunivtcm.2011.05.215.hangy.062 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 8 | ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), CV12 (Stomach Centre), GV20 (100 Convergences) | – | – | doi:10.27180/d.cnki.gjxzc.2023.000309 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 9 | ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection), LV03 (Great Surge), GV20 (100 Convergences) | – | – | doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1782020 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 10 | ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), BL25 (Large Intestine Shu Point), CV04 (Original Qi Gate), CV12 (Stomach Centre) | – | – | doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20191220-k0001 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 11 | ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), BL25 (Large Intestine Shu Point), GB13 (Spirit Root), CV04 (Original Qi Gate), CV12 (Stomach Centre), GV20 (100 Convergences), GV24 (Spirit Court) | – | – | doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20191220-k0001 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 12 | ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), GV20 (100 Convergences), XH03 (Hall Of Impression Or Seal Hall) | – | – | doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20200313-k0002 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 13 | ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection), LV03 (Great Surge), GV20 (100 Convergences), XH03 (Hall Of Impression Or Seal Hall) | – | – | doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20201111-k0001 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 14 | ST25 (Celestial Pivot), PC06 (Inner Gate), LV03 (Great Surge) | – | – | 杨敏李斌 邹燃邓薇徐派的李悦. 针刺联合药物治疗对肠易激综合征疗效的探索性研究. 世界科学技术-中医药现代化 ., 2022 [CNKI] | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |
| 15 | ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST36 (Leg Three Miles) | – | – | 陈少宗方剑乔景向红. 针灸治疗肠易激综合征取穴规律与组方规律研究. 北京中医药大学学报 ., 2023 [CNKI] | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |
| 16 | LI04 (Junction Valley), LI11 (Pond At The Bend), ST25 (Celestial Pivot), ST36 (Leg Three Miles), ST37 (Upper Great Hollow), SP06 (Three Yin Intersection), SP09 (Yin Mound Spring), SP14 (Abdominal Bind), SP15 (Great Horizontal), BL18 (Liver Shu Point), BL20 (Spleen Shu Point), BL23 (Kidney Shu Point), BL25 (Large Intestine Shu Point), PC06 (Inner Gate), TB06 (Branch Ditch), LV03 (Great Surge), CV04 (Original Qi Gate), CV06 (Sea Of Qi), CV12 (Stomach Centre), GV20 (100 Convergences), XH03 (Hall Of Impression Or Seal Hall) | – | – | 周毅李国娜朱璐张方杨子慧柴菁吴璐一陆嫄吴焕淦 刘慧荣. 基于数据挖掘技术探析针灸治疗功能性肠道疾病的选穴规律. 天津中医药大学学报 ., 2025 [CNKI] | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |

## Point locations

| Point | Name | Meridian | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| 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. |
| ST25 | Celestial Pivot | Stomach Meridian | 2 thumb widths lateral to the center of the umbilicus. |
| ST37 | Upper Great Hollow | Stomach Meridian | 6 thumb widths below ST35, 1 finger breadth (middle finger) from anterior border of the tibia. |
| LU05 | Cubit Marsh | Lung Meridian | On the cubital crease in the depression of the radial side of the biceps brachii tendon; point is located with elbow slightly flexed. |
| LU11 | Lesser Metal | Lung Meridian | On the radial side of the thumb about 0.1 thumb width posterior to the corner of the nail. |
| HT03 | Lesser Sea | Heart Meridian | With elbow flexed, at the midpoint of the line connecting medial end of the cubital crease and medial epicondyle of the humerus. |
| HT09 | Lesser Surge | Heart Meridian | On the radial side of the little finger about 0.1 thumb width from corner of the nail. |
| SI02 | Front Valley | Small Intestine Meridian | When loose fist is made point is on the ulnar end of the crease in the front of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the little finger at the junction of the red and white skin. |
| SI03 | Back Stream | Small Intestine Meridian | When loose fist is made point is on the ulnar end of the distal palmar crease proximal to the 5th metacarpophalangeal joint at the end of the transverse crease and junction of the red and white skin. |
| BL66 | Foot Valley Passage | Bladder Meridian | Anterior to the 5th metatarsophalangeal joint at the junction of the red and white skin. |
| KD10 | Yin Valley | Kidney Meridian | When knee is flexed point is on the medial side of the popliteal fossa between tendons of the semitendinosus and semimembranosus at the level with BL40. |
| GB41 | Foot Governor Of Tears | Gallbladder Meridian | Posterior to the 4th metatarsophalangeal joint in the depression the lateral to the tendon of the extensor digiti minimi of the foot. |
| LV01 | Big Mound | Liver Meridian | On the lateral side of the terminal phalanx of the great the toe 0.1 thumb width from corner of the nail. |
| CV12 | Stomach Centre | Conception Vessel | On the anterior midline 4 thumb widths above the umbilicus. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| CV04 | Original Qi Gate | Conception Vessel | On the anterior midline 3 thumb widths below umbilicus. |
| GB13 | Spirit Root | Gallbladder Meridian | 0.5 thumb widths within the hairline of the forehead 3 thumb widths lateral to the GV24. |
| GV24 | Spirit Court | Governing Vessel | 0.5 thumb widths directly above the midpoint of the anterior hairline. |
| XH03 | Hall Of Impression Or Seal Hall | Extra Points: Head | At the glabella, at the midpoint between the medial extremities of the eyebrows. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| SP15 | Great Horizontal | Spleen Meridian | 4 thumb widths lateral to the center of the umbilicus lateral to the rectus abdominis. |
| BL18 | Liver Shu Point | Bladder Meridian | 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV08 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 9th thoracic vertebra. |
| BL20 | Spleen Shu Point | Bladder Meridian | 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV06 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 11th thoracic vertebra. |
| BL23 | Kidney Shu Point | Bladder Meridian | 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV04 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra. |
| 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. |
| CV06 | Sea Of Qi | Conception Vessel | On the anterior midline 1.5 thumb widths below umbilicus. |

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AcuiQ-authored content (the protocol compilation, symptom and meridian prose, research essays) is licensed CC-BY-4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. 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