Smarter Healing

Stomach Meridian Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture Meridian - Stomach

Stomach Meridian Points

  • ST 1: cheng qi / Tear Container
    • Function: Expels wind, brightens the eyes, stops lacrimation.
    • Indications: Redness, swelling and pain of the eye, lacrimation, night blindness, twitching of eyelids, facial paralysis.
  • ST 2: si bai / Four Whites
    • Function: Expels wind, brightens the eyes.
    • Indications: Redness, pain and itching of the eye, facial paralysis, twitching of eye lids, pain in the face.
  • ST 3: ju liao / Great Bone-Hole
    • Function: Expels wind, removes obstructions from the channel, relieves swellings.
    • Indications: Facial paralysis, twitching of eyelids, epistaxis, toothache, swelling of lips and cheek.
  • ST 4: di cang / Earth Granary
    • Function: Expels wind, removes obstructions from the channel, benefits tendons and muscles.
    • Indications: Deviation of the mouth, salivation, twitching of the eyelids.
  • ST 5: da ying / Great Reception
    • Function: Courses wind and quickens the connecting vessels.
    • Indications: Facial paralysis, trismus, swelling of the cheek, pain in the face, toothache.
  • ST 6: jia che / Jawbone
    • Function: Expels wind, removes obstructions from the channel.
    • Indications: Facial paralysis, toothache, swelling of the cheek and face, mumps, trismus.
  • ST 7: xia guan / Below the Joint
    • Function: Removes obstructions from the channel, benefits the ears.
    • Indications: Deafness, tinnitus, otorrhea, toothache, facial paralysis, pain of the face, motor impairment of the jaw.
  • ST 8: tou wei / Head Corner
    • Function: Expels wind, relieves pain, brightens the eyes, relieves dizziness, clears heat.
    • Indications: Headache, blurring of vision, ophthalmalgia, lacrimation.
  • ST 9: ren ying / Man’s Prognosis
    • Function: Regulates Qi, removes masses, benefits the throat, relieves swellings.
    • Indications: Sore throat, asthma, goiter, dizziness, flushing of the face.
  • ST 10: shui tu / Water Prominence
    • Function: Rectifies Lung Qi and disinhibits the throat.
    • Indications: Sore throat, asthma, cough.
  • ST 11: qi she / Qi Abode
    • Function: Courses Qi and downbears counterflow.
    • Indications: Sore throat, pain and rigidity of the neck, asthma, hiccup, goiter.
  • ST 12: que pen / Empty Basin
    • Function: Subdues rebellious Qi.
    • Indications: Cough, asthma, sore throat, pain in the supraclavicular fossa.
  • ST 13: qi hu / Qi Door
    • Function: Clears heat and loosens the chest.
    • Indications: Fullness in the chest, asthma, cough, hiccup, pain in the chest, hypochondrium.
  • ST 14: ku fang / Storeroom
    • Function: Rectifies Qi and loosens the chest.
    • Indications: Sensation of fullness and pain in the chest, cough.
  • ST 15: wu yi / Roof
    • Function: Courses wind and relieves pain.
    • Indications: Fullness and pain in the chest and the costal region, cough, asthma, mastitis.
  • ST 16: ying chuang / Breast Window
    • Function: Clears heat and resolves depression, relieves pain and disperses swelling.
    • Indications: Fullness and pain in the chest and hypochondrium, cough, asthma, mastitis.
  • ST 17: ru zhong / Breast Center
    • Function: None.
    • Indications: None.
  • ST 18: ru gen / Breast Root
    • Function: Regulates Stomach Qi, regulates the breast and lactation, dispels stagnation.
    • Indications: Pain in the chest, cough, asthma, mastitis, insufficient lactation.
  • ST 19: bu rong / Not Contained
    • Function: Regulates the center and harmonizes the Stomach.
    • Indications: Abdominal distensions, vomiting, gastric pain, anorexia.
  • ST 20: cheng man / Assuming Fullness
    • Function: Harmonizes the Stomach and rectifies Qi.
    • Indications: Gastric pain, abdominal distension, vomiting, anorexia.
  • ST 21: liang men / Beam Gate
    • Function: Regulates the Stomach, subdues rebellious Qi, stops vomiting, relieves pain.
    • Indications: Gastric pain, vomiting, anorexia, abdominal distension, diarrhea.
  • ST 22: guan men / Pass Gate
    • Function: Regulates the Stomach and Intestines.
    • Indications: Abdominal distension and pain, anorexia, borborygmus, diarrhea, edema.
  • ST 23: tai yi / Supreme Unity
    • Function: Clears the Heart and quiets the spirit, fortifies the Spleen and harmonizes the center.
    • Indications: Gastric pain, irritability, mania, indigestion.
  • ST 24: hua rou men / Slipper Flesh Gate
    • Function: Quiets the spirit and stabilizes the disposition, regulates and harmonizes the Stomach and Intestines.
    • Indications: Gastric pain, vomiting, mania.
  • ST 25: tian shu / Celestial Pivot
    • Function: Promotes the function of the Intestines, clears heat, regulates Qi, relieves retention of food.
    • Indications: Abdominal pain and distension, borborygmus, pain around the umbilicus, constipation, diarrhea, dysentery, irregular menstruation, edema.
  • ST 26: wai ling / Outer Mound
    • Function: Dissipates cold, relieves pain, rectifies Qi.
    • Indications: Abdominal pain, hernia, dysmenorrhea.
  • ST 27: da ju / Great Gigantic
    • Function: Regulates Stomach Qi.
    • Indications: Lower abdominal distension, dysuria, hernia, seminal emission, premature ejaculation.
  • ST 28: shui dao / Waterway
    • Function: Benefits urination, opens the water passages, benefits difficult urination.
    • Indications: Lower abdominal distension, retention of urine, edema, hernia, dysmenorrheal, sterility.
  • ST 29: gui lai / Return
    • Function: Relieves stagnation of blood.
    • Indications: Abdominal pain, hernia, dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, leukorrhea, prolapse of the uterus.
  • ST 30: qi chong / Surging Qi
    • Function: Regulates Stomach Qi, regulates the Penetrating Vessel, promotes essence, tonifies the sea of nourishment, regulates blood.
    • Indications: Abdominal pain, borborygmus, hernia, swelling and pain of the external genitalia, impotence, dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation.
  • ST 31: bi guan / Inferior Joint
    • Function: Removes obstruction from the channel.
    • Indications: Pain in the thigh, muscular atrophy, motor impairment, numbness and pain of the lower extremities.
  • ST 32: fu tu / Crouching Rabbit
    • Function: Removes obstructions from the channel, expels wind-heat.
    • Indications: Pain in the lumbar and iliac region, coldness of the knee, paralysis or motor impairment and pain of the lower extremities, beriberi.
  • ST 33: yin shi / Yin Market
    • Function: Courses wind and dissipates cold, frees the channels and quickens the connecting vessels, disinhibits the joints.
    • Indications: Numbness, soreness, motor impairment of the leg and knee, motor impairment of the lower extremities.
  • ST 34: liang qiu / Beam Hill
    • Function: Subdues rebellious Stomach Qi, removes obstructions from channel, expels damp and wind.
    • Indications: Pain and numbness of the knee, gastric pain, mastitis, motor impairment of the lower extremities.
  • ST 35: du bi / Calf’s Nose
    • Function: Invigorates the channel, relieves swelling, stops pain.
    • Indications: Pain, numbness and motor impairment of the knee, beriberi.
  • ST 36: zu san li / Leg Three Miles
    • Function: Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and blood, dispels cold, strengthens body, brightens eyes, regulates nutritive and defensive Qi and the Intestines, raises yang, expels wind and damp, resolves edema.
    • Indications: Gastric pain, vomiting, hiccup, abdominal distension, borborygmus, diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, mastitis, enteritis, aching in knee joint and leg, beriberi, dizziness, insomnia, edema, cough, asthma, emaciation due to general deficiency, indigestion, apoplexy, hemiplegia, mania.
  • ST 37: shang ju xu / Upper Great Hollow
    • Function: Regulates the function of the Stomach and Intestines, eliminates damp-heat, dispels retention of food, calms asthma.
    • Indications: Abdominal pain and distension, borborygmus, diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, enteritidis, paralysis due to stroke, beriberi.
  • ST 38: tiao kou / Ribbon Opening
    • Function: Removes obstructions from the channel.
    • Indications: Numbness, soreness and pain of the knee and leg, weakness and motor impairment of the shoulder, abdominal pain.
  • ST 39: xia ju xu / Lower Great Hollow
    • Function: Regulates the function of Stomach and Intestines, eliminates damp-heat, eliminates wind-damp, stops pain.
    • Indications: Lower abdominal pain, backache referring to the testis, mastitis, numbness and paralysis of the lower extremities.
  • ST 40: feng long / Bountiful Bulge
    • Function: Resolves phlegm and damp, calms asthma, clears heat, calms and clears the mind, opens the chest.
    • Indications: Headache, dizziness and vertigo, cough, asthma, excessive sputum, pain in the chest, constipation, mania, epilepsy, muscular atrophy, motor impairment, pain, swelling or paralysis of the lower extremities.
  • ST 41: jie xi / Ravine Divide
    • Function: Removes obstructions from the channel, eliminates wind, clears heat, clears the mind, brightens the eyes.
    • Indications: Pain of the ankle joint, muscular atrophy, motor impairment, pain and paralysis of the lower extremities, epilepsy, headache, dizziness and vertigo, abdominal distension, constipation.
  • ST 42: chong yang / Surging Yang
    • Function: Tonifies Stomach and Spleen, calms the mind, removes obstructions from the channel.
    • Indications: Pain of the upper teeth, redness and swelling of the dorsum of the foot, facial paralysis, muscular atrophy and motor impairment of the foot.
  • ST 43: xian gu / Sunken Valley
    • Function: Eliminates wind and heat, removes obstruction from the channel.
    • Indications: Facial or general edema, abdominal pain, borborygmus, swelling and pain of the dorsum of the foot.
  • ST 44: nei ting / Inner Court
    • Function: Clears heat, eliminates fullness, regulates Qi, stops pain, promotes digestion, eliminates wind from face.
    • Indications: Toothache, pain in the face, deviation of the mouth, sore throat, epistaxis, gastric pain, acid regurgitation, dysentery, constipation, swelling and pain of the dorsum of the foot, febrile diseases.
  • ST 45: li dui / Severe Mouth
    • Function: Calms the mind, brightens the eye, clears the Heart, relieves retention of food.
    • Indications: Facial swelling, deviation of the mouth, epistaxis, toothache, sore throat and hoarse voice, abdominal distension, coldness in the leg and foot, febrile diseases, dream-disturbed sleep, mania.

​Common Uses

  • Treating disorders in the head that are related to energy disruptions in the Stomach or Large Intestine meridian.
  • ​Treating ear problems.
  • Treating throat problems.
  • Improving the health of the intestines.
  • Treating disorders related to disruptions of the Triple Energizer meridian energy, especially problems in the heart, lungs, epigastrium, stomach, spleen, uterus, bladder, and general chest area.
  • Treating disorders of the breast area.
  • Improving disturbed emotions, especially mental issues like mania or depression.

Stomach Meridian Channels & Sinews

Along with the primary meridian line, the Stomach meridian also has secondary energy pathways through which its energy flows.

These secondary pathways do not have acupuncture points of their own, but they are important to be aware of because the energy disruptions that occur in the primary meridian can negatively affect the areas covered by these secondary lines.

This also means that we can heal negative health problems by ​stimulating that acupuncture points along the primary meridian line, thus balancing the energy of the entire zone of influence.

Let’s take a look at these secondary energy pathways that are offshoots of the Stomach meridian.

Stomach luo-connecting channel
Stomach luo-connecting channel
Source: A Manual of Acupuncture

​The first pathway is the Stomach luo-connecting channel.

This ​line of energy separates from the primary Stomach meridian line at the acupoint ST40 on the leg.

It travels up the leg alongside the primary meridian line until it reaches the torso, at which point it curves inwards as it continues up the body onto the neck.

Around the lower torso area, this pathway converges with the Spleen luo-connecting channel​ for a short distance.

Once ​this path reaches the neck, it splits into two.

One end goes into the throat, where it ends, and the other end goes towards​ the base of the skull near the ear, where​ converges with the other yang meridian channels.

Stomach divergent channel
Stomach divergent channel
Source: A Manual of Acupuncture

The next pathway is the Stomach divergent channel.

This line separates from the primary meridian on the leg, near acupoints ST32 and ST33 but not ​at an exact point.

​The energy pathway passes through the physical stomach and spleen, then continues upwards and passes through the heart as well.

From the heart, it travels upwards along the esophagus until it reaches the throat.

From there, it goes up to the forehead and then back down through the eye, where it ends at acupoint ST1 of the primary meridian energy pathway.

Stomach sinew channel
Stomach sinew channel
Source: A Manual of Acupuncture

The final area of influence of the Stomach meridian is the Stomach sinew channel.

This area of tissue and muscle begins on the middle three toes of the foot, ​covering acupoint ST45, the end of the Stomach meridian.

​The sinews travel up the leg but in a more complicated manner than most other sinew channels.

This one separates into two branches on its way up the leg.

​The primary branch continues ​up the leg until it reaches the hip joint which it binds to, then moves ​into the abdomen, goes through the lower ribs, and binds at the spines. This branch also binds at the ankle and knee joint on its way up the leg.

The secondary branch takes a different route, continuing up the leg until it binds ​in the pelvic region above the genitals.

It travels up the chest until it reaches ​above the collarbone area, near the base of the neck, where it binds around acupoint ST12 of the Stomach meridian.

Once it goes up the neck, it again splits into more branches on the head.

The primary branch on the head goes onto the jaw and goes up the front of the face until it binds near the nose, cheek, and eye areas. Near the eye, this sinew channel branch connects with the Bladder sinew channel.

The secondary branch on the head goes onto the side of the head instead of the front of the cheek, and binds in front of the ear.

Related Pages

The 12 Primary Meridians

The 2 Major Extraordinary Vessels

The 6 Minor Extraordinary Vessels