AcuiQ

Acupuncture Points for Mood Disturbance

14 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

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

Related symptoms

Often treated alongside Mood Disturbance:

InsomniaAnxietyHot FlashesMenopause PerimenopauseSweatingDepression

Points cited for Mood Disturbance

How often each point appears across the 14 entries ranked highest for Mood Disturbance. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • SP06Three Yin IntersectionSpleen Meridian9 of 14
  • LV03Great SurgeLiver Meridian8 of 14
  • GV20100 ConvergencesGoverning Vessel6 of 14
  • ST36Leg Three MilesStomach Meridian6 of 14
  • BL18Liver Shu PointBladder Meridian5 of 14
  • CV04Original Qi GateConception Vessel5 of 14
  • HT07Spirit GateHeart Meridian5 of 14
  • BL62Extending VesselBladder Meridian4 of 14
  • CV06Sea Of QiConception Vessel4 of 14
  • GV24Spirit CourtGoverning Vessel4 of 14
  • KD06Shining SeaKidney Meridian4 of 14
  • PC06Inner GatePericardium Meridian4 of 14

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (4 points)

100%

HT07 · BL15 · BL18 · LV03

AnxietyInsomniaRestlessness InsomniaInsomnia ChronicFatigue DaytimeMood DisturbanceLiver-fire Heart-disturbance
Point 1 of 4

HT07Spirit Gate

HT07 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Heart Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 神門 (shén mén)

🎯 Location: At the ulnar end of the transverse crease of the wrist in the depression on the radial side of the tendon of the flexor carpi ulnaris.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in cardiac arrhythmias.

🛡️ Treats: Anxiety, Shortness of Breath, Palpitations, Common Cold, Heat

Study-reported

Needling · 10 sessions

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.2147/NSS.S521578 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. HT07, LV03 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.3389/fneur.2025.1726927 ↗

Protocol (3 points)

100%

BL62 · KD06 · GV20

AnxietyInsomniaRestlessness InsomniaInsomnia ChronicFatigue DaytimeMood DisturbanceLiver-fire Heart-disturbance
Point 1 of 3

BL62Extending Vessel

BL62 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 申脈 (shēn mài)

🎯 Location: In the depression the directly below external malleolus.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Sweating, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Palpitations

Study-reported

Needling · 10 sessions

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.2147/NSS.S521578 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL62, KD06, GV20 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.3389/fneur.2025.1726927 ↗

Protocol (6 points)

100%

CV04 · CV06 · CV10 · CV12 · GV20 · GV24

AnxietySweatingDepressionInsomniaHot FlashesMenopause PerimenopauseMood Disturbance
Point 1 of 6

CV04Original Qi Gate

CV04 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

Needling

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.3389/fneur.2025.1726927 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. GV20 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.2147/NSS.S521578 ↗

Protocol (11 points)

100%

LI04 · LI11 · ST36 · SP10 · PC06 · PC07 · GB34 · GB39 · LV03 · CV06 · GV26

AnxietySweatingDepressionInsomniaHot FlashesMenopause PerimenopauseMood Disturbance
Point 1 of 11

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

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.3389/fneur.2025.1726927 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. LV03 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.2147/NSS.S521578 ↗

Protocol (17 points)

100%

ST24 · ST25 · SP06 · SP15 · HT07 · BL62 · KD06 · GB13 · GB26 · LV03 · LV14 · CV04 · CV06 · CV09 · CV10 · CV12 · GV24

AnxietySweatingDepressionInsomniaHot FlashesMenopause PerimenopauseMood Disturbance
Point 1 of 17

ST24Slippery Flesh Gate

ST24 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 滑肉門 (huá ròu mén)

🎯 Location: 1 thumb width above the umbilicus 2 thumb widths lateral to the CV09.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in pregnancy.

🛡️ Treats: Phlegm, Depression, Vomiting, Upper Stomach Pain, Vomiting Blood

Study-reported

Needling

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.3389/fneur.2025.1726927 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. HT07, LV03 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.2147/NSS.S521578 ↗

Protocol (6 points)

100%

ST36 · SP06 · BL18 · BL23 · LV03 · CV04

AnxietySweatingDepressionInsomniaHot FlashesMenopause PerimenopauseMenopauseMood Disturbance
Point 1 of 6

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:10.3389/fneur.2025.1726927 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL18, LV03 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.2147/NSS.S521578 ↗
Hot Spots™ Press Needles
Sterile 1.5mm press needles on 3M backing tape · 100 per box
$19.99
per box · choose the quantity at checkout
Sleep and Mood
The best-supplied group in the whole corpus. Six conditions. – $5, free updates for life

How the studies delivered it

What the 2 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.

  • Needling2 of 2

After a treatment: what large safety surveys recorded, and which reactions need a doctor.

Disclaimer: The acupoint information provided is for educational purposes only.