Acupuncture Points for Neck Acute Pain

5 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (7 points)

100%

LI16 · SI14 · SI15 · BL10 · TB15 · GB20 · GV14

LI16Great Bone

LI16 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 巨骨 (jù gǔ)

🎯 Location: In the upper aspect of the shoulder in the depression the between acromial extremity of the clavicle and scapular spine.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling due to risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Back Pain, Shoulder Pain, Pain, Epilepsy, Goiter

SI14Outer Shoulder Point

SI14 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩外俞 (jiān wài shū)

🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the 1st thoracic vertebra where GV13 is located.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling; risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Wind, Shoulder Blade Pain, Shoulder Pain, Pain

SI15Middle Shoulder Point

SI15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩中俞 (jiān zhōng shū)

🎯 Location: 2 thumb widths lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra (GV14).

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling; risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Shoulder Blade Pain, Shoulder Pain, Pain

BL10Celestial Pillar

BL10 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 天柱 (tiān zhù)

🎯 Location: 1.3 thumb widths lateral to the midpoint of the posterior hairline and in the depression on the lateral aspect of the trapezius.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with vertebral artery.

🛡️ Treats: Dizziness, Wind, Pain, Epilepsy, Nasal Congestion

TB15Heavenly Bone Hole

TB15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Triple Burner Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 天髎 (tiān liáo)

🎯 Location: Midway between GB21 and SI13 on the superior angle of the scapula.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Heat, Chest Fullness, Shoulder Pain, Pain

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

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 2-week course

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1186/s13020-026-01332-0 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL10 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1684034 ↗
Press Needles
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Protocol (3 points)

100%

LI16 · SI15 · TB15

LI16Great Bone

LI16 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 巨骨 (jù gǔ)

🎯 Location: In the upper aspect of the shoulder in the depression the between acromial extremity of the clavicle and scapular spine.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling due to risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Back Pain, Shoulder Pain, Pain, Epilepsy, Goiter

SI15Middle Shoulder Point

SI15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩中俞 (jiān zhōng shū)

🎯 Location: 2 thumb widths lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra (GV14).

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling; risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Shoulder Blade Pain, Shoulder Pain, Pain

TB15Heavenly Bone Hole

TB15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Triple Burner Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 天髎 (tiān liáo)

🎯 Location: Midway between GB21 and SI13 on the superior angle of the scapula.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Heat, Chest Fullness, Shoulder Pain, Pain

Study-reported

Needling · a 2-week course

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1186/s13020-026-01332-0 ↗
Not corroborated. No other study in the index uses any of these points for this search.
Press Needles
1 box, $19.99

Protocol (3 points)

100%

BL10 · GB21 · GV15

BL10Celestial Pillar

BL10 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 天柱 (tiān zhù)

🎯 Location: 1.3 thumb widths lateral to the midpoint of the posterior hairline and in the depression on the lateral aspect of the trapezius.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with vertebral artery.

🛡️ Treats: Dizziness, Wind, Pain, Epilepsy, Nasal Congestion

GB21Shoulder Well

GB21 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩井 (jiān jǐng)

🎯 Location: On the shoulder directly above the nipple at the midpoint of the line connecting GV14 and acromion the at the highest point of the shoulder.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep needling – risk of pneumothorax. 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: Cough, Shortness of Breath, Phlegm, Kidney Deficiency, Depression

GV15Gate Of Muteness

GV15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 啞門 (yǎ mén)

🎯 Location: 0.5 thumb widths directly above the midpoint of the posterior hairline in the depression the below spinous process of the 1st cervical vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution near upper cervical spine.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Depression, Wind, Chills, Epilepsy

Study-reported

Needling + Electroacupuncture

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1684034 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL10 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1186/s13020-026-01332-0 ↗
Press Needles
1 box, $19.99

Protocol (7 points)

100%

LI16 · SI14 · SI15 · BL10 · TB15 · GB20 · GV14

LI16Great Bone

LI16 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 巨骨 (jù gǔ)

🎯 Location: In the upper aspect of the shoulder in the depression the between acromial extremity of the clavicle and scapular spine.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling due to risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Back Pain, Shoulder Pain, Pain, Epilepsy, Goiter

SI14Outer Shoulder Point

SI14 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩外俞 (jiān wài shū)

🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the 1st thoracic vertebra where GV13 is located.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling; risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Wind, Shoulder Blade Pain, Shoulder Pain, Pain

SI15Middle Shoulder Point

SI15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩中俞 (jiān zhōng shū)

🎯 Location: 2 thumb widths lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra (GV14).

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling; risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Shoulder Blade Pain, Shoulder Pain, Pain

BL10Celestial Pillar

BL10 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 天柱 (tiān zhù)

🎯 Location: 1.3 thumb widths lateral to the midpoint of the posterior hairline and in the depression on the lateral aspect of the trapezius.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with vertebral artery.

🛡️ Treats: Dizziness, Wind, Pain, Epilepsy, Nasal Congestion

TB15Heavenly Bone Hole

TB15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Triple Burner Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 天髎 (tiān liáo)

🎯 Location: Midway between GB21 and SI13 on the superior angle of the scapula.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Heat, Chest Fullness, Shoulder Pain, Pain

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

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 2-week course

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1186/s13020-026-01332-0 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL10 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.3389/fmed.2025.1684034 ↗
Press Needles
1 box, $19.99

Protocol (3 points)

100%

LI16 · SI15 · TB15

LI16Great Bone

LI16 acupoint
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Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 巨骨 (jù gǔ)

🎯 Location: In the upper aspect of the shoulder in the depression the between acromial extremity of the clavicle and scapular spine.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling due to risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Back Pain, Shoulder Pain, Pain, Epilepsy, Goiter

SI15Middle Shoulder Point

SI15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩中俞 (jiān zhōng shū)

🎯 Location: 2 thumb widths lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra (GV14).

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling; risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Shoulder Blade Pain, Shoulder Pain, Pain

TB15Heavenly Bone Hole

TB15 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Triple Burner Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 天髎 (tiān liáo)

🎯 Location: Midway between GB21 and SI13 on the superior angle of the scapula.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Heat, Chest Fullness, Shoulder Pain, Pain

Study-reported

Needling · a 2-week course

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1186/s13020-026-01332-0 ↗
Not corroborated. No other study in the index uses any of these points for this search.
Press Needles
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

Related symptoms

Often treated alongside Neck Acute Pain:

Points cited for Neck Acute Pain

How often each point appears across the 5 entries ranked highest for Neck Acute Pain. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • LI16Great BoneLarge Intestine Meridian4 of 5
  • SI15Middle Shoulder PointSmall Intestine Meridian4 of 5
  • TB15Heavenly Bone HoleTriple Burner Meridian4 of 5
  • BL10Celestial PillarBladder Meridian3 of 5
  • GB20Wind PoolGallbladder Meridian2 of 5
  • GV14Great VertebraGoverning Vessel2 of 5
  • SI14Outer Shoulder PointSmall Intestine Meridian2 of 5
  • GB21Shoulder WellGallbladder Meridian1 of 5
  • GV15Gate Of MutenessGoverning Vessel1 of 5

Registered, results not reported

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

SI03 – doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006236

LI16 · SI14 · SI15 · BL10 · TB15 · GB20 · GV14 – doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000022871

LI10 · SI03 · TB03 – doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-080793

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
  • Electroacupuncture1 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.