BL25

Dachangshu

Star

大腸俞 (Dàchángshū) — Large Intestine Shu

Bladder channel · point 25

Not yet clinically reviewed

Back-Shu point of the Large Intestine

Traditionally used for

Digestion
Bowel health
Nerves & recovery
Pain & joints

Location

On the lower back, 1.5 cun lateral to the lower border of the spinous process of L4.

How to locate: With the patient prone, rest the hands on the highest points of the iliac crests and bring the thumbs together on the spine; this line usually crosses the L4 spinous process, though it shifts with posture. The point is 1.5 cun lateral to the lower border of L4, level with GV3.

Regional anatomy: Skin, subcutaneous tissue and the thoracolumbar fascia, then erector spinae and quadratus lumborum, with psoas major at depth.

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

Body map, back: BL25 · Lower back — Fig. — BL25 · Lower back After Albinus, 1747

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

3D view

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: Perpendicular (90° to the skin), 1–1.5 cun. Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K, p. 287

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.

Needling

Cited needling

Perpendicular 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. 287 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

Depth: 0.8–1.2 cun

Angle: Perpendicular

Functions

Regulates the intestines, moves qi and relieves constipation and diarrhoea
Strengthens the lower back and legs
Activates the channel

Indications

Constipation and diarrhoeaabdominal pain and distensionlow back pain and sciaticaweakness and numbness of the leghaemorrhoids

Clinical Notes

The most-used lumbar Back-Shu point in low back pain and sciatica; often the site of maximum tenderness in L4–L5 disc presentations.

Combinations Using This Point

Dachangshu and Zhibian

BL25 with BL54 — strengthens the lower back and legs, frees the channel and collaterals and regulates the lower burner.

Similar Points

Ranked by shared patterns and conditions

Tianshu how are these connected? Sanyinjiao how are these connected? Zhaohai how are these connected? Zusanli how are these connected? Quchi how are these connected? Shangjuxu how are these connected?

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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