My 5 Favorite Points

There are hundreds of acupuncture points in Traditional Chinese Medicine. But for me, five of them are pretty special—and one of them is a powerhouse point that’s used with almost every acupuncture treatment. 

Liver 3
Great Rushing
Liver 3 (LR 3) is located on the top of your foot, between your big toe and second toe, and it’s both an important point and a commonly used one. One of my favorite descriptions of LR 3 is that it’s the “cranky, irritability, anger relieving point.” True! It’s a great point for calming emotions like anger and irritability, as well as their physical side effects, like headaches and even eye twitches. When coupled with Large Intestine 4, this point is used to move Qi and blood throughout your body.

Large Intestine 4
Joining Valley
So now that you know Large Intestine 4 (LI 4) is often paired with LR 3—of course it also made the list! Located in the soft V between your thumb and pointer finger, LI 4 is a wonderful point for treating headaches, stress, facial pain, toothaches and neck pain. Recent studies from the Journal of Orofacial Pain have even found that stimulating this point reduces jaw pain. But a word of caution: If you’re pregnant, be sure to tell your acupuncturist. This point also can induce labor, so we’ll avoid it during your treatment. 

Kidney 7
Returning Current
Located on the inside of your lower leg, Kidney 7 (KD 7) resolves dampness, strengthens your lower back, regulates sweating and strengthens your kidneys. It also is used to treat gastrointestinal problems, swelling, constipation and more. And all of those things are fairly common ailments that people seek out acupuncture to treat, making KD 7 a very useful point!  

Ren 12
Middle Epigastrium
Its English name is a mouthful, but Ren 12 literally makes things easier to swallow. It strengthens and harmonizes the stomach and the spleen—paired organs in our bodies that can cause nausea, vomiting, poor appetite or cravings, dizziness and bowel problems when they’re out of balance. The spleen is also associated with anxiety, which often leads to upset stomach and other digestive issues. Ren 12 is one of my favorite points because its benefits are far-reaching, helping people feel better and more balanced. 

DU 20 
Hundred Convergences
This is the big one: DU 20 is the workhorse of acupuncture. That's why I love it! Located on the crown of your head, it's where all of the channels in your body meet, meaning it can be used to treat the entire body. So whether a patient is experiencing anxiety, sleep disturbance, acid reflux, hernias or even organ prolapse, DU 20 is a useful and powerful point. If you’ve had an acupuncture treatment, odds are high your acupuncturist has used this point. 

Of course, it’s hard to pick just a few favorite points. But these five have powerful benefits for patients, helping you restore your balance and feel like yourself again. And when you come in for your next acupuncture treatment, now you’ll have a better understanding of how the points being used connect to your body! 

In health and wellness, 
Julie