Acupuncture Points for Perimenopausal Syndrome

31 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (6 points)

100%

BL13 · BL15 · BL18 · BL20 · BL23 · GB19

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

GB19Brain Hollow

GB19 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腦空 (nǎo kōng)

🎯 Location: On the head and on the level of the upper border of the external occipital protuberance or GV17, 22.5 thumb widths lateral to the midline of the head.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications for head points.

🛡️ Treats: Dizziness, Tinnitus, Palpitations, Heat, Depression

Study-reported

Needling + Moxibustion · 12 sessions over 4 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20230536 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL15, BL18, BL23 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.3389/fendo.2026.1880483 ↗
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Protocol (5 points)

100%

ST40 · SP09 · CV10 · CV12 · CV13

ST40Abundant Bulge

ST40 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 豐隆 (fēng lóng)

🎯 Location: 8 thumb widths superior to the tip of the external malleolus, lateral to the ST38 about 2 finger breadth (middle finger) lateral to the anterior border of the tibia.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

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

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

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

CV13Upper Stomach

CV13 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 上脘 (shàng wǎn)

🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 5 thumb widths above the umbilicus.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in pregnancy.

🛡️ Treats: Phlegm, Palpitations, Jaundice, Heat, Vomiting

Study-reported

Thread embedding · 4 sessions over 8 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20220526-0007 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. CV12 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.3389/fendo.2026.1880483 ↗

Protocol (5 points)

100%

ST25 · ST36 · SP06 · CV04 · CV12

ST25Celestial Pivot

ST25 acupoint
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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

ST36Leg Three Miles

ST36 acupoint
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🗺️ 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

SP06Three Yin Intersection

SP06 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 三陰交 (sān yīn jiāo)

🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths directly above the tip of the medial malleolus posterior to the medial border of the tibia.

⚠️ 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: Diarrhea, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Palpitations, Abdominal Bloating

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

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

Study-reported

Herbal plaster on points

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.3389/fendo.2026.1880483 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. ST25, SP06, CV04 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2017.03.007 ↗

Protocol (3 points)

100%

ST25 · SP06 · CV04

ST25Celestial Pivot

ST25 acupoint
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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

SP06Three Yin Intersection

SP06 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 三陰交 (sān yīn jiāo)

🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths directly above the tip of the medial malleolus posterior to the medial border of the tibia.

⚠️ 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: Diarrhea, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Palpitations, Abdominal Bloating

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

Study-reported

Electroacupuncture

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.3389/fendo.2026.1880483 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. ST25, SP06, CV04 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2017.03.007 ↗

Protocol (8 points)

100%

LI04 · ST25 · SP06 · LV03 · CV04 · GV20 · XC01 · XH03

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

ST25Celestial Pivot

ST25 acupoint
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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

SP06Three Yin Intersection

SP06 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 三陰交 (sān yīn jiāo)

🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths directly above the tip of the medial malleolus posterior to the medial border of the tibia.

⚠️ 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: Diarrhea, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Palpitations, Abdominal Bloating

LV03Great Surge

LV03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Liver Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 太衝 (tài chōng)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot in the depression the distal to the junction of the 1st and 2nd metatarsal bones.

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

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Anxiety, Shortness of Breath, Sweating

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

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

XC01Child Palace (Uterus)

XC01 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Chest & Abdomen

🇨🇳 Chinese: 子宮 (zǐ gōng)

🎯 Location: On the abdomen, 3 thumb widths lateral to the midline, level with zongji ren-3.

⚠️ Cautions: Contraindicated during pregnancy.

🛡️ Treats: Qi Deficiency, Pain, Uterine Prolapse, Infertility, Abnormal Uterine Bleeding

XH03Hall Of Impression Or Seal Hall

XH03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Head

🇨🇳 Chinese: 印堂 (yìn táng)

🎯 Location: At the glabella, at the midpoint between the medial extremities of the eyebrows.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Anxiety, Dizziness, Wind, Facial Pain, Insomnia

Study-reported

Electroacupuncture · 36 sessions over 12 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.3389/fendo.2026.1880483 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. ST25, SP06, CV04, XC01 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2017.03.007 ↗

Protocol (9 points)

100%

SP06 · KD03 · PC06 · LV03 · CV04 · CV07 · GV20 · XC01 · XH03

SP06Three Yin Intersection

SP06 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 三陰交 (sān yīn jiāo)

🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths directly above the tip of the medial malleolus posterior to the medial border of the tibia.

⚠️ 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: Diarrhea, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Palpitations, Abdominal Bloating

KD03Great Stream

KD03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Kidney Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 太谿 (tài xī)

🎯 Location: In the depression the between tip of the medial malleolus and achilles tendon.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Pain, Shortness of Breath, Heat Deficiency, Asthma

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

LV03Great Surge

LV03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Liver Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 太衝 (tài chōng)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot in the depression the distal to the junction of the 1st and 2nd metatarsal bones.

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

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Anxiety, Shortness of Breath, Sweating

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

CV07Yin Intersection

CV07 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 陰交 (yīn jiāo)

🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 1 thumb width below umbilicus.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in pregnancy.

🛡️ Treats: Chest Pain, Knee Pain, Constipation, Abdominal Pain, Absent Periods

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

XC01Child Palace (Uterus)

XC01 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Chest & Abdomen

🇨🇳 Chinese: 子宮 (zǐ gōng)

🎯 Location: On the abdomen, 3 thumb widths lateral to the midline, level with zongji ren-3.

⚠️ Cautions: Contraindicated during pregnancy.

🛡️ Treats: Qi Deficiency, Pain, Uterine Prolapse, Infertility, Abnormal Uterine Bleeding

XH03Hall Of Impression Or Seal Hall

XH03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Head

🇨🇳 Chinese: 印堂 (yìn táng)

🎯 Location: At the glabella, at the midpoint between the medial extremities of the eyebrows.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Anxiety, Dizziness, Wind, Facial Pain, Insomnia

Study-reported

Needling

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.3389/fendo.2026.1880483 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. SP06, KD03, LV03, CV04 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
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Related symptoms

Often treated alongside Perimenopausal Syndrome:

Points cited for Perimenopausal Syndrome

How often each point appears across the 31 entries ranked highest for Perimenopausal Syndrome. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • SP06Three Yin IntersectionSpleen Meridian24 of 31
  • CV04Original Qi GateConception Vessel21 of 31
  • XC01Child Palace (Uterus)Extra Points: Chest & Abdomen12 of 31
  • ST25Celestial PivotStomach Meridian11 of 31
  • BL23Kidney Shu PointBladder Meridian10 of 31
  • GV20100 ConvergencesGoverning Vessel9 of 31
  • PC06Inner GatePericardium Meridian7 of 31
  • BL18Liver Shu PointBladder Meridian6 of 31
  • ST36Leg Three MilesStomach Meridian6 of 31
  • LV03Great SurgeLiver Meridian5 of 31
  • BL15Heart Shu PointBladder Meridian3 of 31
  • CV12Stomach CentreConception Vessel3 of 31

Tested, no effect found

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

SP06 – pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – No better than another treatment

SP06 – pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – No better than another treatment

SP06 · BL23 · KD03 · CV04 · GV20 – pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – No better than another treatment

ST25 · SP06 · CV04 · XC01 – pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – No better than another treatment

ST10 · CYC08 · CYC11 · IN01 · IN02 · TF08 · TF10 – doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2018.10.009 – No better than another treatment

Registered, results not reported

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

LI04 · ST36 · SP06 · HT07 · SI19 · KD03 · KD07 · GB20 · GB34 · GB39 · LV03 · LV05 · CV04 · GV20 – doi:10.1186/1745-6215-15-198

How the studies delivered it

What the 6 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.

  • Needling3 of 6
  • Moxibustion1 of 6
  • Thread embedding1 of 6
  • Herbal plaster on points1 of 6
  • Electroacupuncture1 of 6

Sessions: the 4 studies that gave a count ran a median of 18 (middle half 10 to 27).

Course: the 4 studies that gave a length ran a median of 8 weeks (middle half 7 weeks to 65 days).

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

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