Acupuncture points refer to areas where nerve endings are densely concentrated or where nerve pathways pass through. The scientific name for acupuncture points is “shu xue” (腧穴), with alternative names including: “qi xue” (气穴), “qi fu” (气府), “jie” (节), “hui” (会), “gu kong” (骨空), “mai qi suo fa” (脉气所发), “bian jiu chu” (砭灸处), and “xue wei” (穴位). There are approximately 52 single points, 300 paired points, and 50 extraordinary points, totaling 720 acupuncture points. Among these, there are 108 critical points, of which 72 are generally not fatal when stimulated, while the remaining 36 are considered lethal points, commonly referred to as “dead points” (死穴). The lethal points are further divided into four categories: soft numbness, dizziness, light, and heavy, with each category containing nine points, totaling 36 lethal points. The so-called lethal points require unexpected heavy force, abnormal strength, or dangerous objects as necessary conditions.
What are the common functions of acupuncture points used in acupuncture?
1. Chi Ze (尺泽)① Cough, asthma, hemoptysis, and other lung-related diseases② Pediatric convulsions, vomiting, diarrhea, acute abdominal pain③ Elbow and arm pain2. Kong Zui (孔最)① Hemoptysis, cough, epistaxis, asthma, sore throat, and other lung-related conditions② Elbow and arm pain3. Lie Que (列缺)① Common cold, headache, stiff neck, mouth ulcers, toothache② Cough, asthma, sore throat③ Wrist pain4. Yu Ji (鱼际)① Cough, hemoptysis, dry throat, asthma, throat obstruction, loss of voice, and other lung-related conditions② Pediatric malnutrition③ External heat, palm heat5. Shao Shang (少商)① Sore throat, cough, epistaxis, asthma, and other lung-related heat conditions② Heat stroke, fever③ Coma, mania④ Swelling, numbness of fingers
6. Shang Yang (商阳)① Toothache, sore throat, deafness, night blindness, swelling of the jaw, and other facial diseases② Heat illness, coma③ Numbness of fingers7. He Gu (合谷)① Headache, red and swollen eyes, toothache, epistaxis, facial paralysis, locked jaw, deafness, mumps, and other facial diseases② Fever and chills from external pathogens③ Heat illness, absence of sweat or excessive sweating④ Menstrual disorders, obstructed labor, irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, retained placenta, postpartum hemorrhage, insufficient lactation, and other gynecological conditions⑤ Common acupuncture points for dental extraction, thyroid surgery, and other facial and neck surgeries⑥ Upper limb pain, paralysis⑦ Skin itching, urticaria, and other skin diseases⑧ Pediatric convulsions, spasms⑨ Abdominal pain, constipation, dysentery, and other intestinal diseases 8. Shou San Li (手三里)① Arm numbness and pain, elbow stiffness, upper limb paralysis, and other upper limb conditions② Abdominal pain, diarrhea③ Toothache, cheek swelling9. Qu Chi (曲池)① Arm numbness and pain, upper limb paralysis, and other upper limb conditions② Heat illness③ Headache, dizziness④ Abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal conditions⑤ Sore throat, toothache, red and swollen eyes, and other heat-related facial diseases⑥ Urticaria, eczema, and other skin diseases⑦ Mania and other mental disorders 10. Jian Yu (肩髃)① Shoulder pain, inability to lift the arm, and other shoulder and upper limb conditions② Urticaria③ Lumps11. Ying Xiang (迎香)① Nasal congestion, epistaxis, nasal discharge, and other nasal diseases② Facial asymmetry, itching, swelling, and other facial conditions③ Ascaris infection in the bile duct
12. Di Cang (地仓)① Facial asymmetry, drooling, facial pain, cheek swelling, and other facial diseases② Eyelid twitching13. Xia Guan (下关)① Difficulty in closing the mouth, facial pain, toothache, facial asymmetry, and other facial conditions② Deafness, tinnitus, and other ear diseases14. Tou Wei (头维)Headache, dizziness, eye pain, tearing in the wind, eyelid twitching, and other head and facial diseases15. Tian Shu (天枢)① Periumbilical abdominal pain, abdominal distension, constipation, diarrhea, dysentery, and other gastrointestinal conditions② Abdominal masses, menstrual disorders, dysmenorrhea, and other gynecological conditions16. Liang Qiu (梁丘)① Acute gastric diseases② Knee swelling and pain, lower limb paralysis, and other lower limb conditions③ Breast abscess, breast pain, and other breast diseases17. Du Bi (犊鼻)Knee pain, difficulty in bending and stretching, lower limb numbness, and other lower limb diseases18. Zu San Li (足三里)① Stomach pain, vomiting, hiccups, abdominal distension, diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, and other gastrointestinal conditions② Lower limb paralysis③ Mania, insomnia, and other mental disorders④ Breast abscess, intestinal abscess, and other surgical conditions⑤ General weakness, a key point for health maintenance⑥ Asthma, excessive phlegm 19. Shang Ju Xu (上巨虚)① Bowel sounds, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, intestinal abscess, and other intestinal diseases② Lower limb paralysis, stroke, and other lower limb conditions20. Tiao Kou (条口)① Lower limb paralysis, ankle swelling, muscle cramps② Shoulder and arm pain③ Abdominal pain21. Feng Long (丰隆)① Headache, dizziness, and other head and facial diseases② Cough, asthma, excessive phlegm, and other lung-related conditions③ Lower limb paralysis④ Mania22. Nei Ting (内庭)① Toothache, sore throat, epistaxis, and other facial diseases② Heat illness③ Stomach pain, acid reflux, diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, and other gastrointestinal conditions④ Swelling and pain on the dorsum of the foot
23. Gong Sun (公孙)① Stomach pain, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dysentery, and other spleen and stomach diseases② Irritability, insomnia, mania, and other mental disorders③ Rebellious qi, urgent feeling in the chest (ben tun qi) and other conditions related to the Chong meridian24. San Yin Jiao (三阴交)① Bowel sounds, abdominal distension, diarrhea, and other conditions related to spleen and stomach deficiency② Menstrual disorders, leukorrhea, uterine prolapse, infertility, obstructed labor, and other gynecological conditions③ Nocturnal emissions, impotence, enuresis, and other reproductive and urinary system diseases④ Palpitations, insomnia, hypertension⑤ Lower limb paralysis⑥ Yin deficiency conditions⑦ Eczema, urticaria, and other skin diseases25. Di Ji (地机)① Dysmenorrhea, metrorrhagia, menstrual disorders, and other gynecological diseases② Abdominal pain, diarrhea, and other spleen and stomach diseases③ Lower limb paralysis④ Urinary difficulty, edema⑤ Nocturnal emissions and other male diseases26. Yin Ling Quan (阴陵泉)① Abdominal distension, diarrhea, edema, jaundice, and other spleen dampness diseases② Pain in the penis, urinary difficulty, nocturnal emissions, enuresis, urinary incontinence, and other urinary and male diseases③ Pain in the lower abdomen, dysmenorrhea, and other gynecological diseases④ Knee pain, lower limb paralysis27. Xue Hai (血海)① Menstrual disorders, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, and other gynecological diseases② Urticaria, eczema, skin itching, erysipelas, and other skin diseases③ Inner thigh pain 28. Da Heng (大横)① Abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, and other spleen and stomach diseases② Obesity
29. Tong Li (通里)① Palpitations, anxiety, and other heart diseases② Stiff tongue, inability to speak, sudden mutism③ Elbow and arm pain, numbness, tremors, and other upper limb conditions30. Shen Men (神门)① Chest pain, irritability, palpitations, anxiety, and other heart-related diseases② Forgetfulness, insomnia, dementia, mania, and other mental disorders③ Chest and side pain
31. Hou Xi (后溪)① Stiff neck, back pain, finger and elbow pain, and other pain conditions② Deafness, red eyes, sore throat, and other head and facial diseases③ Mania and epilepsy④ Malaria32. Shao Fu (少府)① Chest pain, irritability, palpitations, anxiety, and other heart diseases② Insomnia, forgetfulness, dementia, mania, and other mental disorders③ Urinary difficulty, enuresis, vulvar itching and pain, and other anterior genital diseases33. Yang Lao (养老)① Shoulder, back, elbow, and arm soreness, stiff neck, and other conditions along the meridian pathways② Acute low back pain③ Blurred vision34. Tian Zong (天宗)① Shoulder blade pain② Asthma③ Breast abscess, breast lumps, and other breast diseases35. Ting Gong (听宫)① Tinnitus, deafness, ear pain, and other ear diseases② Toothache, facial pain③ Mania and epilepsy
36. Zuan Zhu (攒竹)① Headache, pain in the brow ridge, facial pain, facial paralysis② Eyelid twitching, drooping eyelids, facial asymmetry, blurred vision, tearing, red and swollen eyes, and other eye diseases③ Hiccups④ Acute lumbar sprain37. Tian Zhu (天柱)① Pain in the back of the head, stiff neck, shoulder, back, and waist pain, and other bi syndromes② Nasal congestion, red and swollen eyes, myopia③ Mania and epilepsy④ Heat illness 38. Fei Shu (肺俞)① Cough, asthma, hemoptysis, and other lung diseases② Bone steaming, tidal fever, night sweats, and other yin deficiency conditions③ Itching, urticaria④ Back pain39. Ge Shu (膈俞)① Stomach pain② Vomiting, hiccups, cough, asthma, and other qi counterflow conditions③ Anemia, hematemesis, hematochezia, and other blood conditions④ Urticaria, skin itching, and other skin diseases⑤ Tidal fever, night sweats, and other yin deficiency conditions40. Wei Shu (胃俞)① Stomach pain, vomiting, abdominal distension, bowel sounds, and other stomach diseases② Excessive appetite, weight loss 41. Shen Shu (肾俞)① Dizziness, tinnitus, deafness, low back pain, chronic diarrhea, and other kidney deficiency conditions② Urinary difficulty, nocturnal emissions, impotence, premature ejaculation, infertility, and other reproductive and urinary system diseases③ Menstrual disorders, leukorrhea, infertility, and other gynecological diseases④ Diabetes42. Da Chang Shu (大肠俞)① Low back pain② Abdominal distension, diarrhea, constipation, and other gastrointestinal diseases43. Ci Liao (次髎)① Menstrual disorders, dysmenorrhea, leukorrhea, and other gynecological diseases② Urinary difficulty, urinary retention, enuresis, hernia, and other anterior genital diseases③ Nocturnal emissions, impotence, and other male diseases④ Low back pain, lower limb paralysis 44. Wei Zhong (委中)① Low back pain, lower limb paralysis, and other low back and lower limb conditions② Abdominal pain, acute vomiting and diarrhea, and other acute conditions③ Urticaria, erysipelas, skin itching, carbuncles, and other blood heat conditions④ Urinary difficulty, enuresis45. Gao Huang (膏肓)① Cough, asthma, pulmonary tuberculosis, and other lung deficiency conditions② Shoulder blade pain③ Forgetfulness, nocturnal emissions, night sweats, weight loss, and other deficiency conditions 46. Zhi Bian (秩边)① Low back pain, lower limb paralysis, and other low back and lower limb conditions② Painful urination, constipation, hemorrhoids, and other anterior and posterior genital diseases47. Cheng Shan (承山)① Stiffness and pain in the lower back and legs② Hemorrhoids, constipation③ Abdominal pain, hernia 48. Kun Lun (昆仑)① Pain in the back of the head, stiff neck, dizziness② Low back pain, ankle swelling③ Epilepsy④ Obstructed labor49. Shen Mai (申脉)① Headache, dizziness, and other head diseases② Mania and epilepsy③ Low back and leg soreness, lower limb movement difficulties④ Excessive salivation, insomnia, and other eyelid movement difficulties50. Zhi Yin (至阴)① Abnormal fetal position, obstructed labor, retained placenta, and other childbirth conditions② Headache, eye pain, nasal congestion, epistaxis, and other head and facial diseases
51. Yong Quan (涌泉)① Syncope, heat stroke, pediatric convulsions② Headache, dizziness, insomnia, mania, and epilepsy③ Throat obstruction, loss of voice, sore throat, and other head and facial diseases④ Urinary difficulty, constipation, and other posterior genital diseases⑤ Heat in the soles of the feet⑥ Rebellious qi52. Tai Xi (太溪)① Headache, dizziness, insomnia, forgetfulness, nocturnal emissions, menstrual disorders, impotence, and other kidney deficiency conditions② Cough, chest pain, hemoptysis, and other lung diseases③ Low back pain, coldness in the lower limbs, heel pain④ Diabetes, frequent urination, constipation⑤ Sore throat, toothache, deafness, tinnitus, and other yin deficiency diseases53. Zhao Hai (照海)① Epilepsy, insomnia, somnolence, hysteria, and other mental disorders② Dry throat, sore throat, red and swollen eyes③ Urinary difficulty, frequent urination④ Menstrual disorders, dysmenorrhea, leukorrhea⑤ Constipation54. Fu Liu (复溜)① Abdominal distension, diarrhea, urinary difficulty, edema② Night sweats, excessive sweating, or heat illness without sweating, and other fluid distribution disorders③ Lower limb paralysis, low back pain
55. Xie Men (郄门)① Chest pain, palpitations, anxiety, and other heart diseases② Hemoptysis, hematemesis, epistaxis, and other blood conditions③ Carbuncles④ Epilepsy 56. Nei Guan (内关)① Chest pain, palpitations, chest tightness, and chest pain② Stomach pain, vomiting, hiccups, and other stomach diseases③ Insomnia, mania, depression④ Stroke, dizziness, migraine⑤ Side pain, side masses, elbow and arm pain57. Da Ling (大陵)① Chest pain, palpitations, chest and rib pain② Laughter, sadness, fear, mania, and other mental disorders③ Stomach pain, vomiting, halitosis, and other stomach diseases④ Hand and arm pain58. Zhong Chong (中冲)① Coma from stroke, stiff tongue, inability to speak, heat stroke, syncope, pediatric convulsions, and other acute conditions② High fever③ Swelling and pain under the tongue
59. Zhong Zhu (中渚)① Difficulty in finger flexion and extension, elbow, arm, and shoulder pain② Headache, tinnitus, deafness, ear pain, red eyes, sore throat, and other head and facial diseases③ Heat illness, malaria60. Wai Guan (外关)① Tinnitus, deafness, ear pain, red and swollen eyes, visual disturbances, dizziness, sore throat, locked jaw, mouth ulcers, toothache, facial pain, and other head and facial diseases② Headache, neck and shoulder pain, side pain, upper limb pain③ Heat illness, malaria, common cold④ Carbuncles61. Zhi Gou (支沟)① Constipation② Side pain, elbow pain, stiff neck③ Tinnitus, deafness, sore throat, sudden mutism, and other head and facial diseases④ Carbuncles⑤ Heat illness62. Yi Feng (翳风)① Facial asymmetry, locked jaw, toothache, cheek swelling, mouth ulcers, and other head and facial diseases② Carbuncles③ Tinnitus, deafness, ear diseases
63. Feng Chi (风池)① Stroke, headache, dizziness, insomnia, epilepsy, and other diseases caused by internal wind② Chills and fever, facial asymmetry, and other diseases caused by external wind③ Red and swollen eyes, visual disturbances, nasal congestion, epistaxis, nasal discharge, tinnitus, sore throat, and other facial diseases④ Stiff neck 64. Jian Jing (肩颈)① Headache, dizziness, stiff neck, and other head and neck diseases② Shoulder and back pain, upper limb paralysis③ Carbuncles④ Breast abscess, insufficient lactation, obstructed labor, retained placenta, and other gynecological conditions65. Huan Tiao (环跳)① Low back and leg pain, lower limb paralysis, hemiplegia② Urticaria66. Yang Ling Quan (阳陵泉)① Jaundice, bitter mouth, hiccups, vomiting, side pain, and other gallbladder diseases② Lower limb paralysis, shoulder pain, knee swelling, and other tendon diseases③ Pediatric convulsions67. Xuan Zhong (悬钟)① Lower limb paralysis, beriberi② Stroke, cervical spondylosis, lumbar spondylosis, and other bone marrow diseases③ Stiff neck, migraine, sore throat④ Chest and side pain68. Qiu Xu (丘墟)① Migraine, chest and side pain② Lower limb paralysis, ankle swelling, foot drop, beriberi③ Malaria
69. Tai Chong (太冲)① Stroke, mania, epilepsy, headache, dizziness, facial asymmetry, pediatric convulsions, and other diseases caused by internal wind② Red and swollen eyes, night blindness, sore throat, tinnitus, deafness, and other heat-related facial diseases③ Menstrual disorders, metrorrhagia, dysmenorrhea, obstructed labor, and other gynecological conditions④ Jaundice, side pain, abdominal distension, vomiting, and other liver and stomach diseases⑤ Lower limb paralysis, ankle swelling 70. Li Gou (蠡沟)① Testicular swelling and pain, impotence, and other male diseases② Menstrual disorders, leukorrhea, and other gynecological diseases③ Vulvar itching, urinary difficulty, enuresis, and other anterior genital diseases④ Pain in the lower leg71. Qi Men (期门)① Chest and side pain② Depression, rebellious qi③ Breast abscess④ Vomiting, acid reflux, hiccups, abdominal distension, diarrhea, and other liver and stomach diseases
72. Yao Yang Guan (腰阳关)① Low back pain, lower limb paralysis② Menstrual disorders, leukorrhea, and other gynecological diseases③ Nocturnal emissions, impotence, and other male diseases 73. Ming Men (命门)① Low back pain, lower limb paralysis② Nocturnal emissions, impotence, infertility, and other male diseases③ Menstrual disorders, leukorrhea, dysmenorrhea, infertility, and other gynecological diseases④ Nocturnal diarrhea, enuresis, frequent urination, urinary retention, and other kidney deficiency conditions74. Da Zhui (大椎)① Chills and fever, malaria, and other external diseases② Heat illness, bone steaming, tidal fever③ Cough, asthma, and other lung qi deficiency conditions④ Mania, pediatric convulsions, and other mental disorders⑤ Urticaria, acne, and other skin diseases⑥ Stiff neck, spinal pain, and other spinal diseases75. Bai Hui (百会)① Syncope, stroke, aphasia, dementia, mania, insomnia, forgetfulness② Head wind, vertex pain, dizziness, tinnitus, and other head and facial diseases③ Prolapse of the rectum, uterine prolapse, and other qi deficiency conditions 76. Shen Ting (神庭)① Mania, epilepsy, insomnia, palpitations, and other mental disorders② Headache, dizziness, red eyes, eye diseases, nasal congestion, epistaxis, and other head and facial diseases77. Shui Gou (水沟)① Coma, syncope, stroke, heat stroke, collapse, and other acute conditions, one of the key emergency points② Mania, epilepsy, hysteria, acute and chronic convulsions③ Mouth ulcers, locked jaw, facial swelling, nasal congestion④ Lumbar sprain, spinal pain
78. Yin Tang (印堂)① Headache, dizziness, nasal congestion, epistaxis, red and swollen eyes② Dementia, epilepsy, insomnia, forgetfulness③ Pediatric convulsions, postpartum syncope, eclampsia79. Zhong Ji (中极)① Urinary difficulty, enuresis, frequent urination, urgency, and other urinary diseases② Menstrual disorders, dysmenorrhea, leukorrhea, uterine prolapse, and other gynecological diseases③ Nocturnal emissions, impotence, and other male diseases80. Guan Yuan (关元)① Nocturnal emissions, impotence, enuresis, frequent urination, urinary retention② Menstrual disorders, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, metrorrhagia, leukorrhea, infertility③ Abdominal pain, diarrhea, dysentery, hematochezia④ General weakness, stroke collapse, uterine prolapse, rectal prolapse, and other qi deficiency diseases⑤ Health maintenance⑥ Abdominal pain, diarrhea, hematochezia, and other intestinal diseases 81. Qi Hai (气海)① Food stagnation, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation② Enuresis, nocturnal emissions, impotence③ Amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, metrorrhagia, leukorrhea, uterine prolapse④ General weakness, stroke collapse, rectal prolapse⑤ Health maintenance⑥ Urinary difficulty, urinary retention82. Zhong Wan (中脘)① Stomach pain, vomiting, acid reflux, abdominal distension, diarrhea, pediatric malnutrition, and other spleen and stomach diseases② Epilepsy, insomnia, and other mental disorders③ Jaundice83. Dan Zhong (膻中)① Chest tightness, shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, cough, asthma② Insufficient lactation, breast abscess, and other breast diseases③ Hiccups, vomiting, and other stomach qi counterflow conditions④ Chest pain, palpitations84. Tian Tu (天突)① Cough, asthma, sore throat, chest pain, and other lung-related diseases② Sudden mutism, plum pit qi, goiter, and other throat diseases85. Si Shen Cong (四神聪)① Headache, dizziness, forgetfulness, and other brain diseases② Epilepsy, insomnia, and other mental disorders86. Tai Yang (太阳)① Headache② Red and swollen eyes, eyelid twitching, color blindness③ Facial paralysis87. Ding Chuan (定喘)① Asthma, cough② Shoulder and back pain, stiff neck88. Jia Ji (夹脊)① Upper back and chest acupuncture points for treating heart and lung diseases and upper limb conditions② Lower back acupuncture points for treating gastrointestinal diseases③ Lumbar acupuncture points for treating abdominal and lower limb diseases89. Yao Tong Dian (腰痛点)Acute lumbar sprain90. Shi Xuan (十宣)① Stroke, coma, and other mental disorders② Heat stroke, high fever, and other acute conditions③ Numbness of fingers