Today, we’re diving deep into one of the most powerful yet often overlooked aspects of acupuncture: extra acupuncture points. If you’re like me, you probably use Yin Tang all the time—it’s a staple in my treatments. But many students and new graduates tend to overlook the incredible potential of extra points, possibly because they don’t get much attention in traditional TCM school curriculum.

However, extra acupuncture points are not just “bonus” points. They are true game changers in clinical practice, delivering fast, effective results that can elevate your treatments. Since I’ve been practicing acupuncture since 2003 and teaching future practitioners since 2008, I’ve seen firsthand how these points can transform outcomes again and again.

In this post, I’ll share the 15 most-used extra acupuncture points, including their location, primary functions, and useful acupuncture combinations you’ll want to incorporate into your practice immediately.

Let’s do this!

Clara
TCM Geek

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Top 15 Extra Acupuncture Points You’ll Actually Use in Clinic!

Extra acupuncture points, also known as extraordinary or empirical points, are not located on the traditional 12 meridians or the eight extraordinary vessels. These points have distinct Chinese names and are standardized with letters and numbers per the World Health Organization (WHO).

While the official coding system helps with global standardization, I find remembering the pinyin names makes them easier to use in daily practice.

These points have stood the test of time because they address specific conditions and symptoms that traditional meridian points might miss or complement beautifully. Incorporating these extra points into your treatments can offer:

• Faster symptom relief

• Targeted treatment for complex or stubborn conditions

• Versatile combinations with regular meridian points for enhanced effectiveness

The Top 15 Extra Acupuncture Points You Need to Know

1. Yin Tang

• Location: Midpoint between the eyebrows

• Functions: Calms the mind, alleviates anxiety, insomnia, headaches, and nasal congestion

• Combos: Pair with Ren 17 and Pericardium 6 for anxiety; Heart 7 and Kidney 1 for insomnia

2. Tai Yang

• Location: In the temple, in the depression about one finger breadth posterior to the midpoint between the lateral end of the eyebrow and the outer canthus

• Functions: Relieves temporal headaches, eye diseases, facial paralysis, and Bell’s palsy

3. Si Shen Cong

• Location: Four points surrounding Baihui (DU 20), each about one cun anterior, posterior, and lateral

• Functions: Enhances memory, calms the mind, helps with insomnia and dizziness

4. An Mian

• Location: Posterior to the earlobe

• Functions: Regulates sleep, eases menopause symptoms like hysteria, lowers high blood pressure, and helps with vertigo

5. Ding Chuan

• Location: 0.5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of C7

• Functions: Stops wheezing and cough, especially effective for asthma and chronic bronchitis

• Combos: Use with Du 14 for respiratory issues

6. Bi Tong

• Location: At the highest point of the nasolabial groove

• Functions: Clears nasal congestion and sinusitis, alleviates sinus pain

7. Zi Gong

• Location: On the lower abdomen, 3 cun lateral to Ren 3

• Functions: Women’s health—treats uterine prolapse, infertility, and menstrual disorders

8. Yao Yan

• Location: Below the spinous process of L4, about 3.5 cun lateral to the midline

• Functions: Strengthens the kidneys, relieves low back pain

9. Jia Ji

• Location: 0.5 cun lateral to the lower border of each vertebra from T1 to L5

• Functions: Treat spinal pain and organ dysfunction related to spinal nerve roots

10. Jian Qian

• Location: Anterior shoulder, midpoint between LI 15 and Jianyu

• Functions: Excellent for frozen shoulder and shoulder pain

11. Er Bai

• Location: On the flexor aspect of the forearm, 4 cun proximal to the transverse wrist crease, on either side of the flexor carpi radialis tendon

• Functions: Treats hemorrhoids and prolapse

12. Nei Xi Yan & Xi Yan

• Location: On either side of the patellar ligament, just below the patella

• Functions: Relieves knee pain and inflammation

13. Ba Xie

• Location: On the dorsum of the hand, in the web spaces between the fingers

• Functions: Treats finger arthritis, swelling, and pain

14. Ba Feng

• Location: On the dorsum of the foot, in the web spaces between the toes

• Functions: Treats toe and foot pain, arthritis, and numbness

15. Shixuan

• Location: Tips of the ten fingers, about 0.1 cun from the nail border

• Functions: Used for high fever, convulsions, and loss of consciousness—often pricked to release heat

Bonus Extra Point: Dannangxue (Gallbladder Point)

• Location: Approximately 2-3 cun below GB34, in the tender spot

• Functions: Excellent for gallbladder issues, even post-gallbladder removal

How to Integrate Extra Acupuncture Points Into Your Practice

The true power of extra acupuncture points lies in their strategic use alongside regular meridian points. For example, combining Yin Tang with Pericardium 6 can significantly reduce anxiety and calm the nervous system. Meanwhile, pairing Dingchuan with Du 14 can yield remarkable results for respiratory complaints.

My advice for students and new grads is to familiarize yourself with these points, practice locating them accurately, and experiment with integrating them into your clinical treatments. You’ll soon notice how much faster and more profound the responses can be.

Unlock the Power of Extra Acupuncture Points

If you’ve been overlooking extra acupuncture points, now is the time to explore them deeply. These points are powerful tools in your acupuncture toolkit and can help you deliver faster, targeted results for a wide range of conditions.

Did I miss your favourite extra acupuncture point? Let me know in the comments! I love hearing which points have transformed your practice.

For more insights, don’t forget to check out my video on the top acupuncture points to calm the mind—it pairs beautifully with this post.