AcuiQ

Acupuncture Points for Lumbar Disc Herniation

40 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

AcuiQ posts on X about the papers it indexes. Follow @acu_iq

Related symptoms

Often treated alongside Lumbar Disc Herniation:

Lumbar PainLow Back PainSciaticaLow Back Chronic PainLower Limb PainHerniation Disc Lumbar

Points cited for Lumbar Disc Herniation

How often each point appears across the 40 entries ranked highest for Lumbar Disc Herniation. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • BL40Middle Of The CreaseBladder Meridian22 of 40
  • BL23Kidney Shu PointBladder Meridian20 of 40
  • BL25Large Intestine Shu PointBladder Meridian19 of 40
  • GB30Jumping CircleGallbladder Meridian19 of 40
  • GB34Yang Mound SpringGallbladder Meridian14 of 40
  • BL57Mountain SupportBladder Meridian10 of 40
  • GV03Yang Lumbar GateGoverning Vessel8 of 40
  • BL60Kunlun (Mountains)Bladder Meridian7 of 40
  • BL26Original Qi Gate Shu PointBladder Meridian5 of 40
  • BL54Lowermost In OrderBladder Meridian5 of 40
  • GB39Suspended BellGallbladder Meridian5 of 40
  • ST25Celestial PivotStomach Meridian5 of 40

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (2 points)

100%

BL25 · BL40

SciaticaLower Back PainLower Limb PainLower Limb NumbnessLower Limb WeaknessLumbar Disc Herniation
Point 1 of 2

BL25Large Intestine Shu Point

BL25 acupoint
Click to enlarge

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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大腸俞 (dà cháng yú)

🎯 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

Study-reported

Moxibustion

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1155/2013/718593 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL25, BL40 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1155/2014/154941 ↗

Protocol (2 points)

100%

BL25 · GV02

Low Back PainLower Limb PainLumbar Disc HerniationRadiculopathy Lumbar
Point 1 of 2

BL25Large Intestine Shu Point

BL25 acupoint
Click to enlarge

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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大腸俞 (dà cháng yú)

🎯 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

Study-reported

Moxibustion

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1155/2014/154941 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL25, GV02 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1674464 ↗

Protocol (2 points)

100%

BL25 · BL40

Low Back PainLower Limb PainLumbar Disc HerniationRadiculopathy Lumbar
Point 1 of 2

BL25Large Intestine Shu Point

BL25 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大腸俞 (dà cháng yú)

🎯 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

Study-reported

Moxibustion

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1155/2014/154941 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL25, BL40 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1155/2013/718593 ↗

Protocol (6 points)

100%

BL25 · BL40 · GB30 · GB34 · GB39 · GB40

Low Back PainLower Limb PainLumbar Disc HerniationRadiculopathy Lumbar
Point 1 of 6

BL25Large Intestine Shu Point

BL25 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大腸俞 (dà cháng yú)

🎯 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

Study-reported

Moxibustion

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1155/2014/154941 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL25, BL40, GB30, GB34, GB39 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.0000000000036425 ↗

Protocol (10 points)

100%

BL23 · BL24 · BL25 · BL26 · BL36 · BL37 · BL40 · BL57 · BL60 · GB30

SciaticaLumbar PainLow Back PainLumbar Disc HerniationDisc-herniation LumbarLower-extremity Right PainLeg Right NumbnessScoliosis Lumbar
Point 1 of 10

BL23Kidney Shu Point

BL23 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

Study-reported

Needling · 36 sessions over 12 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000036684 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL23, BL25, BL36, BL40, BL57, BL60, GB30 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.2147/jpr.s592723 ↗

Protocol (5 points)

100%

ST25 · BL18 · BL23 · GB34 · GV14

Lumbar PainLow Back PainLumbar Disc HerniationDisc Herniation LumbarRestricted Range Of Motion Lumbar
Point 1 of 5

ST25Celestial Pivot

ST25 acupoint
Click to enlarge

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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

Study-reported

Needling · 8 sessions over 4 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20210951 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL23, GB34 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.19945/j.cnki.issn.1006-3250.2009.09.025 ↗
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How the studies delivered it

What the 24 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.

  • Needling9 of 24
  • Moxibustion4 of 24
  • Acupressure2 of 24
  • Electroacupuncture1 of 24
  • Electrical stimulation on the skin1 of 24

Sessions: the 9 studies that gave a count ran a median of 12 (middle half 6 to 20).

Course: the 10 studies that gave a length ran a median of 4 weeks (middle half 18 days to 4 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.