Pain Protocol: Headache    45

Headache

General LI 4, GB 20

Frontal add Yintang, UB 2

Temporal add Taiyang, GB 41

One-sided add TW 3, GB 41

Occipital add SI 3

Vertex or “like a band” add Liv 3

With dizziness add Kid 1

Large Intestine 4 He Gu “Joining Valley”

Common uses: headache, pain, sinus congestion, anxiety

This point is located on hand, in the web between the thumb and
index finger.
Place the hand palm down. When the thumb and pointer finger are
pressed together, the point is located at the highest point of the
muscle between the first and second metacarpal bones.
Special considerations: contraindicated in pregnancy

Gallbladder 20 Feng Chi “Wind Pool”

Common uses: headache, migraine, facial pain, eye irritation, cold

symptoms, pain and tension of the neck, shoulders, and upper
back
The point is located inferior to the occiput, in the depression
between the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles.
Place fingers on the vertebra of the neck, just below the edge of
the skull. Gently move the fingers laterally along the lower edge of
the skull, over the thick muscles of the trapezius, until your fingers
fall into a depression that feels like a small pool. This point is
typically located at the most sensitive, deepest point in the hollow.

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 46    Pain Protocol: Headache

Urinary Bladder 2 Zan Zhu “Gathered Bamboo”

Common uses: eye irritation, headache, sinus congestion

This point is located on the face, directly above the inner corner
(medial canthus) of the eye, in a small depression on the inner
edge of the eyebrow.
Using your index finger, find the inner edge of the eyebrow directly
above the inner corner of the eye.
Feel for a small vertical notch. This point is often located at the
most sensitive location.

Yintang “Hall of Impression”

Common uses: headache, anxiety, insomnia, sinus congestion

This point is located on the face in between the inner edges of the
two eyebrows, on the midline of the face.
Using your index finger, find the midpoint between the inner edges
of the eyebrows. The point is at this location.

Taiyang “Supreme Yang”

Common uses: headache, dizziness, eye pain, redness, or irritation

This point is located on the head at the temple, in the tender de-
pression approximately one fingers-width posterior to the mid-
point of the lateral edge of the eyebrow and the outer canthus of
the eye.
Find the midpoint between the lateral edge of the eyebrow
and the outer canthus of the eye. Move approximately one fin-
gers-width posterior to this location, to the tender depression
located at the temple.

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 Pain Protocol: Headache    47

Gallbladder 41 Zu Lin Qi “Foot Overlooking Tears”

Common uses: headache, vertigo, hypochondriac pain and tension

The point is located on the dorsum of the foot, posterior to the
fourth metatarsophalangeal joint, in the depression lateral to the
tendon of the m. extensor digiti minimi of the foot.
This point is easier to locate if the patient abducts their little
toe, which makes the tendon of m. extensor digiti minimi more
prominent. Run a finger proximally from the webbing between
the fourth and fifth metatarsal, along the interspace between the
bones, until it passes over the branch of the tendon. The point is
located in the significant depression just proximal to the tendon.

Triple Warmer 3 Zhong Zhu “Central Islet”

Common uses: headache, pain of the shoulder, back, and arm, ear
disorders
This point is located on the dorsum of the hand, in the depression
proximal to the fourth and fifth metacarpal-phalangeal joints.
Form a loose fist. Using the tip of the index finger, palpate for the
depression just proximal the joints of the fourth and fifth metacar-
pal-phalangeal joints. Find the most sensitive spot in this location.

Small Intestine 3 Hou Xi “Back Gully Stream”

Common uses: back pain, neck pain and rigidity, shoulder, elbow,
and hand pain
This point is located on the ulnar border on the hand, in the de-
pression located proximal to the head of the fifth metacarpal
bone.
Have the patient make a loose fist. Feel for the soft depression
proximal to the head of the fifth metacarpal. Apply pressure with
the finger tip. This point can also be stimulated by having the
patient hit the lateral edges of the hands together at the point
location, in a “karate chopping” motion.

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 48    Pain Protocol: Headache

Liver 3 Tai Chong “Great Rushing”

Common uses: headaches, pain, menstrual cramps, anxiety, de-

pression
This point is located on the top of the foot in the space between
the bones leading up to the first and second toe.
Place your finger between the first and second toe. Slide your
finger toward the top of the foot, staying between the two bones.
The point is located in the space between the two bones, roughly
one third of the way between the base of the toes and the ankle.
Special considerations: avoid use during pregnancy.

Kidney 1 Yong Quan “Gushing Spring”

Common uses: headaches, dizziness, anxiety, insomnia, “ground-

ing”
This point is located in the center of the bottom of the foot, in the
depression roughly one third below the base of the toes.
With the foot flexed, divide the plantar aspect of the foot into
thirds. The point is located in the depression where the ball and
the arch meet, roughly one third of the way from the base of toes.

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 Pain Protocol: Jaw tension    49

Jaw tension

General LI 4, Liv 3, GB 20, Tender spots along the jaw

Large Intestine 4 He Gu “Joining Valley”

Common uses: headache, pain, sinus congestion, anxiety

This point is located on hand, in the web between the thumb and
index finger.
Place the hand palm down. When the thumb and pointer finger are
pressed together, the point is located at the highest point of the
muscle between the first and second metacarpal bones.
Special considerations: contraindicated in pregnancy

Liver 3 Tai Chong “Great Rushing”

Common uses: headaches, pain, menstrual cramps, anxiety, depres-

sion
This point is located on the top of the foot in the space between the
bones leading up to the first and second toe.
Place your finger between the first and second toe. Slide your finger
toward the top of the foot, staying between the two bones. The point
is located in the space between the two bones, roughly one third of
the way between the base of the toes and the ankle.
Special considerations: avoid use during pregnancy.

Gallbladder 20 Feng Chi “Wind Pool”

Common uses: headache, migraine, facial pain, eye irritation, cold

symptoms, pain and tension of the neck, shoulders, and upper back
The point is located inferior to the occiput, in the depression
between the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles.
Place fingers on the vertebra of the neck, just below the edge of the
skull. Gently move the fingers laterally along the lower edge of the
skull, over the thick muscles of the trapezius, until your fingers fall
into a depression that feels like a small pool. This point is typically
located at the most sensitive, deepest point in the hollow.

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 50    Pain Protocol: Sinus pressure and pain

Sinus pressure and pain

General LI 4, UB 2, Yintang, LI 20

Large Intestine 4 He Gu “Joining Valley”

Common uses: headache, pain, sinus congestion, anxiety

This point is located on hand, in the web between the thumb and
index finger.
Place the hand palm down. When the thumb and pointer finger are
pressed together, the point is located at the highest point of the
muscle between the first and second metacarpal bones.
Special considerations: contraindicated in pregnancy

Urinary Bladder 2 Zan Zhu “Gathered Bamboo”

Common uses: eye irritation, headache, sinus congestion

This point is located on the face, directly above the inner corner
(medial canthus) of the eye, in a small depression on the inner
edge of the eyebrow.
Using your index finger, find the inner edge of the eyebrow directly
above the inner corner of the eye.
Feel for a small vertical notch. This point is often located at the
most sensitive location.

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 Pain Protocol: Sinus pressure and pain    51

Yintang “Hall of Impression”

Common uses: headache, anxiety, insomnia, sinus congestion

This point is located on the face in between the inner edges of the
two eyebrows, on the midline of the face.
Using your index finger, find the midpoint between the inner edges
of the eyebrows. The point is at this location.

Large Intestine 20 Ying Xiang “Welcome Fragrance”

Common uses: nasal congestion and discharge, reduced sense of

smell, sneezing, facial pain
This point is located on the face, in the naso-labial groove, at the
midpoint of the nostril.
Place the tip of index finger in the grooves on the outside edge of
each nostril. Gently massage the groove with your fingertip.

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 52    Pain Protocol: Neck/shoulder pain

Neck/shoulder pain

General SI 3, TW 3, Luozhen, LI 4, GB 20, GB 21, UB 10

It can be helpful to encourage the patient to gently move the area of pain, to
their level of comfort and mobility, while stimulating these points.

Small Intestine 3 Hou Xi “Back Gully Stream”

Common uses: back pain, neck pain and rigidity, shoulder, elbow,
and hand pain
This point is located on the ulnar border on the hand, in the de-
pression located proximal to the head of the fifth metacarpal bone.
Have the patient make a loose fist. Feel for the soft depression
proximal to the head of the fifth metacarpal. Apply pressure with
the finger tip. This point can also be stimulated by having the
patient hit the lateral edges of the hands together at the point
location, in a “karate chopping” motion.

Triple Warmer 3 Zhong Zhu “Central Islet”

Common uses: headache, pain of the shoulder, back, and arm, ear
disorders
This point is located on the dorsum of the hand, in the depression
proximal to the fourth and fifth metacarpal-phalangeal joints.
Form a loose fist. Using the tip of the index finger, palpate for the
depression just proximal the joints of the fourth and fifth metacar-
pal-phalangeal joints. Find the most sensitive spot in this location.

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 Pain Protocol: Neck/shoulder pain    53

Luozhen “Stiff Neck”

Common uses: neck pain, shoulder and arm pain

This point is located on the dorsum of the hand, in the depression
just proximal to the second and third metacarpo-phalangeal joints.
Form a loose fist. Using the tip of the index finger, palpate for
the depression just proximal the joints of the second and third
metacarpal-phalangeal joints. Find the most sensitive spot in this
location.

Large Intestine 4 He Gu “Joining Valley”

Common uses: headache, pain, sinus congestion, anxiety

This point is located on hand, in the web between the thumb and
index finger.
Place the hand palm down. When the thumb and pointer finger
are pressed together, the point is located at the highest point of
the muscle between the first and second metacarpal bones.
Special considerations: contraindicated in pregnancy

Gallbladder 20 Feng Chi “Wind Pool”

Common uses: headache, migraine, facial pain, eye irritation, cold

symptoms, pain and tension of the neck, shoulders, and upper
back
The point is located inferior to the occiput, in the depression
between the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles.
Place fingers on the vertebra of the neck, just below the edge of
the skull. Gently move the fingers laterally along the lower edge of
the skull, over the thick muscles of the trapezius, until your fingers
fall into a depression that feels like a small pool. This point is
typically located at the most sensitive, deepest point in the hollow.

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 54    Pain Protocol: Neck/shoulder pain

Gallbladder 21 Jian Jing “Shoulder Well”

Common uses: pain and tension in the neck, shoulders, upper

back, and arms
The point is located on the shoulder, midway between the C7
intervertebral space and the tip of the acromion, at the highest
point of the trapezius muscle.
Find the midpoint between the C7 intervertebral space and the
acromion. Find the crest, or the highest point, of the trapezius
muscle located at this midpoint. This point is typically located at
the area of greatest sensitivity or tension.
Special considerations: contraindicated in pregnancy

Urinary Bladder 10 Tian Zhu “Celestial Pillar”

Common uses: headache, neck tension and pain, anxiety, agitation

This point is located on the head along the base of the skull,
approximately one and one-half finger’s widths from the midline,
on the lateral edge of the trapezius muscle.
Place your finger along the midline at the base of your skull, feel
for the depression below the occipital protuberance between the
trapezius muscles. Move your finger outward, over the thickness of
the trapezius muscle, following the edge of the base of the skull.
The point is located at the lateral edge of the trapezius, at a tender
spot.

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 Pain Protocol: Back pain    55

Back pain

General Ling Gu & Da Bai pair, TW 3

Distal: add SI 3
For upper-mid back pain
Local: add UB 13, UB 15, UB 17

Distal: add SI 4, YaoTongXue, GV 26

For low back and/or sacral pain
Local: add UB 23, UB 25, UB 31

For pain or tension along the entire spine, massage the hand between SI 3
and SI 4, and Ling Gu and Da Bai.

It can be helpful to encourage the patient to gently move the area of pain,
to their level of comfort and mobility, while stimulating these points.

Ling Gu “Adroit bone” and Da Bai “Big White”

Common uses: Ling Gu and Da Bai are typically used in a pair for
a range of concerns including back pain, sciatica, foot pain, head-
aches, abdominal distention.
Ling Gu and Da Bai are located on the dorsum of hand, near the
base and head of the second
metacarpal bone.
To locate Ling Gu:
Have the patient form a loose fist. The point is located at the base
of the thenar webspace between the index finger and the thumb,
at the juncture between the first and second metacarpal bones.
To locate Da Bai:
Have the patient form a loose fist. The point is located on the ra-
dial side of the index finger, in the depression just proximal to the
head of the second metacarpal bone.

Triple Warmer 3 Zhong Zhu “Central Islet”

Common uses: headache, pain of the shoulder, back, and arm, ear
disorders
This point is located on the dorsum of the hand, in the depression
proximal to the fourth and fifth metacarpal-phalangeal joints.
Form a loose fist. Using the tip of the index finger, palpate for the
depression just proximal the joints of the fourth and fifth metacar-
pal-phalangeal joints. Find the most sensitive spot in this location.

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 56    Pain Protocol: Back pain

Small Intestine 3 Hou Xi “Back Gully Stream”

Common uses: back pain, neck pain and rigidity, shoulder, elbow,
and hand pain
This point is located on the ulnar border on the hand, in the de-
pression located proximal to the head of the fifth metacarpal bone.
Have the patient make a loose fist. Feel for the soft depression
proximal to the head of the fifth metacarpal. Apply pressure with
the finger tip. This point can also be stimulated by having the
patient hit the lateral edges of the hands together at the point
location, in a “karate chopping” motion.

Urinary Bladder 13 Fei Shu “Lung Shu”

Common uses: upper back tension, cough, asthma

This point is located on the upper back, at the level of the third
thoracic vertebra, approximately two finger-widths lateral from the
midline.
Locate the lower border of the spinous process of the third
thoracic vertebra. This is approximately at the same level as the
superior angle of the scapula. The point is located approximately
two fingers-widths from the spinous process at that level, halfway
between the midline of the body and the medial border of the
scapula.

Urinary Bladder 15 Xin Shu “Heart Shu”

Common uses: upper-mid back tension, chest tension, heart

palpitations, agitation
This point is located in the upper back, at the level of the fifth
thoracic vertebra, approximately two finger-widths lateral from the
midline.
Locate the lower border of the spinous process of the fifth
thoracic vertebra. This is approximately at the same level as
midway down the length of the scapula. The point is located
approximately two fingers-widths from the spinous process at that
level, halfway between the midline of the body and the medial
border of the scapula.

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 Pain Protocol: Back pain    57

Urinary Bladder 17 Ge Shu “Diaphragm Shu”

Common uses: mid-back tension, chest tension, vomiting, cough

fatigue, asthma
This point is located in the mid-back, at the level of the seventh
thoracic vertebra, approximately two fingers-widths lateral from
the midline.
Locate the lower border of the spinous process of the seventh
thoracic vertebra. This is approximately at the same level as the
inferior angle of the scapula. The point is located approximately
two fingers-widths from the spinous process at that level, halfway
between the midline of the body and the medial border of the
scapula.

Small Intestine 4 Wan Gu “Wrist Bone”

Common uses: back pain, neck pain and rigidity, wrist and hand
pain, headache
This point is located on the ulnar side of the palm, in the
depression between the base of the fifth metacarpal bone and the
triquetral bone of the wrist.
Palpate along the lateral edge of the hand. Feel for the depression
located between the base of the fifth metacarpal bone and the
triquetral bone of the wrist.

Yao Tong Xue “Lumbar Pain Point”

Common uses: low back pain

This point pair is located on the dorsum of the hand, midway
between the transverse wrist crease and the metacarpophalangeal
joint, between the second and third metacarpal bones, and
between the fourth and fifth metacarpal bones.
Locate the spaces between the second and third metacarpal
bones, and between the fourth and fifth metacarpal bones. The
point is located approximately in these spaces, midway between
the wrist crease and the metacarpophalangeal joint, two points on
each hand.

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 58    Pain Protocol: Back pain

Governing Vessel 26 Ren Zhong “Man’s Middle”

Common uses: low back pain, emergency revival point

This point is located on the face in the philtrum; area between the
margin of the upper lip and root of the nose.
Divide the area of the philtrum into upper, middle, and lower
thirds. The point is located on the midline, at the junction of the
upper third and lower two thirds of the philtrum. Stimulate with
the tip of finger, or the fingernail.

Urinary Bladder 23 Shen Shu “Kidney Shu”

Common uses: low back pain, fatigue, diarrhea, urinary difficulty

This point is located in the lower back on the waist level,
approximately two fingers-widths lateral from the midline.
Locate the lower border of the spinous process of the second
lumbar vertebra. The second lumbar vertebra is located at waist-
level. The point is located approximately two fingers-widths from
the spinous process at that level, at the visible highest point of the
paraspinal muscles.

Urinary Bladder 25 Da Chang Shu “Large Intestine Shu”

Common uses: low back pain, diarrhea, constipation

This point is located in the lower back at the level of the fourth
lumbar vertebra, approximately two fingers-widths lateral from the
midline.
Locate the lower border of the spinous process of the fourth
lumbar vertebra, which is approximately three to four fingers-
widths inferior to the level of the waist. The point is located
approximately two fingers-widths from the spinous process at that
level, at the visible highest point of the paraspinal muscles.

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 Pain Protocol: Back pain    59

Urinary Bladder 31 Shang Liao “Upper Bone Hole”

Common uses: low back pain, dysuria, constipation

This point is located on the sacrum, at the midpoint between the
posterior superior iliac spine and the posterior midline, at the first
sacral foramen.
On the patient’s low back, find the midpoint between the
posterosuperior iliac spine and the posterior midline. This midpoint
should be over the sacrum, at the location of the first sacral
foramen.

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 60    Pain Protocol: Abdominal pain

Abdominal pain

General Pc 6, St 36, CV 12, CV 6

Pericardium 6 Nei Guan “Inner Gate”

Common uses: nausea, heartburn, anxiety, headache, dizziness

This point is located on the arm, three finger breadths from the
wrist crease on the inner forearm in between the two tendons.
Position the hand palm up. Measure three of the patient’s fingers
up from the crease of the wrist. This can be done by placing the
fingers of the opposite hand across the wrist, with the edge of
the ring finger at the wrist crease. The point is located at the level
where the index finger is resting, between the two tendons that
run from the wrist up the center of the arm. Stimulate with the tip
of the index finger or a thumb. A Sea-Band, or other acupressure
band, can also be worn at this point for constant stimulation.

Stomach 36 Zu San Li “Three Leg Mile”

Common uses: digestion, fatigue, immune system support

This point is located on the lower leg, four finger widths below the
knee, near the outer edge of the shin.
Measure four of the patient’s finger widths down from the bottom
edge of the knee cap. The point is at this level, one finger breadth
out from the height of the shin bone.

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 Pain Protocol: Abdominal pain    61

Conception Vessel 12 Zhong Wan “Middle Cavity”

Common uses: low appetite, nausea, vomiting, heartburn,

abdominal pain and distention
This point is located on the midline of the abdomen, midway
between the umbilicus and the sternocostal angle.
Run the forefinger along upward the lower margin of the ribcage,
into the fleshy depression immediately below the solid bony edge
of the sternum. This is the sternocostal angle, where the sternum
and the cartilaginous xiphoid process meet. Find the midpoint
between the sternocostal angle and the umbilicus. Stimulate with
one or two fingers.

Conception Vessel 6 Qi Hai “Sea of Qi”

Common uses: abdominal pain and distention, constipation,

urinary difficulty, irregular menstruation
This point is located on the lower abdomen, approximately two of
the patient’s fingers widths below the umbilicus.
Measure approximately two of the patient’s fingers widths below
the umbilicus, on the midline. Apply pressure with one or two
fingers. This area may be sensitive to pressure, especially if the
patient is experiencing stool or urinary retention.

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