Acupuncture Points Chart

  SP LV KD HT PC LU SJ LI SI UB ST GB Jing-Well 1 1 1 9 9 11 1 1 1 67 45 44

Ying-Spring 2 2 2 8 8 10 2 2 2 66 44 43 Shu-Stream 3 3 3 7 7 9 3 3 3 65 43 41 Jing-River 5 4 7 4 5 8 6 5 5 60 41 38

He-sea 9 8 10 3 3 5 10 11 8 40 36 34 Luo-Connect 4 5 4 5 6 7 5 6 7 58 40 37

Xi-Cleft 8 6 5 6 4 6 7 7 6 63 34 36 Yuan-Source 3 3 3 7 7 9 4 4 4 64 42 40

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Five Transporting Points

The five transporting (shu) points are referred to as follows: Jing (Well) , Ying (Spring) , Shu (Stream) , Jing (River) and He (Sea). These acupuncture points belong to the "twelve regular" meridians and are located below the elbows or knees. The Five Transporting (Shu) points start at the tip of the four limbs and continue all the way to the elbows or knees.

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Jing (Well) Points

Meridians start at Jing-Well points , They are located on the fingers and toes of the four extremities. The indications for the use of these points are fullness in the chest and mental disorders related to the Yin organs.

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Ying (Sping) Points

These points are located distal to the metacarpophalangeal joints or metatarsophalangeal joints and are used for febrile diseases. In the Yin meridians, the Ying (Spring) point belongs to the Fire Element. This means that it may be very useful in the treatment of releasing heat from its related meridian or organ system.

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Shu (Stream) Points

These points are located proximal to the metacarpophalangeal joints or metatarsophalangeal joints and are used for disorders related to heaviness in the body or painful joint conditions. The Shu (Stream) point in Yin organs is also

what we refer to as the Yuan (Source) point. This means that the stimulation of this point is able to build strength and energy in its related meridian or organ system.

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Jing (River) Points

These points are located around the joints of the wrists or ankles and are used for cough and asthma due to pathogenic cold and heat. This is also a place where Qi flows through.

 

He (Sea) Points

The He-Sea point metaphorically describes the merge of rivers joining and emptying into the sea. They are located around the joints of the elbows or knees. These points are indicated for perverse Qi flow such as diarrhea.

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Lower He (Sea) Points

There are six Lower He (sea) points in the body which are related to the Yang or Fu organ systems. There is a Lower He (Sea) point for the Stomach, Large Intestine, Small Intestine, Gall Bladder, San Jiao, and Bladder. When one of these organ systems is problematic, the corresponding Lower He(Sea) point may be used for its treatment.

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Luo (Connecting) Points

This is the point where a meridian splits off and connects with its interiorly-exteriorly related meridian or organ system. Therefore, luo-connecting points can treat problems in its own meridian as well as those of its interiorly-exteriorly related meridian.

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Yuan (Source) Points

Yuan (Source) points are the points where the "Source" Qi may be accessed. These points are indicated for diseases related to the five Yin organs and are

responsible for the regulation of Source Qi in general (which intimately relates them to the San Jiao meridian system). 

Accumulation (Xi-Cleft) Points

The Meridian-Qi accumulates most deeply in this area and for this reason Xi (Cleft) points are very effective in the treatment of diseases within their own meridian system where pain or bleeding is involved.

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Confluent Points of the Extraordinary Vessels

The confluent points are points that are located on the Twelve Primary Meridians through which the Eight Extra Meridians can be accessed.

 

Chong SP4 Ren LU7 Du SI3 Dai GB41 Yin Wei PC6 Yin Qiao KD6 Yang Qiao UB62 Yang Wei SJ5

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Xi (Cleft) Points of the Extraordinary Vessels

The Xi (Cleft) points are points that correspond to the Eight Extra Meridians are located on the Twelve Primary Meridians and have the same function as standard Xi (Cleft) points.

 

Yin Wei KD9 Yin Qiao KD8 Yang Qiao UB59 Yang Wei GB35

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Back Transporting (Back-Shu) Points

Back Transporting (Back-Shu) points are the points on the back of the body where the Qi of the Zang-Fu organs is infused. There is a Back-Shu point which corresponds to each Zang-Fu organ. These points are used to treat the corresponding organ when pathology is most often, but not limited to, a chronic nature.

 

LU UB13 PC UB14 HT UB15 LV UB18 GB UB19 SP UB20 ST UB21 SJ UB22 KD UB23 LI UB25 SI UB27 UB UB28

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Front Collecting (Front-Mu) Points

Front Collecting (Front-Mu) points are the points on the chest and abdomen where the Qi of the Zang-Fu is infused. They are also referred to as Alarm Points as they are anatomically located very close to the organ with which they correspond and are often used to diagnosis pathology in a corresponding organ. For example, a patient with a liver problem would be very sensitive at LV14 (the Font-Mu Point) which would help to confirm the course of treatment.

 

LU LU1 PC RN17 HT RN14 LV LV14 GB GB24 SP LV13 ST RN12 SJ RN5 KD GB25 LI ST25 SI RN4 UB RN3

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Eight Influential Points of the Eight Tissues

The Zang organs, Fu organs, bones, tendons, vessels, marrow, blood, and Qi are the eight tissues in the body which have points used to influence them.

 

Zang Organs LV13 Fu Organs RN12 Bones UB11 Tendons GB34 Vessels LU9 Marrow GB39 Blood UB17 Qi RN17

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The Four Command Points

There are four points on the body which are used because of their ability to strongly influence certain regions of the body for therapeutic purposes.

 

Abdomen ST36 Back UB40 Face and Mouth LI4 Head and Neck LU7

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Crossing Points

Crossing points are the points at which two or more meridians run across each other. They are used to treat diseases of both their own meridian and the meridians which they cross. There are about 90 of these points and are mostly located on the trunk, head and face.

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The Group Luo Points

These points are very effective in the treatment of imbalances between the upper and lower, left side and right side, Yin and Yang aspects of the body. They are especially useful when all three channels which cross these points are effected. For Example, you would treat an imbalance involving Spleen, Kidney, and Liver by needling SP6.

 

Arm Yang SJ8 Arm Yin PC5 Leg Yang GB39 Leg Yin SP6

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Window Of The Sky Points

These points may be needled when particular symptoms point to the Yang Qi not ascending to the head.

 

ST 9 Severe headache, chest fullness, and dyspnea (painful breathing).

LI 18 Inability to speak.

SJ 16 Acute deafness, visual problems.

UB10 Severe spasms in the muscles, vertigo.

LU 3 Nose bleeding, extreme thirst, and other bleeding disorders.

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Entry and Exit Points

Meridians are also connected to each other through the circadian flow. Energy leaves one channel and enters another through points on each meridian. However, these entry and exit points are not always the first and the last on the channel!

 

Entry LU1 LI4 ST1 SP1 HT1 SI1 UB1 KD1 PC1 SJ1 GB1 LV1 Exit LU7 LI20 ST42 SP21 HT9 SI19 UB67 KD22 PC8 SJ22 GB41 LV14

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The Tendo Muscular Meridians

These points are very effective in the treatment of dermatosis, muscular problems, and neuralgias. They are accessed through the follow points.

 

Arm TMM Yang GB13/ST8 Arm TMM Yin GB22 Leg TMM Yang ST3/SI18 Leg TMM Yin RN3/4

 

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Chinese five elements theory refers to the five element of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. This theory can be used to describe the movement and the relationship between different elements and phenomena in nature.

Basic five elements characteristics and classificationsElement Yin/Yang

OrgansColors Flavors Sense

OrgansEmotions Body

PartsClimate

wood liver/GB green sour eyes anger tendons wind

fire heart/SI red bitter tongue joy pulse heat

earth spleen/stomach

yellow sweet mouth pensiveness muscles dampness

metal lung/LI white pungent nose sadness skin dryness

water kidney/UB black salty ears fear bones cold

 

The CyclesPromoting Controlling

wood promotes fire wood controls earth

fire promotes earth earth controls water

earth promotes metal water controls fire

metal promotes water fire controls metal

water promotes wood metal controls wood

Promoting CycleThis cycle is explained most easily by a simple metaphor. The relationship is the same as a mother and child relationship, where the child is dependent upon the mother for nourishment and therefore growth and well-being.

Controlling CycleTo understand the relationship of the controlling cycle, we must look more closely at the origin of the five element theory in China where the responsibility of disciplining the children rested with the grandparents. The controlling cycle describes the relationship of a grandmother disciplining a grandchild.

Over-controlling and CounteractingOver-controlling means that an element is too strong/hyperactive and is controlling the other element too much. A common condition in which the wood element controls earth too much (or overacts) will manifest itself with symptoms of hyper wood as well as hypo earth, sometimes making the deficient-earth element even more deficient. Counteracting is the reverse situation--a controlled element is rebelling against its controlling element.

Diagnosis According to Five Element TheoryThe colors, emotions, flavors, senses, climates, body parts, and organs are all related. Through viewing the human body in this way, we can determine internal disharmony. For example, if a patient has a green hue to his complexion, a sour taste in his mouth, and his eyes are bothersome to him in some way, we would look more closely at the Wood element (Liver and Gallbladder).