Acupuncture Points for Muscle Pain

9 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (7 points)

100%

LU07 · SP04 · SI03 · BL62 · KD06 · PC06 · TB05

LU07Interrupted Sequence

LU07 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Lung Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 列缺 (liè quē)

🎯 Location: Superior to the styloid process of the radius 1.5 thumb widths above the transverse crease of the wrist between brachioradialis and tendon of the abductor policis longus.

⚠️ Cautions: Use with caution in patients with radial nerve sensitivity.

🛡️ Treats: Heat Chest, Cough, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Phlegm

SP04Grandfather Grandson

SP04 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 公孫 (gōng sūn)

🎯 Location: In the depression the distal and inferior to the base of the 1st metatarsal bone at the junction of the red and white skin.

⚠️ Cautions: Contraindicated during pregnancy.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Jaundice, Depression, Vomiting, Abdominal Bloating

SI03Back Stream

SI03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 後谿 (hòu xī)

🎯 Location: 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.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Knee Pain, Tinnitus, Jaundice, Common Cold

BL62Extending Vessel

BL62 acupoint
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🗺️ 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

KD06Shining Sea

KD06 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Kidney Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 照海 (zhào hǎi)

🎯 Location: In the depression the below tip of the medial malleolus.

⚠️ 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: Heat Deficiency, Dizziness, Constipation, Chest Fullness, Abdominal Bloating

PC06Inner Gate

PC06 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Pericardium Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 內關 (nèi guān)

🎯 Location: 2 thumb widths above the transverse crease of the wrist between tendons of the palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in severe deficiency conditions.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Anxiety, Dizziness, Spleen Qi Deficiency

TB05Outer Gate

TB05 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Triple Burner Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 外關 (wài guān)

🎯 Location: 2 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.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Sweating, Kidney Deficiency, Dizziness, Tinnitus

Study-reported

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(09)60026-1 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. PC06 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.2196/42861 ↗

Protocol (8 points)

100%

BL11 · BL13 · BL15 · BL18 · BL20 · BL23 · GB20 · GV20

BL11Great Shuttle

BL11 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大杼 (dà zhù)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV13 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 1st thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Heat Chest, Cough, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Knee Pain

BL13Lung Shu Point

BL13 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肺俞 (fèi shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV12 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 3rd thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Asthma

BL15Heart Shu Point

BL15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 心俞 (xīn shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV11 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 5th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling – risk of pneumothorax. New, worsening or unstable cardiac symptoms need medical assessment before treatment.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Anxiety, Sweating, Coughing Blood

BL18Liver Shu Point

BL18 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肝俞 (gān shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV08 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 9th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Dizziness, Coughing Blood, Jaundice

BL20Spleen Shu Point

BL20 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 脾俞 (pí shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV06 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 11th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Poor Appetite, Diarrhea, Spleen Qi Deficiency

BL23Kidney Shu Point

BL23 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腎俞 (shèn shū)

🎯 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

GB20Wind Pool

GB20 acupoint
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🗺️ 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

GV20100 Convergences

GV20 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 百會 (bǎi huì)

🎯 Location: 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.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Palpitations, Jaundice, Qi Deficiency

Study-reported

Needling · 10 sessions over 4 weeks

Did better than usual care

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0857-0 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL11, BL13, BL15, BL18, BL20, BL23 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1186/s12967-023-04250-z ↗
Press Needles
80 needles for this course · 1 box, $19.99

Protocol (2 points)

100%

LU05 · PC02

LU05Cubit Marsh

LU05 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Lung Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 尺澤 (chǐ zé)

🎯 Location: On the cubital crease in the depression of the radial side of the biceps brachii tendon; point is located with elbow slightly flexed.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in cases of severe vascular disease; caution with depth at cubital fossa.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Asthma, Knee Pain

PC02Celestial Spring

PC02 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Pericardium Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 天泉 (tiān quán)

🎯 Location: 2 thumb widths below level of the anterior axillary fold between 2 heads of the biceps brachii.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with brachial artery.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Palpitations, Chest Fullness, Blood Stagnation

Study-reported

Laser · 1 session

No better than sham needling

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1155/2019/6568976 ↗
Not corroborated. No other study in the index uses any of these points for this search.

Protocol (25 points)

100%

BL11 · BL13 · BL14 · BL15 · BL17 · BL18 · BL19 · BL20 · BL21 · BL22 · BL23 · BL25 · GV02 · GV03 · GV04 · GV05 · GV06 · GV07 · GV08 · GV09 · GV10 · GV11 · GV12 · GV13 · GV14

BL11Great Shuttle

BL11 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大杼 (dà zhù)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV13 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 1st thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Heat Chest, Cough, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Knee Pain

BL13Lung Shu Point

BL13 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肺俞 (fèi shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV12 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 3rd thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Asthma

BL14Absolute Yin Shu Point

BL14 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 厥陰俞 (jué yīn shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the du mai at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 4th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Asthma, Palpitations, Vomiting

BL15Heart Shu Point

BL15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 心俞 (xīn shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV11 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 5th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling – risk of pneumothorax. New, worsening or unstable cardiac symptoms need medical assessment before treatment.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Anxiety, Sweating, Coughing Blood

BL17Diaphragm Shu Point

BL17 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 膈俞 (gé shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV09 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 7th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Sweating, Dizziness

BL18Liver Shu Point

BL18 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肝俞 (gān shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV08 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 9th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Dizziness, Coughing Blood, Jaundice

BL19Gallbladder Shu Point

BL19 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 膽俞 (dǎn shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV07 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 10th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Chest Pain, Palpitations, Jaundice, Common Cold, Vomiting

BL20Spleen Shu Point

BL20 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 脾俞 (pí shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV06 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 11th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Poor Appetite, Diarrhea, Spleen Qi Deficiency

BL21Stomach Shu Point

BL21 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 胃俞 (wèi shū)

🎯 Location: 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.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Chest Pain, Poor Appetite, Diarrhea, Jaundice, Vomiting

BL22Sanjiao Shu Point

BL22 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 三焦俞 (sān jiāo shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV05 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 1st lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Stress, Fever, Diarrhea, Jaundice, Heat

BL23Kidney Shu Point

BL23 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腎俞 (shèn shū)

🎯 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

BL25Large Intestine Shu Point

BL25 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大腸俞 (dà cháng shū)

🎯 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

GV02Lumbar Point

GV02 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腰俞 (yāo shū)

🎯 Location: In the hiatus of the sacrum.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in sacral conditions.

🛡️ Treats: Hip Pain, Epilepsy, Hemorrhoids, Lower Back Pain, Spontaneous Sweating

GV03Yang Lumbar Gate

GV03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腰陽關 (yāo yáng guān)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 4th lumbar vertebra at the level with iliac crest.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Numbness, Lower Back Pain, Urine White, Benefit Legs, Benefit Back Lumbar

GV04Life Gate

GV04 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 命門 (mìng mén)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Anxiety, Kidney Deficiency, Dizziness, Tinnitus

GV05Suspended Pivot

GV05 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 懸樞 (xuán shū)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 1st lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Hip Pain, Epilepsy, Hemorrhoids, Lower Back Pain, Spontaneous Sweating

GV06Spine Centre

GV06 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 脊中 (jǐ zhōng)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 11th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Jaundice, Common Cold, Vomiting

GV07Central Pivot

GV07 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 中樞 (zhōng shū)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 10th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Jaundice, Common Cold, Vomiting, Absent Periods

GV08Sinew Contraction

GV08 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 筋縮 (jīn suō)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 9th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Jaundice, Common Cold, Vomiting, Wind

GV09Reaching Yang

GV09 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 至陽 (zhì yáng)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 7th thoracic vertebra approximately at the level with inferior angle of the scapula.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Jaundice, Qi Deficiency

GV10Spirit Tower

GV10 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 靈台 (líng tái)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 6th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Asthma, Common Cold

GV11Spirit Path

GV11 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 神道 (shén dào)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 5th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Anxiety, Dizziness, Palpitations

GV12Body Pillar

GV12 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 身柱 (shēn zhù)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 3rd thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Heat Chest, Cough, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Sweating

GV13Way Of Happiness

GV13 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 陶道 (táo dào)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 1st thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Heat, Depression, Chills, Malaria

GV14Great Vertebra

GV14 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大椎 (dà zhuī)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra approximately at the level of the shoulders.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with C7 vertebra.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Shortness of Breath, Weakness, Heat, Chest Fullness

Study-reported

Moxibustion · 12 sessions over 4 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1186/s12967-023-04250-z ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL11, BL13, BL15, BL18, BL20, BL23 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0857-0 ↗

Protocol (11 points)

100%

ST24 · SP15 · BL12 · BL13 · KD13 · CV04 · CV06 · CV08 · CV10 · CV12 · GV14

ST24Slippery Flesh Gate

ST24 acupoint
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🗺️ 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

SP15Great Horizontal

SP15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大橫 (dà héng)

🎯 Location: 4 thumb widths lateral to the center of the umbilicus lateral to the rectus abdominis.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in pregnancy.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Common Cold, Constipation, Qi Stagnation, Damp

BL12Wind Gate

BL12 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 風門 (fēng mén)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the du mai at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 2nd thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Heat Chest, Cough, Chest Pain, Fever, Shortness of Breath

BL13Lung Shu Point

BL13 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肺俞 (fèi shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV12 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 3rd thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Asthma

KD13Qi Hole

KD13 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Kidney Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 氣穴 (qì xué)

🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths below umbilicus 0.5 thumb widths lateral to the CV04.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in pregnancy.

🛡️ Treats: Abdominal Pain, Absent Periods, Lower Back Pain, Urinary Problems, Diarrhoea Persistent

CV04Original Qi Gate

CV04 acupoint
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🗺️ 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

CV06Sea Of Qi

CV06 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 氣海 (qì hǎi)

🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 1.5 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.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Constipation, Yang Weakness, Abdominal Bloating

CV08Spirit Palace Gate

CV08 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 神闕 (shén què)

🎯 Location: In the center of the umbilicus.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications; often use moxa only.

🛡️ Treats: Abdominal Bloating, Rectal Prolapse, Edema, Cold Blood, Loss of Consciousness

CV10Lower Stomach

CV10 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 下脘 (xià wǎn)

🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 2 thumb widths above the umbilicus.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in pregnancy.

🛡️ Treats: Upper Stomach Pain, Nausea, Food Stagnation, Abdominal Fullness, Urine Dark

CV12Stomach Centre

CV12 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 中脘 (zhōng wǎn)

🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 4 thumb widths above the 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.

🛡️ Treats: Poor Appetite, Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Common Cold, Depression

GV14Great Vertebra

GV14 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大椎 (dà zhuī)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra approximately at the level of the shoulders.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with C7 vertebra.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Shortness of Breath, Weakness, Heat, Chest Fullness

Study-reported

Needling · a 90-day course

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.12998/wjcc.v13.i8.101350 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL13, CV06, CV12, GV14 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20230316 ↗
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Protocol (10 points)

100%

LU06 · LU11 · LI01 · LI04 · LI11 · SP09 · BL13 · CV06 · CV12 · GV14

LU06Collection Hole

LU06 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Lung Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 孔最 (kǒng zuì)

🎯 Location: On the palmar aspect of the forearm on the line joining LU09 and LU05 7 thumb widths above the transverse crease of the wrist.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in cases of local inflammation or skin conditions.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Asthma, Coughing Blood, Heat

LU11Lesser Metal

LU11 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Lung Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 少商 (shào shāng)

🎯 Location: On the radial side of the thumb about 0.1 thumb width posterior to the corner of the nail.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in patients with bleeding disorders; caution with depth.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Shortness of Breath, Sweating, Common Cold, Heat

LI01Metal Yang

LI01 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 商陽 (shāng yáng)

🎯 Location: On the radial side of the index finger about 0.1 thumb width posterior to the corner of the nail.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in patients with bleeding disorders; contraindicated in serious infections of finger.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Shortness of Breath, Tinnitus, Heat, Chest Fullness

LI04Junction Valley

LI04 acupoint
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🗺️ 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

LI11Pond At The Bend

LI11 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 曲池 (qū chí)

🎯 Location: 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.

⚠️ Cautions: Monitor blood pressure and avoid strong stimulation where hypertension is uncontrolled or unstable; hypertensive crisis is a medical emergency. Avoid excessive stimulation in weak patients.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Dizziness, Heat, Vomiting, Abdominal Bloating

SP09Yin Mound Spring

SP09 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 陰陵泉 (yīn líng quán)

🎯 Location: 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.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in cases of knee inflammation.

🛡️ Treats: Heat Chest, Fever, Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Jaundice

BL13Lung Shu Point

BL13 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肺俞 (fèi shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV12 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 3rd thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Asthma

CV06Sea Of Qi

CV06 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 氣海 (qì hǎi)

🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 1.5 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.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Constipation, Yang Weakness, Abdominal Bloating

CV12Stomach Centre

CV12 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 中脘 (zhōng wǎn)

🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 4 thumb widths above the 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.

🛡️ Treats: Poor Appetite, Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Common Cold, Depression

GV14Great Vertebra

GV14 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大椎 (dà zhuī)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra approximately at the level of the shoulders.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with C7 vertebra.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Shortness of Breath, Weakness, Heat, Chest Fullness

Study-reported

Needling + Bloodletting · 6 sessions over 6 days

Did better than usual care

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20230316 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL13, CV06, CV12, GV14 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.12998/wjcc.v13.i8.101350 ↗
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Related symptoms

Often treated alongside Muscle Pain:

Points cited for Muscle Pain

How often each point appears across the 9 entries ranked highest for Muscle Pain. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • BL13Lung Shu PointBladder Meridian4 of 9
  • GV14Great VertebraGoverning Vessel3 of 9
  • BL11Great ShuttleBladder Meridian2 of 9
  • BL15Heart Shu PointBladder Meridian2 of 9
  • BL18Liver Shu PointBladder Meridian2 of 9
  • BL20Spleen Shu PointBladder Meridian2 of 9
  • BL23Kidney Shu PointBladder Meridian2 of 9
  • CV06Sea Of QiConception Vessel2 of 9
  • CV12Stomach CentreConception Vessel2 of 9
  • GV20100 ConvergencesGoverning Vessel2 of 9
  • PC06Inner GatePericardium Meridian2 of 9
  • BL12Wind GateBladder Meridian1 of 9

Tested, no effect found

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

LU08 · SP03 · HT08 · BL15 · CV06 – doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0857-0 – No better than usual care

Registered, results not reported

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

BL11 · BL13 · BL15 · BL18 · BL20 · BL23 · GB20 · GV20 – doi:10.1186/1745-6215-14-147

LU08 · SP03 · HT08 · BL15 · CV06 – doi:10.1186/1745-6215-14-147

How the studies delivered it

What the 9 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.

  • Needling5 of 9
  • Laser1 of 9
  • Moxibustion1 of 9
  • Bloodletting1 of 9
  • Acupressure1 of 9

Sessions: the 6 studies that gave a count ran a median of 8 (middle half 2 to 10).

Course: the 7 studies that gave a length ran a median of 4 weeks (middle half 4 days to 6 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.