If you’re studying acupuncture or working in the clinic, the Stomach channel is one you’ll want to know inside and out. With 45 acupuncture points running from the face all the way down to the foot, this channel gives us an incredible range of treatment possibilities.

But with 45 points to choose from, where do you start?

In this video, I’m sharing seven of my favourite and most powerful Stomach channel points, along with a few bonus points and a special combination for fatigue and brain fog.

From jaw pain and migraines to digestive disorders, phlegm, heartburn, fatigue, and mental fog, these points demonstrate just how versatile the Stomach channel can be.

Let’s do this!

Clara
TCM Geek

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The 7 Most Powerful Acupuncture Points on the Stomach Channel

Why Is the Stomach Channel So Important?

The Stomach channel is a Yangming channel, and it has an enormous clinical scope.

Its pathway travels through the face, neck, chest, abdomen, and lower limbs, which gives us opportunities to treat problems in many different areas of the body.

The Stomach is also closely connected with the Spleen in TCM. Together, the Spleen and Stomach are central to digestion, the transformation and transportation of food and fluids, and the production of qi and blood.

This is one reason you’ll see Stomach points appearing again and again in treatments for digestive complaints, fatigue, phlegm, and even mental-emotional symptoms.

Let’s look at seven points that I find particularly useful in clinical practice.

Stomach 6: The Jaw and Masseter Point

Stomach 6 is located at the highest prominence of the masseter muscle, approximately one finger breadth from the lower angle of the mandible.

This is one of my favorite local points for jaw problems.

It can be particularly useful when working with:

• Jaw pain
• Teeth grinding and clenching
• Bell’s palsy
• Post-stroke facial paralysis
• Toothaches
• Tightness in the masseter

 

But there’s another reason I find Stomach 6 fascinating: its connection with stress and trauma.

Many people experiencing chronic stress or PTSD-related tension unconsciously clench their jaws. When you palpate the masseter in these patients, you may find an incredible amount of tension stored there.

And this brings us to something I find fascinating in clinical practice: the relationship between the jaw, hips, and pelvic floor.

When someone is chronically holding tension in one area of the body, it’s worth looking at the rest of the body’s tension patterns rather than treating the painful area in isolation.

Stomach 6 can therefore become much more than simply “the jaw point.” It can be an entry point into understanding how a patient is physically holding stress and tension.

Stomach 7: Another Essential Point for Jaw Pain

Stomach 7 is located between the zygomatic arch and the condyloid process of the mandible.

Like Stomach 6, it’s an excellent point to consider for jaw pain and temporomandibular problems.

It can also be used in treatments for tinnitus, although (as always in Chinese medicine) the underlying diagnosis matters.

One combination I particularly like for trigeminal neuralgia is:

Stomach 7 + San Jiao 5 + Large Intestine 4

Large Intestine 4 is especially useful here because of its traditional role as a commander point for the face.

This is a great example of why understanding channels and point functions is so important. Rather than simply memorizing individual points, we can start thinking about how different points work together to influence a particular region or condition.

Stomach 8: A Powerful Point for Migraines

Moving farther up the channel, we have Stomach 8, located on the lateral side of the head.

Stomach 8 can be useful for facial paralysis and post-stroke symptoms, but one of the applications I particularly love is migraine treatment.

For migraines, I often think about Stomach 8 together with Lung 7, which is one of my favorite points for the head and neck.

This is another beautiful example of distal and channel-based treatment: you’re not necessarily needling directly into the area where the patient feels pain.

Understanding the channel pathway allows us to choose points strategically.

Stomach 25: A Go-To Point for the Digestive System

Now let’s move down to the abdomen.

Stomach 25 is located 2 cun lateral to the umbilicus and is one of my favorite Front-Mu points.

If you’ve studied acupuncture for any amount of time, you’ll know Stomach 25 is an important point for the intestines and digestive system.

It’s particularly useful when working with complaints such as:

• IBS
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal discomfort
• Other bowel-related symptoms

 

One combination to consider for digestive support is:

Stomach 25 + Ren 6 + Ren 9

The key, however, is not simply memorizing “Stomach 25 = bowel problems.”

As always, diagnosis comes first.

A patient with diarrhea from Spleen Qi deficiency requires a different treatment strategy from someone experiencing diarrhea due to Damp-Heat, for example.

The point may be appropriate in both cases, but the overall treatment principle and point prescription need to reflect the individual pattern.

Stomach 36: The All-Around Powerhouse

Could we really make a list of powerful Stomach points without mentioning Stomach 36?

Absolutely not!

Stomach 36 is one of the most widely used acupuncture points and for good reason.

It’s an incredibly versatile point with applications involving:

• Digestion
• Fatigue
• Qi deficiency
• Blood deficiency
• General weakness
• Immune support
• Recovery and strengthening

 

Stomach 36 is often described as a commander point for the digestive and immune systems, and it is particularly valuable when we need to support the body’s overall qi and blood.

This is one of those points that every acupuncture student should become extremely familiar with.

But again, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that because Stomach 36 is a powerful point, it automatically belongs in every treatment.

Your diagnosis should always determine your prescription.

Stomach 40: The Phlegm Point

Stomach 40 is one of my personal favorites—and anyone who knows me knows that I love talking about this point!

Located on the lower leg, Stomach 40 is one of our key points for phlegm.

And when I say phlegm, I’m not just talking about the visible mucus we might see with a respiratory condition.

In TCM, phlegm can also refer to invisible phlegm, which may manifest in ways such as:

• Brain fog
• Mental confusion
• Anxiety
• Heaviness v
• A feeling of being mentally stuck
• Certain mental-emotional presentations

 

This is why Stomach 40 can be such an interesting point in mental health treatments.

It’s also an excellent point to remember when working with patients who describe that classic feeling of being heavy, foggy, and sluggish.

You can also combine Stomach 40 with Spleen 4, particularly when you’re working with the Spleen–Stomach relationship.

Stomach 44: Clearing Stomach Fire

Our final point is Stomach 44.

This is the Ying-Spring point of the Stomach channel, and one of its key functions is clearing Stomach Heat and Fire.

That makes it a point to think about when your patient presents with heat-related digestive symptoms such as:

• Heartburn
• Acid reflux
• Excessive thirst
• Redness
• Other signs of excess heat

 

Stomach 44 can be particularly interesting when you consider the Yangming relationship.

The Stomach and Large Intestine are both Yangming channels, which is why points such as Stomach 44 and Large Intestine 11 can be powerful choices when you are looking to clear excess heat.

Again, though, don’t simply treat the symptom “heartburn.”

Ask yourself:

What is the underlying TCM pattern?

Is there Stomach Heat? Stomach Fire? Food stagnation? Liver attacking Stomach? Something else?

That’s where the real clinical reasoning begins.

Bonus Point: Stomach 37

Before we finish, I want to mention an extra point: Stomach 37.

Stomach 37 is particularly interesting when treating pregnancy-related conditions because, according to the approach discussed in this episode, it can be used alongside Stomach 36 when you want digestive and supportive benefits without relying on points that may be contraindicated during pregnancy.

As always, pregnancy treatment requires appropriate training and careful point selection.

My Favourite Combination for Fatigue and Brain Fog

And now for one of my favorite combinations from this episode.

If you have a patient who is experiencing fatigue accompanied by brain fog, consider this combination:

Stomach 36 + Spleen 6 + Ren 6 + Stomach 40 + Spleen 5

Why does this combination make sense?

We’re bringing together points that support qi, address the Spleen and Stomach, and help transform phlegm.

This is particularly interesting when a patient’s fatigue isn’t simply “I don’t have enough energy,” but comes with that heavy, cloudy, foggy feeling that can suggest a Spleen and Phlegm component from a TCM perspective.

It’s a great example of how combining point functions can create a treatment strategy that addresses both the root and the manifestation.

Don’t Just Memorize Acupuncture Points, Understand Them

One of the biggest shifts that happens during acupuncture school is moving from memorizing hundreds of point functions to actually understanding why you’re choosing a point.

Instead of thinking:

“Stomach 40 is the phlegm point.”

Start asking:

Why does this patient have phlegm?

Instead of:

“Stomach 36 is good for fatigue.”

Ask:

What is causing this patient’s fatigue?

And instead of:

“Stomach 25 treats IBS.”

Ask:

What is the patient’s underlying pattern?

That’s where acupuncture starts to become much more than memorization.

The more you understand the channels, the functions of the points, and the underlying TCM patterns, the easier it becomes to build thoughtful and individualized treatments.

Final Thoughts

The Stomach channel is incredibly versatile, and these seven points are just a small selection of what this channel has to offer.

From Stomach 6 for jaw tension, to Stomach 8 for migraines, Stomach 25 for digestive complaints, Stomach 36 for qi and blood support, Stomach 40 for phlegm, and Stomach 44 for Stomach Heat, there’s an enormous amount of clinical potential packed into this one channel.

And that’s exactly why I love teaching acupuncture points.

You don’t need to memorize isolated facts forever. Once you understand the channel, the point categories, and the underlying TCM diagnosis, the pieces start connecting.

So keep studying those channels, keep practicing your diagnosis, and keep building your clinical confidence.

Acupuncture rocks!