Acupuncture Points for Spinal Cord Injury

22 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

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Points cited for Spinal Cord Injury

How often each point appears across the 23 entries ranked highest for Spinal Cord Injury. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • CV03Central PivotConception Vessel9 of 23
  • CV04Original Qi GateConception Vessel9 of 23
  • ST36Leg Three MilesStomach Meridian7 of 23
  • SP06Three Yin IntersectionSpleen Meridian6 of 23
  • BL32Second Bone HoleBladder Meridian5 of 23
  • CV06Sea Of QiConception Vessel5 of 23
  • LI11Pond At The BendLarge Intestine Meridian5 of 23
  • BL23Kidney Shu PointBladder Meridian4 of 23
  • BL28Bladder Shu PointBladder Meridian4 of 23
  • BL33Middle Bone HoleBladder Meridian4 of 23
  • GV20100 ConvergencesGoverning Vessel4 of 23
  • LI04Junction ValleyLarge Intestine Meridian4 of 23

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (2 points)

100%

PC05 · PC06

Point 1 of 2

PC05Intermediary Messenger

PC05 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Pericardium Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 間使 (jiān shǐ)

🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths above the transverse crease of the wrist between tendons of the palmaris longus and flexor carpi radialis.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Phlegm, Palpitations, Vomiting, Abdominal Pain, Aversion Cold

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

Study-reported

Electrical stimulation on the skin

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.5812/atr.8009 ↗
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:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250421-k0004 ↗

Protocol (5 points)

100%

CV03 · CV04 · CV06 · GV03 · GV04

Point 1 of 5

CV03Central Pivot

CV03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 中極 (zhōng jí)

🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 4 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. Empty the bladder before needling.

🛡️ Treats: Absent Periods, Back Pain, Pain, Damp, Edema

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

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

Study-reported

Needling

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1155/2016/9245186 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. CV03, CV04, GV03, GV04 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.0255-2930.20230831-0004 ↗

Protocol (8 points)

100%

SP06 · SP09 · BL23 · BL28 · CV02 · CV03 · CV04 · CV06

Point 1 of 8

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

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

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

BL28Bladder Shu Point

BL28 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 膀胱俞 (páng guāng shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the du mai at the level of the 2nd posterior sacral foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Qi Deficiency, Constipation, Abdominal Pain, Swelling

CV02Curved Bone

CV02 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 曲骨 (qū gǔ)

🎯 Location: On the midpoint of the upper border of the symphysis pubis.

⚠️ 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: Deficiency, Damp, Fullness, Bedwetting, Painful Urination

CV03Central Pivot

CV03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 中極 (zhōng jí)

🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 4 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. Empty the bladder before needling.

🛡️ Treats: Absent Periods, Back Pain, Pain, Damp, Edema

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

Study-reported

Needling

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1155/2016/9245186 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. SP06, SP09, BL23, BL28, CV03, CV04, CV06 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.16294/j.cnki.1007-659x.2020.02.006 ↗

Protocol (12 points)

100%

SP06 · SP09 · BL23 · BL28 · BL31 · BL32 · BL33 · BL34 · CV02 · CV03 · CV04 · CV06

Point 1 of 12

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

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

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

BL28Bladder Shu Point

BL28 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 膀胱俞 (páng guāng shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the du mai at the level of the 2nd posterior sacral foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Qi Deficiency, Constipation, Abdominal Pain, Swelling

BL31Upper Bone Hole

BL31 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 上髎 (shàng liáo)

🎯 Location: On the sacrum at the midpoint between posterior superior iliac spine and posterior midline just at the 1st posterior sacral foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in sacroiliac dysfunction.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Knee Pain, Common Cold, Vomiting, Back Pain

BL32Second Bone Hole

BL32 acupoint
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🗺️ 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

BL33Middle Bone Hole

BL33 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 中髎 (zhōng liáo)

🎯 Location: On the sacrum medial and inferior to the BL32 just at the 3rd posterior sacral foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in sacroiliac dysfunction.

🛡️ Treats: Constipation, Abdominal Bloating, Pain, Urinary Retention, Infertility

BL34Lower Bone Hole

BL34 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 下髎 (xià liáo)

🎯 Location: On the sacrum medial and inferior to the BL33 just at the 4th posterior sacral foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in sacroiliac dysfunction.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Constipation, Swelling, Lower Back Pain, Painful Urination

CV02Curved Bone

CV02 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 曲骨 (qū gǔ)

🎯 Location: On the midpoint of the upper border of the symphysis pubis.

⚠️ 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: Deficiency, Damp, Fullness, Bedwetting, Painful Urination

CV03Central Pivot

CV03 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 中極 (zhōng jí)

🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 4 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. Empty the bladder before needling.

🛡️ Treats: Absent Periods, Back Pain, Pain, Damp, Edema

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

Study-reported

Needling

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1155/2016/9245186 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. SP06, SP09, BL23, BL28, BL31, BL32, BL33, BL34, CV03, CV04, CV06 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.16294/j.cnki.1007-659x.2020.02.006 ↗

Protocol (2 points)

100%

ST36 · GB34

Point 1 of 2

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

GB34Yang Mound Spring

GB34 acupoint
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🗺️ 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

Laser · 1 session

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1016/j.jams.2016.11.004 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. ST36, GB34 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.0255-2930.2018.05.009 ↗

Protocol (2 points)

100%

BL32 · BL33

Point 1 of 2

BL32Second Bone Hole

BL32 acupoint
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🗺️ 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

BL33Middle Bone Hole

BL33 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 中髎 (zhōng liáo)

🎯 Location: On the sacrum medial and inferior to the BL32 just at the 3rd posterior sacral foramen.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in sacroiliac dysfunction.

🛡️ Treats: Constipation, Abdominal Bloating, Pain, Urinary Retention, Infertility

Study-reported

Electroacupuncture · a 4-week course

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20250263 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL32, BL33 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1155/2016/9245186 ↗
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How the studies delivered it

What the 17 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.

  • Needling7 of 17
  • Electroacupuncture5 of 17
  • Moxibustion4 of 17
  • Electrical stimulation on the skin1 of 17
  • Laser1 of 17

Sessions: the 10 studies that gave a count ran a median of 32 (middle half 11 to 51).

Course: the 9 studies that gave a length ran a median of 4 weeks (middle half 4 weeks 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.