Acupuncture and moxibustion are often referred to together as “acupuncture”. Although acupuncture is also very effective, it requires very precise point finding and the needles need to be inserted into the body, which is often not easy to grasp for non-specialists. In contrast, moxibustion is much simpler, requiring only the use of a lit moxa stick to heat the surface of the skin where the acupuncture point is located, which is easy to master.
For people who have not studied Chinese medicine and do not know the meridians, finding the right point is not a simple task. However, with moxibustion, the positioning of the meridian points does not have to be as precise as acupuncture. When applying moxibustion to an acupuncture point, it is only necessary to heat in a relatively large area including the point.
In order to better master the moxibustion point chart, we combine the acupoints, acupoint selection methods and symptoms with each other, and take the 35 important moxibustion points on the body for your reference.
1. GV 20 Acupoint (Baihui)
Location: On the head, 5 cun directly above the midpoint of the anterior hairline, at the midpoint of the line connecting the apexes of both ears.
Indications: Headache, dizziness, aphasia due to apoplexy, psychosis apoplexy; insomnia, forgetfulness; prolapse of the rectum, prolapse of the uterus, chronic diarrhea.
2. GB 20 Acupoint (Fengchi)
Location: Under the occipital, at the level of GV 16 (fēng fŭ), in the depression between the upper portion of the sternocleidomastoid m. and trapezius m.
Indications: Headache, dizziness, insomnia, epilepsy, stroke; redness, swelling and pain of the eyes, blurred vision, nasal congestion, epistaxis, nasosinusitis, tinnitus, swelling and pain in the throat; common cold, febrile diseases, stiffness and pain in the neck.
3. LU 1 Acupoint (Zhongfu)
Location: In the superior lateral aspect of the anterior thoracic wall, 1 cun below LU 2(yún mén), on the level of the 1st intercostal space, 6 cun lateral to the anterior midline.
Indications: Cough, asthma, chest pain and pain in the shoulder and back.
4. GB 21 Acupoint (Jianjing)
Location: On the shoulder, at the midpoint of the line joining GV 14 (dà zhuī) and the shoulder acromion.
Indications: Headache, dizziness, stiffness and pain in the neck, pain in the shoulder and upper back, paralysis of the upper extremities, scrofula; mastitis, insufficient lactation, delayed labor, placenta stagnation.
5. GV 14 Acupoint (Dazhui)
Location: On the posterior midline, in the depression below the 7th cervical vertebra.
Indications: Febrile disease, malaria, afternoon fever, cough, asthma; epilepsy, infantile convulsion; cold, chills, rubella, pain and stiffness of the neck and head.
6. Bl 12 Acupoint (Fengmen)
Location: On the back, 1.5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of the 2nd thoracic vertebra.
Indications: Common cold, cough, Fever, headache, Neck stiffness, pain in the chest and back.
7. SI 9 Acupoint (Jianzhen)
Location: Posterior and inferior to the shoulder joint, when the arm is adducted, 1cun above the posterior end of the axillary fold.
Indications: Numbness and pain in the shoulder and arm; scrofula; tinnitus, deafness.
8. BL 13 Acupoint (Feishu)
Location: On the back, level with the lower border of the spinous process of the 3rdthoracic vertebra, 1.5 cun lateral to the posterior midline.
Indications: Cough with asthma, common cold, nasal congestion; high fever, night sweats; itching on the skin, urticarial.
9. BL 20 Acupoint (Pishu)
Location: On the back, level with the lower border of the spinous process of the 11th thoracic vertebra, 1.5 cun lateral to the posterior midline.
Indications: Abdominal distension, diarrhea dysentery, hematochezia, anorexia, edema,and jaundice.
10. BL 21 Acupoint (Weishu)
Location: On the back, level with the lower border of the spinous process of the 12rdthoracic vertebra, 1.5 cun lateral to the posterior midline.
Indications: Epigastric pain, vomiting, abdominal distension, borborygmus; chest and hypochondriac pain.
11. BL 25 Acupoint (Dachangshu)
Location: Level with the lower border of the spinous process of the 4th lumbar vertebra, 1.5 cun lateral to the posterior midline.
Indications: Pain of the lumbar region and lower limbs; abdominal distension, diarrhea, constipation, dysentery, hemorrhoids.
12. BL 23 Acupoint (Shenshu)
Location: Level with the lower border of the spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra, 1.5 cun lateral to the posterior midline.
Indications: Tinnitus, deafness; seminal emission, impotence, irregular menstruation, morbid leucorrhea, enuresis, difficulty in urination, edema; lumbar pain; cough, asthma, asthenic breathing.
13. GV 3 Acupoint (Yaoyangguan)
Location: On the low back and on the posterior midline, in the depression below the spinous process of the 4th lumbar vertebra.
Indications: Pain in the lumbosacral region, flaccidity and bi syndrome in the lower extremities; irregular menstruation, leucorrhea, nocturnal emission, impotence.
14. GV 4 Acupoint (Mingmen)
Location: On the low back and on the posterior midline, in the depression below the spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra.
Indications: Lumbar pain, flaccidity and bi syndrome in the lower extremities; nocturnal emission, impotence, premature ejaculation, irregular menstruation, leucorrhea, enuresis, frequency of urination; diarrhea.
15. BL 32 Acupoint (Ciliao)
Location: In the region of the sacrum, medial and inferior to the posterior-superior iliac spine, in the 2nd posterior sacral foramen.
Indications: Irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, morbid leucorrhea, seminal emission,impotency, difficulty in urination, enuresis; lumbosacral pain, weakness or paralysis in the lower limbs.
16. GV 2 Acupoint (Yaoshu)
Location: On the back on the posterior midline, at the level of the sacral hiatus.
Indications: Hemorrhoids, Stiffness and pain of the lumbar region, Pain, numbness and weakness of the lower extremities, and Irregular menstruation.
17. CV 17 Acupoint (Shanzhong)
Location: On the chest and on the anterior midline, on the level of the 4th intercostal space, at the midpoint of the line connecting both nipples.
Indications: Stuffy chest, short breath, chest pain, palpitation, cough, asthma; lactation insufficiency, acute mastitis.
18. CV 12 Acupoint (Zhongwan)
Location: On the upper abdomen and on the anterior midline, 4 cun above the center of the umbilicus.
Indications: Stomachache, abdominal distension, vomiting, indigestion, diarrhea, constipation; epilepsy.
19. CV 8 Acupoint (Shenque)
Location: At the center of the umbilicus.
Indications: Abdominal pain around the umbilicus, diarrhea, proctoptosis, and five types of stranguria; apoplectic depletion syndrome, dead syncope, wind-epilepsy; edema and tympany.
20. CV 6 Acupoint (Qihai)
Location: On the anterior median line of the lower abdomen, 1.5 cun below the umbilicus.
Indications: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation; Enuresis; Spermatorrhea, impotence; Irregular menstruation, amenorrhea.
21. CV 4 Acupoint (Guanyuan)
Location: On the lower abdomen and on the anterior midline, 3 cun below the center of the umbilicus.
Indications: Lower abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, leucorrhea, nocturnal emission, impotence, dysmenorrheal, frequent urination, retention of urine; collapse syndrome due to apoplexy.
22. CV 3 Acupoint (Zhongji)
Location: On the lower abdomen on the anterior midline, 4 cun below the umbilicus.
Indications: Enuresis, dysuria; Spermatorrhea, impotence; Irregular menstruation, metrorrhagia, leukorrhea, prolapse of the uterus, infertility.
23. CV 2 Acupoint (Qugu)
Location: On the anterior median line of the lower abdomen, at the midpoint of the upper border of the symphysis pubis.
Indications: Dysuria, enuresis; Spermatorrhea, impotence; Irregular menstruation, leukorrhea.
24. PC 6 Acupoint (Neiguan)
Location: 2 cun above the transverse crease of the wrist, between the tendons of palmaris longus and tendon of flexor carpi radialis musculus.
Indications: Cardiac pain, palpitation, stuffy chest, pain in the hypochondriac region, stomachache, dizzy, nausea, vomiting, hiccup, mental disorders epilepsy, insomnia, febrile diseases, irritability, malaria, migraine, contracture and pain of the elbow and arm.
25. LU 7 Acupoint (Lieque)
Location: On the radial margin of the forearm, superior to the styloid process of the radius, 1.5 cun above the transverse crease of the wrist.
Indications: Head and neck problems: migraines (central and one-sided), headaches caused by exogenic pathogens, neck rigidity, facial paralysis, toothache, sore throat, cough, asthma, nasal problems.
26. LI 4 Acupoint (Hegu)
Location: On the dorsum of the hand, between the 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones, in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side.
Indications: Diseases of the head and face; Aversion to cold, fever, febrile disease, anhidrosis (no sweating), hidrosis.
27. LI 11 Acupoint (Quchi)
Location: With the elbow flexed, at the lateral end of the transverse cubital crease, midway between LU 5 and the lateral epicondyle of the humerus.
Indications: Swollen and sore throat, toothache, redness and pain in the eyes; febrile disease; rubella, eczema; hypertension; paralysis of the arm, pain and weakness in the elbow; psychosis; abdominal pain, diarrhea.
28. GB 34 Acupoint (Yanglingquan)
Location: On the external leg, in the depression anterior and inferior to the small head of the fibula.
Indications: Jaundice, bitter taste in the mouth, vomiting, pain in the hypochondriac region and chest; atrophy or paralysis in the lower limbs, swelling and pain in the knee, beriberi, the pain of the shoulder; infantile convulsion.
29. ST 36 Acupoint (Zusanli)
Location: 3 cun below ST 35, one finger width lateral to the anterior crest of the tibia.
Indications: Stomach pain, vomiting, abdominal pain and distension, diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, intestinal abscess; consumptive disease, palpitation, shortness of breath; atrophy and paralysis of the legs, beriberi, edema; psychosis and epilepsy.
30. SP 6 Acupoint (Sanyinjiao)
Location: On the tibial aspect of the leg, posterior to the medial border of the tibia, 3cun superior to the prominence of the medial malleolus.
Indications: Abdominal pain, abdominal distension, borborygmus, diarrhea; irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea; menostasis, leukorrhea, prolapse of the uterus, prolonged labor, infertility, impotence, spermatorrhea; difficulty in micturition, enuresis, edema; insomnia, dizziness; atrophy and paralysis of the legs, beriberi.
31. KI 3 Acupoint (Taixi)
Location: On the medial aspect of the foot, posterior to the medial malleolus, in the depression between the tip of the medial malleolus and tendo calcaneus.
Indications: Impotence, spermatorrhea, frequent need to urinate, deafness, tinnitus, irregular menstruation, lumbar pain; Headache, dizziness, blurring of vision, toothache, swelling of pharynx; Cough, asthma, diabetes; Insomnia.
32. LIV 3 Acupoint (Taichong)
Location: On the dorsum of the foot, in the depression distal to the junction of the 1stand 2nd metatarsal bones.
Indications: Headache, dizziness, redness, swelling and pain in the eyes, deviation of the mouth and eyes, optic atrophy, swelling and pain in the throat, tinnitus, deafness; irregular menstruation, menorrhagia, hernia, enuresis; epilepsy, infantile convulsion, stroke, pain in the hypochondriac region, depression, irritability; atrophy or paralysis of the lower extremities.
33. SP 1 Acupoint (Yinbai)
Location: On the medial side of the great toe, 0.1 cun posterior to the corner of the nail.
Indications: Abdominal distention, Menorrhagia, metrorrhagia, bloody stools, hematuria.
34. KI 1 Acupoint (Yong Quan)
Location: On the sole of the foot the depression formed when the foot is plantar flexed, about one-third of the way along the line connecting the base of the second and third toes with the heel.
Indications: Insomnia, Headache, the pain of the neck, dizziness, infantile convulsion, manic psychosis; Nausea, vomiting; Swelling of the pharynx, dryness of the tongue, dysuria, constipation.
35. EX-ZA1 Acupoint （Zigong）
Location: On the lower abdomen, 4 cun below the center of the umbilicus, 3 cun lateral to CV 3.
Indications: Prolapse of uterus, infertility, irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, uterine bleeding.
