BL-23 - Kidney Shu
肾俞 - Shèn shū
Point Region: Lower back
Location & How to Find
Anatomical Location: On the lower back, level with the lower edge of the spinous process of the second lumbar vertebra (L2), 1.5 cun out from the midline.
Distances are in cun, a unit that scales with each person's body. As a guide, the width of your thumb at its joint is 1 cun, and your four fingers held together, measured across the middle joints, are 3 cun.
How to Locate:
- Find L4, the spinal bump level with the highest points of the hip bones, then count two bumps up to L2
- Go to the level just below the bump of L2
- The point is two finger-widths out from the midline
How to Apply Pressure
Locate the level of L2 and place the thumbs two finger-widths out from the spine on each side, on the muscle rather than the bone. Lean in with steady pressure that stays firm but never painful. Skip it over a recent back injury or surgery site, and see a doctor for back pain with fever, numbness or loss of bladder control.
Traditional Indications
In TCM, this point is traditionally used for:
- Lower back pain
- Kidney inflammation
- Menstrual irregularities
- Urinary dysfunction
- Sexual dysfunction
- Tinnitus
- Knee weakness
Related Health Concerns
Related Acupoints
Select a point to see its location, how to find it, and its traditional uses.
Important Precautions
Avoid this point with:
- Recent back surgery
- Back injury