Foot Dorsum Pain

How Chinese medicine differentiates pain on the top of the foot — distinct from Foot Arch Pain and Ankle Pain already covered — the three 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. Foot dorsum pain with a visible deformity or inability to bear weight needs medical evaluation before assuming it is a simple pattern.

General Acupuncture Points

Acupuncture points traditionally used for foot dorsum pain — 6 key points, used across the patterns below rather than tied to just one.

Point	Key action
SP-9	Regulates the Spleen, resolves Dampness.
ST-44	Clears Heat from the foot channel, eases local pain.
BL-60	Alleviates pain, swelling and obstruction on the foot dorsum.
LR-3	Regulates Liver-Qi and Blood, addresses the stagnation root.
SP-10	Sea of Blood, invigorates Blood and removes stagnation.
ST-41	Local dorsum point, directly unblocks the channel.
KI-3	Yuan-source point, deeply nourishes Essence.
BL-23	Back-Shu point, strengthens Kidney-Essence storage.

The Three Patterns

↑ reinforcing ↓ reducing ⊥ even method.

1. Painful Obstruction due to Damp Heat in Channels

Clinical manifestations: Burning distending pain with redness and swelling that feels hot to the touch, heavy aching foot sensation, pain worsens in hot humid weather with alcohol and greasy foods.

Tongue: Red body, possibly slightly swollen, with yellow greasy coating. Pulse: Slippery and rapid.

Treatment principle: Clear Heat and dry Dampness, clear Damp-Heat from the Lower Burner, strengthen the Spleen to resolve Dampness at its source.

SP-9 ↓ ST-44 ↓ BL-60 ↓

Note: no moxa. No deck on this site has a dedicated Damp-Heat-in-channels Bi-syndrome category, a confirmed and recurring absence, so no pattern link is given here.

2. Qi and Blood Stagnation View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Fixed stabbing pain localized to one spot on the dorsum, resembling a knife-prick sensation, local tenderness or bruised sensation, pain worsens with pressure standing and cold weather.

Tongue: Purple or dark body with stasis spots and distended sublingual veins. Pulse: Wiry and choppy, rough and uneven.

Treatment principle: Invigorate Blood and dispel stasis, unblock the channels and move Qi to alleviate the stabbing pain.

LR-3 ↓ SP-10 ↓ ST-41 ↓

Note: no moxa. Matches this site's Liver-Blood stasis slide — a purple/dark tongue with stasis spots is the same discoloration marker named there.

3. Kidney-Essence Deficiency View full pattern →

Clinical manifestations: Dull lingering ache that worsens after prolonged standing or walking and improves with rest, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, dizziness tinnitus poor memory, premature greying or hair loss.

Tongue: Pale or red body with little coating, possibly with fine cracks. Pulse: Fine, deep and weak at rear positions.

Treatment principle: Nourish Kidney-Yin and benefit Essence to fill the Marrow, deeply strengthening the bones of the foot.

KI-3 ↑ BL-23 ↑ ST-41 ⊥

Note: moxibustion on KI-3. Direct match with this site's own Kidney-Essence-deficiency slide.

Related conditions

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