Acupuncture Points for Sciatica

36 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

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

Related symptoms

Often treated alongside Sciatica:

Low Back PainLumbar Disc HerniationLeg PainLumbar PainDisc Herniation LumbarLower Back Pain

Points cited for Sciatica

How often each point appears across the 36 entries ranked highest for Sciatica. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • GB30Jumping CircleGallbladder Meridian26 of 36
  • BL40Middle Of The CreaseBladder Meridian25 of 36
  • BL25Large Intestine Shu PointBladder Meridian23 of 36
  • BL23Kidney Shu PointBladder Meridian22 of 36
  • GB34Yang Mound SpringGallbladder Meridian13 of 36
  • BL57Mountain SupportBladder Meridian11 of 36
  • BL60Kunlun (Mountains)Bladder Meridian10 of 36
  • BL24Sea Of Qi Shu PointBladder Meridian8 of 36
  • BL54Lowermost In OrderBladder Meridian7 of 36
  • GB31Wind MarketGallbladder Meridian6 of 36
  • GV03Yang Lumbar GateGoverning Vessel6 of 36
  • GV04Life GateGoverning Vessel6 of 36

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (3 points)

100%

BL40 · GB36 · GB43

SciaticaLumbar PainProlapse Intervertebral Disc
Point 1 of 3

BL40Middle Of The Crease

BL40 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 委中 (wěi zhōng)

🎯 Location: Midpoint of the transverse crease of the popliteal fossa between tendons of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in weakness/fatigue; avoid strong stimulation.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Knee Pain, Vomiting, Abdominal Pain

GB36Outer Hill

GB36 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 外丘 (wài qiū)

🎯 Location: 7 thumb widths above the tip of the external malleolus on the anterior border of the fibula.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Heat, Abdominal Pain, Pain, Aversion Cold, Skin Pain

GB43Narrow Stream

GB43 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 俠谿 (xiá xī)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot between 4th and 5th toe proximal to the margin of the web at the junction of the red and white skin.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Chest Pain, Knee Pain, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Heat

Study-reported

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(08)60041-2 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL40 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1186/1745-6215-12-226 ↗

Protocol (6 points)

100%

BL17 · BL25 · BL32 · BL40 · GB30 · GB34

SciaticaLumbar PainProlapse Intervertebral Disc
Point 1 of 6

BL17Diaphragm Shu Point

BL17 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

BL25Large Intestine Shu Point

BL25 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

BL32Second Bone Hole

BL32 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 次髎 (cì liáo)

🎯 Location: On the sacrum medial and inferior to the posterior superior iliac spine just at the 2nd posterior sacral foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in sacroiliac dysfunction.

🛡️ Treats: Constipation, Pain, Urinary Retention, Infertility, Sciatica

BL40Middle Of The Crease

BL40 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 委中 (wěi zhōng)

🎯 Location: Midpoint of the transverse crease of the popliteal fossa between tendons of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in weakness/fatigue; avoid strong stimulation.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Knee Pain, Vomiting, Abdominal Pain

GB30Jumping Circle

GB30 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 環跳 (huán tiào)

🎯 Location: At the junction of the lateral ⅓ and medial ⅔ of the distance between prominence of the greater trochanter and hiatus of the sacrum, GV02; when locating point put patient in the lateral recumbent position the with thigh flexed.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with sciatic nerve.

🛡️ Treats: Knee Pain, Back Pain, Leg Pain, Hip Pain, Pain

GB34Yang Mound Spring

GB34 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 陽陵泉 (yáng líng quán)

🎯 Location: In the depression the anterior and inferior to the head of the fibula.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Knee Pain, Jaundice, Constipation, Vomiting

Study-reported

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(08)60041-2 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL25, BL40, GB30, GB34 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1177/2515690X251355513 ↗

Protocol (2 points)

100%

BL25 · BL40

SciaticaLeg PainLow Back PainRadiculopathyLower Extremity Numbness
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 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

BL40Middle Of The Crease

BL40 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 委中 (wěi zhōng)

🎯 Location: Midpoint of the transverse crease of the popliteal fossa between tendons of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in weakness/fatigue; avoid strong stimulation.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Knee Pain, Vomiting, Abdominal Pain

Study-reported

Moxibustion · 18 sessions over 2 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1186/1745-6215-12-226 ↗
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:10.1016/s0254-6272(08)60041-2 ↗

Protocol (2 points)

100%

BL25 · GV02

SciaticaLeg PainLow Back PainRadiculopathyLower Extremity Numbness
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 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
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ 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

Study-reported

Moxibustion · 18 sessions over 2 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1186/1745-6215-12-226 ↗
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

SciaticaLower Back PainLower Limb PainLower Limb NumbnessLower Limb WeaknessLumbar Disc Herniation
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 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

BL40Middle Of The Crease

BL40 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 委中 (wěi zhōng)

🎯 Location: Midpoint of the transverse crease of the popliteal fossa between tendons of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in weakness/fatigue; avoid strong stimulation.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Knee Pain, Vomiting, 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:10.1016/s0254-6272(08)60041-2 ↗

Protocol (3 points)

100%

BL40 · GB30 · GB34

SciaticaLeg PainLeg NumbnessLeg WeaknessLower-back PainParesthesia Leg
Point 1 of 3

BL40Middle Of The Crease

BL40 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 委中 (wěi zhōng)

🎯 Location: Midpoint of the transverse crease of the popliteal fossa between tendons of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in weakness/fatigue; avoid strong stimulation.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Knee Pain, Vomiting, Abdominal Pain

GB30Jumping Circle

GB30 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 環跳 (huán tiào)

🎯 Location: At the junction of the lateral ⅓ and medial ⅔ of the distance between prominence of the greater trochanter and hiatus of the sacrum, GV02; when locating point put patient in the lateral recumbent position the with thigh flexed.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with sciatic nerve.

🛡️ Treats: Knee Pain, Back Pain, Leg Pain, Hip Pain, Pain

GB34Yang Mound Spring

GB34 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 陽陵泉 (yáng líng quán)

🎯 Location: In the depression the anterior and inferior to the head of the fibula.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Knee Pain, Jaundice, Constipation, Vomiting

Study-reported

Needling

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1155/2015/425108 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL40, GB30, GB34 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(08)60041-2 ↗
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
Back Pain
The most-searched complaint on AcuiQ. Four conditions, every point illustrated. – $5, free updates for life

How the studies delivered it

What the 25 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.

  • Needling18 of 25
  • Moxibustion5 of 25
  • Electroacupuncture4 of 25
  • Point injection2 of 25
  • Press needles1 of 25
  • Acupressure1 of 25

Sessions: the 12 studies that gave a count ran a median of 12 (middle half 10 to 21).

Course: the 13 studies that gave a length ran a median of 4 weeks (middle half 3 weeks 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.