BL21

Weishu

Star

胃俞 (Wèishū) — Stomach Shu

Bladder channel · point 21

Not yet clinically reviewed

Back-Shu point of the Stomach

Traditionally used for

Digestion
Bowel health

Location

On the back, 1.5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of T12.

How to locate: With the patient seated and the arms hanging relaxed, the inferior angle of the scapula is level with the T7 spinous process; count down five spinous processes to T12, or follow the lowest rib medially to where it meets T12. The point is 1.5 cun lateral to the lower border of the T12 spinous process, on the crest of the paraspinal muscles.

Regional anatomy: Skin and subcutaneous tissue, then latissimus dorsi, serratus posterior inferior and erector spinae; the lowest recess of the pleura lies deep at this level, so deep needling is avoided.

Distances are in cun, a proportional unit — how to measure.

Body map, back: BL21 · Upper back — Fig. — BL21 · Upper back After Albinus, 1747

The vertebral column — Gray's Anatomy plate — The vertebral column Gray's Anatomy, 1918

3D view

Drag, or focus the model and use the arrow keys, to rotate; + and − to zoom; 0 to reset; Esc to close.

Skin Skeleton

Needle diagram for the marked point — a schematic section through the skin, not the model.

Technique 1: Oblique (45° to the skin), 0.5–1 cun Direction (source's words): “towards the spine” Scale: 1 cun as WHO 2008 defines it here — Between the bilateral medial borders of the scapula: 6 B-cun; this scale is half of the 6 B-cun between the two medial borders (posterior midline to one border), 3 B-cun. Deadman gives depth in cun, conventionally the patient's own finger-cun. It is drawn here to this region's proportional (B-)cun, so the bar approximates an approximation. Not a depth in millimetres.

Technique 2: Transverse-oblique (about 20° to the skin), 1–1.5 cun Scale: 1 cun as WHO 2008 defines it here — Between the bilateral medial borders of the scapula: 6 B-cun; this scale is half of the 6 B-cun between the two medial borders (posterior midline to one border), 3 B-cun. Deadman gives depth in cun, conventionally the patient's own finger-cun. It is drawn here to this region's proportional (B-)cun, so the bar approximates an approximation. Not a depth in millimetres.

3D anatomy: BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 International (licence). Subset, simplified and recoloured by Verscienta — changes and licence details.

Approximate placement, carried over from our 2D body map onto a single adult male model (BodyParts3D) and checked against the point's location text. Shown on one side of the body. Locate the point on your patient by the location text and palpation, not by this model.

Cun on this part of the body: Between the bilateral medial borders of the scapula: 6 B-cun; this scale is half of the 6 B-cun between the two medial borders (posterior midline to one border), 3 B-cun (WHO 2008, General Guidelines, Proportional Bone (Skeletal) Measurements, p. 12).
Needle angle and depth: Oblique (45° to the skin), 0.5–1 cun, towards the spine. Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K, p. 280
Transverse-oblique (about 20° to the skin), 1–1.5 cun. Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K, p. 280

Needling

Cited needling

Techniques — the source gives these as alternatives:

Oblique insertion — towards the spine

Depth 0.5–1 cun

skindeeper
Transverse-oblique insertion

Depth 1–1.5 cun

skindeeper

Depths describe average adult habitus in the cited population, never a single safe number for the patient in front of you. Palpate and adjust.

Sources (1)

Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. Hove: Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications; 1998 — p. 280 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

Depth: 0.5–1.0 cun

Angle: Oblique, directed medially

Functions

Regulates the Stomach and descends rebellious qi
Harmonises the middle burner
Resolves dampness and food stagnation
Activates the channel

Indications

Epigastric pain and distensionnausea, vomiting and belchingpoor appetiteborborygmus and diarrhoeachildhood malnutrition

Combinations Using This Point

Pishu, Weishu and Zhiyang

BL20, BL21 and GV9 on the mid and lower back — strengthens the Spleen, settles the Stomach, resolves dampness and aids digestion.

Sources

World Health Organization. WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region. Manila: WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2008. (Location.)
Focks C, ed. Atlas of Acupuncture. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2008. (Locating method and actions.)

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