Acupuncture point list from Ginseng or Ginsengdirect.com
Some commonly used Acupuncture points, where they are located and what they do. There are over 300 points on the body. However, there are points that are so strong and that have so many functions, you could use these points alone.
These are my notes from acupuncture school. If you would like to know more, I recommend the book, “Between Heaven and Earth” by Harriett Beinfield.
I have left the points in this format so you can see how Chinese Medicine explains things.
Heart 5
1 cun above wrist, radial side of tendon
• Calms spirit
• Regulates heart Qi,
• regulates heart rhythm
• Palpitations -
• Speaking difficulties – after stroke to restore speech
• Nervous anxiety, uptight
Heart 7
On the wrist crease, on the radial side of the ulnaris tendon
• Calms the spirit
• pacifies the heart
• Insomnia – Main
• Stop smoking pt.
• Epilepsy
• Main pt. With heart 8 for actual heart problems and disease
• Hysteria – main
Spleen 6
3 cun directly above the tip of medial malleolus, on posterior border of medial aspect of tibia.
• Extremely effective in tonifying Qi and blood to relieve chronic tiredness.
• One of the main points to resolve dampness, esp. in lower burner — Regulates the uterus and menstruation
• Smoothes out obstructions and relieves pain —-Promotes smooth flow of liver Qi, esp. in lower burner with symptoms of abdominal pain
• Smoothes liver Qi to calm the mind and allay irritability.
• Tonifies kidney Yin.
• Deep influence on yin and blood. Used in both blood or and yin deficiency.
• Removes stasis of blood, especially in uterus
• Stops lower abdominal pain. –Tonifies kidney yin and Jing
• Strong calming action on the mind.
• Spleen and heart blood deficiency, when spleen is not making enough blood, the heart is not supplied with enough blood and the mind lacks residence and floats at night, insomnia ensues.
• Tonifies spleen, nourishes blood and calms the mind.
• Main point for skin problems, esp. blood/damp — Always use SP 6 in blood deficiency
Spleen 9
On the lower border of the medial condyle of the tibia, in the depression on the medial border of the tibia.
• Resolves damp and heat stagnation from lower burner
• Main pt. For regulating water, diuretic pt.
• Main pt. For leukorrhea, vaginal
• UTI
• Regulates and tonifies spleen yang
Spleen 10
With flexed knee, the point is 2 cun above the mediosuperior border of the patella, on the bulge of the med. port.of m. quad. femoris.
• Sea of blood —cools heat
• More for heat and excess
• Anemia
• Cools blood – excema, urticaria and rashes
• Main point for skin problems.
• Eliminates blood stasis, esp. of uterus. — Acute and chronic dysmenorrhea.
Kidney 3
In depression between medial mall. And tendo calcaneus, at level of tip of medial malleolus
• Asthma – most important pt. On channel.
• Chronic low back pain.
• Cools heat. Strengthens lower back and knees.
• Paralysis of lower limb.
• Tonifies Kidney yin or yang deficiency
• Tonifies essence.
• Regulates uterus.
• Nephritis, tinnitus.
• Cools heat.
• Paralysis of lower limb.
• Strengthens brain.
• Benefits kidneys.
• Tonifies Kidney Qi and Yin
• Tonifies yang
• Night sweats
• Kidney Qi , yin and yang
Kidney 6
1 cun below medial malleolus (modern)
• Nourishes kidney yin.
• Nourish fluids.
• Treats dry throat and eyes.
• Major throat pt..
• Treats insomnia or hypersomnia.
• Calms mind.
• All chronic eye disorders.
• Hot Flashes
Kidney 7
2 cun above K3 – on anterior border of tendocalcalcaneus
• Tonifies Kidney yang.
• Resolves damp in lower burner.
• Regulates sweating.
• UTI. Bladder damp heat.
• Low back pain.
• Main pt. For edema.
• Night sweats
• Regulates Kidney Qi.
Large Intestine 4
On dorsum of hand, between 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones, in middle of 2nd metacarpal on radial side.
• Don’t use in pregnancy
• Main point to expel wind heat and release the exterior (Cold and Flu and Allergies)
• Strong action on face
• Relieves nasal congestion, sneezing, burning eyes
• Allergic rhinitis
• Stimulates lung dispersing, i.e. early cold stage
• Calming and anti-spasmodic — Distal for arm obstructions
• Regulates sweating with Kidney 7
• Promotes delivery during labor
• Main for headache.
• Immunity
• Main for head, face and sensory organs
• Main pt for pain
• Very powerful Qi point
Large Intestine 11
In depression at lateral end of the transverse cubital crease
• Main pt. For high fever.
• Builds immune system.
• Parkinson’s tremors.
• Moistens large intestine.
• Expels exterior wind heat,
• Cools the blood –
• Resolves dampness. Skin eruptions or acne. –
• Benefits sinews and joints,
• Painful obstruction of arms and shoulders
Large Intestine 20
In the nasolabial groove, at midpoint of the lateral border of nose
• Nose problems — Sneezing, sinusitis, runny nose, stuffed nose, allergic rhinitis –
• Expels exterior wind — Facial paralysis
• Opens the nasal passages. Disperses wind heat condition. Can cause immediate clearing of the sinuses.
Pericardium 6
2 cun above wrist crease, between the tendons of m. palmaris longus and m. flexor carpi radialis.
• Quiets heart. Peace point.
• Regulates chest Qi
• Insomnia – major point.
• Nausea. Underarm pain. Heart, chest pain.
• Regulates the breast
• Spirit point- stronger than heart 7
• Hypothyroid – memory problems
• Cools heat in blood
• Suppresses pain. — Powerful calming on heart and spirit, anxiety.
• Regulates Qi
• Shock, angina
• Main nausea point and vomiting. Calms stomach
• Opens chest
• Heart pains
• Gynecological. Moves Qi and blood in chest, for irritability due to stagnation of liver Qi. — PMS – depression, etc.
• Neck ache after hysterectomy.
Lung 7
Superior to the styloid process of the radius, 1.5 cun above the crease of the wrist.
• Opens up Lungs.
• Facial paralysis.
• Stops coughing
• Main point for common cold, rhinitis, sinusitis. Chronic sore throat with K6.
Ren 12
4 cun above navel
• All Stomach & Spleen disorders – main
• Dampness and stagnation
• Regulates stomach Qi. Stops vomiting
• Main point for any stomach or upper intestinal problems.
• Builds middle energy for prolapses.
Stomach 36
3 cun below S35, one finger-breadth lateral from the anterior crest of the tibia, in m. tibialis anterior.
• Major point to builds Qi and blood in deficiency patterns
• -Strongly tonifies spleen Qi as well as stomach Qi Strengthens immune system
• Major point for digestive problems
• Indicated in all deficiency patterns of the stomach
• Brightens eyes, can be used for blurred vision and declining eyesight in old age.
• Regulates and harmonizes nutritive and defensive Qi
• Used in all cases of edema
• Regulates the intestines esp. for constipation of a deficient nature
• Eliminates dampness or cold when used with reducing method
• Main point for hemiplegia/leg problems
• Painful Obstruction Syndrome of the knee
• Distal point for Painful Obstruction of wrist
Stomach 40
8 cun superior to the external malleolus, about one finger-breadth lateral to S 38.
• Resolves phlegm in all its manifestations and in all parts of the body
• Treats asthma, has effect of opening the chest and soothing breathing.
• Calms the mind, — profound effect.
• Clears stomach heat –Calms the stomach when person is very anxious.
• Mental disorders – trouble concentrating or thinking