Clavicle Pain

How Chinese medicine differentiates clavicle (collarbone) pain — distinct from Shoulder Pain and Shoulder Stiffness already covered — the five 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. Clavicle pain after a fall or injury, with visible deformity, or with breathing difficulty needs medical evaluation (a fracture must be ruled out) before assuming a simple pattern.

General Acupuncture Points

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

Point	Key action
G.B.-21	Relaxes the sinews. Removes obstructions from the channel.
L.I.-4	Expels exterior Wind. Regulates Qi.
LR-3	Subdues Liver-Yang. Promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi.
SP-10	Cools Blood. Invigorates Blood and eliminates stasis.
BL-17	Invigorates Blood. Opens the chest and diaphragm.
KI-27	Promotes the descending of Lung-Qi. Harmonizes the Stomach.
L.I.-18	Benefits the throat and voice. Resolves Phlegm and dissipates nodules.
G.B.-20	Expels exterior Wind. Extinguishes interior Wind.
T.B.-5	Expels Wind-Heat. Removes obstructions from the channel.
LR-14	Promotes the smooth flow of Liver-Qi and harmonizes Liver and Stomach.
KI-3	Tonifies the Kidneys (both Yin and Yang). Benefits Essence.
SP-6	Strengthens the Spleen. Nourishes Blood and Yin.
BL-18	Nourishes Liver-Blood. Benefits the sinews.

The Five Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Qi and Blood Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Fixed, stabbing pain worsened by pressure/movement, bruising/swelling after injury, chest distention, mood swings.

Tongue: Dark purple body with stasis spots, distended sublingual veins. Pulse: Wiry and choppy.

Treatment principle: Move Qi and Blood, remove the obstruction.

G.B.-21 ⊥ L.I.-4 ↓ LR-3 ↓

Note: no moxa. Direct match with this site's own Liver-Blood-stasis slide via the well-established dark/purple stasis-spot-tongue marker.

2. Blood Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Fixed, stabbing pain, worsens at night and with pressure, deep, refuses to move.

Tongue: Purple/dusky body with stasis spots, distended dark sublingual veins. Pulse: Choppy or wiry.

Treatment principle: Invigorate Blood, dispel stasis, open the channels.

G.B.-21 ⊥ SP-10 ↓ BL-17 ↓

Note: no moxa. This source pattern is a near-duplicate of Pattern 1's own mechanism — both are linked to the same Liver-Blood-stasis slide, consistent with the established duplicate-target-link convention (Purple Nails, Abdominal Masses, Chest Pain), capped at two links to this slide on this page.

3. Painful Obstruction With Wind-Cold-Damp

Clinical manifestations: Pain worsens in cold/damp weather, heaviness/numbness, stiffness, aversion to cold, local swelling without heat.

Tongue: Pale, swollen with teeth marks, white greasy coating. Pulse: Wiry/tight or soggy/slow.

Treatment principle: Dispel Wind-Cold-Damp, unblock the channels, restore circulation.

KI-27 ⊥ L.I.-18 ⊥ G.B.-20 ↓ T.B.-5 ↓

Note: no moxa. This is the generic Wind-Cold-Damp Bi-syndrome picture, already confirmed absent as a standalone slide on this site many times over — no pattern link is given here; points still link fine individually.

4. Liver-Qi Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Distending, moving (not fixed) pain, stress-triggered, frequent sighing, chest/rib fullness, irritability.

Tongue: Normal or slightly dark, red/purple sides, thin white coat. Pulse: Wiry, at the left middle position.

Treatment principle: Course the Liver, resolve constraint, move Qi.

LR-3 ↓ G.B.-21 ⊥ LR-14 ⊥

Note: no moxa. Direct exact-name match with this site's own Liver-Qi-stagnation slide.

5. Liver-Blood and Kidney-Yin Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Dull, lingering pain, worsens with fatigue, improves with rest, lower back soreness, dry eyes/dizziness, scanty menses.

Tongue: Red or pale-red, thin body, little coating, dry. Pulse: Thin/weak.

Treatment principle: Nourish Liver-Blood and Kidney-Yin, strengthen the sinews and bones.

KI-3 ↑ SP-6 ↑ BL-18 ↑ G.B.-21 ⊥

Note: no moxa except on the tonifying points. Linked to this site's Kidney-and-Liver-YIN-deficiency slide — the source names \"Liver Blood\" rather than \"Liver Yin,\" but the dry-eyes/dizziness/backache presentation matches closely enough to link with this naming nuance flagged, rather than declined outright.

Related conditions

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