Acupuncture Points for Wernicke Encephalopathy

1 sourced protocol, each with its citation.

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (14 points)

100%

LI04 · ST25 · SP15 · KD03 · TB05 · GB20 · GB34 · GB39 · GV20 · XH01A · XH01B · XH01C · XH01D · XH05

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

SP15Great Horizontal

SP15 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大橫 (dà héng)

🎯 Location: 4 thumb widths lateral to the center of the umbilicus lateral to the rectus abdominis.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in pregnancy.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Common Cold, Constipation, Qi Stagnation, Damp

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

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

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

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

GB39Suspended Bell

GB39 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 懸鐘 (xuán zhōng)

🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths above the tip of the external malleolus on the anterior border of the fibula.

⚠️ Cautions: Contraindicated during pregnancy.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Anxiety, Knee Pain, Dizziness, Heat

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

XH01AFour Spirit Brightness

XH01A acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Head

🇨🇳 Chinese: 四神聰 (sì shén cōng)

🎯 Location: Four points at the vertex of the scalp, grouped around baihui du-20 & located 1 thumb width anterior, posterior & lateral to the it.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Dizziness, Depression, Wind, Deafness, Epilepsy

XH01BFour Spirit Brightness

XH01B acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Head

🇨🇳 Chinese: 四神聰 (sì shén cōng)

🎯 Location: Four points at the vertex of the scalp, grouped around baihui du-20 & located 1 thumb width anterior, posterior & lateral to the it.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Dizziness, Depression, Wind, Deafness, Epilepsy

XH01CFour Spirit Brightness

XH01C acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Head

🇨🇳 Chinese: 四神聰 (sì shén cōng)

🎯 Location: Four points at the vertex of the scalp, grouped around baihui du-20 & located 1 thumb width anterior, posterior & lateral to the it.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Dizziness, Depression, Wind, Deafness, Epilepsy

XH01DFour Spirit Brightness

XH01D acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Head

🇨🇳 Chinese: 四神聰 (sì shén cōng)

🎯 Location: Four points at the vertex of the scalp, grouped around baihui du-20 & located 1 thumb width anterior, posterior & lateral to the it.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Dizziness, Depression, Wind, Deafness, Epilepsy

XH05Supreme Yang (Sun)

XH05 acupoint
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🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Head

🇨🇳 Chinese: 太陽 (tài yáng)

🎯 Location: At the temple, in the tender depression the approximately 1 thumb width posterior to the midpoint between the lateral extremity of the eyebrow & the outer canthus of the eye.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with temporal artery.

🛡️ Treats: Dizziness, Heat, Wind, Swelling, Pain

Study-reported

Needling · 112 sessions over 16 weeks

Improved from baseline; no control group

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20240401-k0007 ↗
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Related symptoms

Often treated alongside Wernicke Encephalopathy:

Points cited for Wernicke Encephalopathy

How often each point appears across the 1 entries ranked highest for Wernicke Encephalopathy. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • GB20Wind PoolGallbladder Meridian1 of 1
  • GB34Yang Mound SpringGallbladder Meridian1 of 1
  • GB39Suspended BellGallbladder Meridian1 of 1
  • GV20100 ConvergencesGoverning Vessel1 of 1
  • KD03Great StreamKidney Meridian1 of 1
  • LI04Junction ValleyLarge Intestine Meridian1 of 1
  • SP15Great HorizontalSpleen Meridian1 of 1
  • ST25Celestial PivotStomach Meridian1 of 1
  • TB05Outer GateTriple Burner Meridian1 of 1
  • XH01AFour Spirit BrightnessExtra Points: Head1 of 1
  • XH01BFour Spirit BrightnessExtra Points: Head1 of 1
  • XH01CFour Spirit BrightnessExtra Points: Head1 of 1

How the studies delivered it

What the 1 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.

  • Needling1 of 1

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

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