Acupuncture Points for Shoulder-hand Syndrome

3 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

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Related symptoms

Often treated alongside Shoulder-hand Syndrome:

Points cited for Shoulder-hand Syndrome

How often each point appears across the 3 entries ranked highest for Shoulder-hand Syndrome. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • LI15Shoulder And ClavicleLarge Intestine Meridian3 of 3
  • LI10Arm Three MilesLarge Intestine Meridian2 of 3
  • TB14Shoulder Bone HoleTriple Burner Meridian2 of 3
  • LI03Third SpaceLarge Intestine Meridian1 of 3
  • LI11Pond At The BendLarge Intestine Meridian1 of 3
  • SI03Back StreamSmall Intestine Meridian1 of 3
  • SI04Wrist BoneSmall Intestine Meridian1 of 3
  • SI09True ShoulderSmall Intestine Meridian1 of 3
  • SI11Heavenly GatheringSmall Intestine Meridian1 of 3
  • SI15Middle Shoulder PointSmall Intestine Meridian1 of 3
  • TB02Fluid GateTriple Burner Meridian1 of 3
  • TB03Central IsletTriple Burner Meridian1 of 3

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (6 points)

100%

LI15 · SI04 · SI09 · TB02 · TB04 · TB14

Point 1 of 6

LI15Shoulder And Clavicle

LI15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩髃 (jiān yú)

🎯 Location: Anteroinferior to the acromion on the upper portion of the deltoid muscle; when arm is in the full abduction the point is in the depression the appearing at the anterior border of the acromioclavicular joint.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling due to risk of pneumothorax; caution in shoulder injuries.

🛡️ Treats: Wind, Shoulder Pain, Pain, Goiter, Hemiplegia

SI04Wrist Bone

SI04 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腕骨 (wàn gǔ)

🎯 Location: On the ulnar side of the palm in the depression the between base of the 5th metacarpal bone and hamate bone.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Tinnitus, Jaundice, Heat, Spleen Deficiency

SI09True Shoulder

SI09 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩貞 (jiān zhēn)

🎯 Location: Posterior and inferior to the shoulder joint; when arm is adducted point is 1 thumb width above the posterior end of the axillary fold.

⚠️ Cautions: Rule out fracture, dislocation and joint instability before needling, and do not needle into an acutely swollen joint or a haemarthrosis.

🛡️ Treats: Tinnitus, Wind, Numbness, Shoulder Blade Pain, Shoulder Pain

TB02Fluid Gate

TB02 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Triple Burner Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 液門 (yè mén)

🎯 Location: When fist is clenched point is located in the depression the proximal to the margin of the web between ringer and small fingers at the junction of the red and white skin.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Tinnitus, Palpitations, Swelling, Pain

TB04Yang Pool

TB04 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Triple Burner Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 陽池 (yáng chí)

🎯 Location: On the transverse crease of the dorsum of the wrist in the depression the lateral to the tendon of the extensor digitorum communis.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

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

TB14Shoulder Bone Hole

TB14 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Triple Burner Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩髎 (jiān liáo)

🎯 Location: On the shoulder posterior to the LI15 in the depression the inferior and posterior to the acromion the when arm is abducted.

⚠️ Cautions: Rule out fracture, dislocation and joint instability before needling, and do not needle into an acutely swollen joint or a haemarthrosis.

🛡️ Treats: Numbness, Shoulder Pain, Pain, Arm Pain, Benefit Shoulders

Study-reported

Needling

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1186/s12906-025-04916-9 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. LI15 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20210813-k0001 ↗

Protocol (3 points)

100%

LI10 · LI11 · LI15

Point 1 of 3

LI10Arm Three Miles

LI10 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 手三里 (shǒu sān lǐ)

🎯 Location: On the line joining LI05 and LI11, 2 thumb widths below cubital crease.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in cases of local inflammation or injury.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Vomiting, Abdominal Pain, Pain, Facial Droop

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

LI15Shoulder And Clavicle

LI15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩髃 (jiān yú)

🎯 Location: Anteroinferior to the acromion on the upper portion of the deltoid muscle; when arm is in the full abduction the point is in the depression the appearing at the anterior border of the acromioclavicular joint.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling due to risk of pneumothorax; caution in shoulder injuries.

🛡️ Treats: Wind, Shoulder Pain, Pain, Goiter, Hemiplegia

Study-reported

Needling · 15 sessions over 3 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20210813-k0001 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. LI15 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1186/s12906-025-04916-9 ↗

Protocol (9 points)

90%

LI03 · LI10 · LI15 · SI03 · SI11 · SI15 · TB03 · TB05 · TB14

Point 1 of 9

LI03Third Space

LI03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 三間 (sān jiān)

🎯 Location: When loose fist is made point is on the radial side of the index finger in the depression the proximal to the head of the 2nd metacarpal bone.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Tinnitus, Common Cold, Heat

LI10Arm Three Miles

LI10 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 手三里 (shǒu sān lǐ)

🎯 Location: On the line joining LI05 and LI11, 2 thumb widths below cubital crease.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in cases of local inflammation or injury.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Vomiting, Abdominal Pain, Pain, Facial Droop

LI15Shoulder And Clavicle

LI15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩髃 (jiān yú)

🎯 Location: Anteroinferior to the acromion on the upper portion of the deltoid muscle; when arm is in the full abduction the point is in the depression the appearing at the anterior border of the acromioclavicular joint.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling due to risk of pneumothorax; caution in shoulder injuries.

🛡️ Treats: Wind, Shoulder Pain, Pain, Goiter, Hemiplegia

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

SI11Heavenly Gathering

SI11 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 天宗 (tiān zōng)

🎯 Location: On the scapula in the depression of the center of the subscapular fossa and at the level of the 4th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Rule out fracture, dislocation and joint instability before needling, and do not needle into an acutely swollen joint or a haemarthrosis.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Qi Stagnation, Chest Fullness, Elbow Pain, Shoulder Blade 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

TB03Central Islet

TB03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Triple Burner Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 中渚 (zhōng zhǔ)

🎯 Location: When fist is clenched point is on the dorsum of the hand between 4th and 5th metacarpal bones in the depression the proximal to the 4th metacarpophalangeal joint.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Dizziness, Tinnitus, Heat, Redness

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

TB14Shoulder Bone Hole

TB14 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Triple Burner Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩髎 (jiān liáo)

🎯 Location: On the shoulder posterior to the LI15 in the depression the inferior and posterior to the acromion the when arm is abducted.

⚠️ Cautions: Rule out fracture, dislocation and joint instability before needling, and do not needle into an acutely swollen joint or a haemarthrosis.

🛡️ Treats: Numbness, Shoulder Pain, Pain, Arm Pain, Benefit Shoulders

Text or case report

Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report.

Li N, Tian F, Wang C, Yu P, Zhou X, Wen Q, Qiao X, Huang L. Therapeutic effect of acupuncture and massage for shoulder-hand syndrome in hemiplegia patients: a clinical two-center randomized controlled trial. J Tradit Chin Med 2012; 32(3): 343-346
Substantiated by a study. LI15, TB14 also appear in a study-reported protocol for the same search. That study did not test this prescription. doi:10.1186/s12906-025-04916-9 ↗
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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.