Abdominal Pain

How Chinese medicine differentiates abdominal pain, the six patterns you'll actually meet in practice, and the points for each. Acupuncture only — no herbs.

This page is educational, for practitioners and students — it is not a diagnostic tool and does not replace a proper in-person assessment.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for abdominal pain — 13 key points, used across most of the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
LIV-3	Subdues Liver-Yang, promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen, resolves Dampness, promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi.
BL-17	Invigorates Blood, opens the chest and diaphragm.
BL-18	Moves Liver-Qi and eliminates stagnation.
Ren-4	Strengthens the Kidneys, benefits Original Qi.
Ren-8	Rescues Yang, strengthens the Spleen. (Moxa only, not needled.)
Ren-12	Tonifies Stomach and Spleen, regulates Stomach-Qi.
ST-25	Regulates the Intestines, moves Qi and invigorates Blood.
ST-36	Benefits Stomach and Spleen, tonifies Qi and Blood.
ST-37	Regulates the Stomach and Intestines, eliminates Damp-Heat.
SP-9	Resolves Dampness, benefits the Lower Burner.
SP-10	Cools Blood, invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis.
L.I.-11	Clears Heat, regulates the Intestines.

The Six Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method — technique below follows standard Excess/Deficiency treatment principle for each pattern, not tied to a specific point-by-point source.

1. Liver-Qi Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Distending, shifting abdominal pain, eased by belching or passing gas; worse with emotional stress, greasy food, alcohol or prolonged sitting; better with gentle movement, warmth and relaxation.

Tongue: Normal to slightly Red body, Redder or slightly Purple at the sides, thin white coating. Pulse: Wiry.

Treatment principle: Soothe the Liver, move Qi.

Points (minimum points — the full Liver-Qi Stagnation pattern uses more; see "View full pattern" above):

LIV-3 ↓ SP-6 ↓ BL-18 ↓

2. Exterior Cold Invading the Interior

Clinical manifestations: Severe abdominal pain with a cold sensation, eased by warmth; watery diarrhoea with undigested food; brought on by cold exposure or cold food/drink, eased by warmth, warm ginger tea or moxibustion.

Tongue: Pale, swollen, tooth-marked body, white moist slippery coating. Pulse: Deep, Slow or Tight.

Treatment principle: Warm the interior, dispel Cold.

Ren-8 ↓ Ren-12 ↓ ST-36 ↓

Note: reducing method with moxa (Excess-Cold — expel the pathogen while warming); Ren-8 is moxa only, not needled.

3. Damp-Heat in the Large Intestine View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Abdominal distension and pain worse with pressure; urgent, frequent bowel movements with burning at the anus; foul-smelling yellow-brown stools; brought on by greasy food, alcohol or hot weather, eased by light food and cooling drinks.

Tongue: Red body, thick greasy yellow coating. Pulse: Slippery, Rapid.

Treatment principle: Clear Heat, resolve Dampness.

ST-25 ↓ ST-37 ↓ L.I.-11 ↓ SP-9 ↓

Note: no moxa.

4. Food Stagnation in the Stomach View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Bloating and distending pain worse after eating and worse with pressure; sour, rotten-smelling belching and acid regurgitation; brought on by overeating or greasy food, eased by vomiting or light, warm food.

Tongue: Normal body, thick greasy curd-like coating. Pulse: Slippery, Full.

Treatment principle: Reduce food stagnation, harmonize the Stomach.

Ren-12 ↓ ST-36 ↓ ST-25 ↓

5. Spleen-Yang Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Dull, lingering pain, not severe, eased by warmth and gentle pressure; loose watery stools with undigested food; cold hands and feet; brought on by cold food or fatigue, eased by warmth and rest.

Tongue: Pale, puffy, tooth-marked body, white slippery coating. Pulse: Deep, Slow, Weak.

Treatment principle: Warm and tonify Spleen-Yang.

ST-36 ↑ Ren-12 ↑ Ren-4 ↑

Note: moxa applicable.

6. Blood Stagnation

Clinical manifestations: Fixed, stabbing pain that doesn't move, worse with pressure and at night; dark purplish complexion, lips or nails; brought on by inactivity or cold, eased by gentle movement and warmth.

Tongue: Dark Purple body with stasis spots, distended dark sublingual veins. Pulse: Choppy.

Treatment principle: Invigorate Blood, resolve stasis.

BL-17 ↓ SP-10 ↓ ST-25 ↓ LIV-3 ↓

Related conditions

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