ST-12 - Empty Basin

缺盆 - Quē pén

Point Region: Neck

ST

Stomach Meridian

足阳明胃经 - Zú Yángmíng Wèi Jīng

Location & How to Find

Anatomical Location: Above the collarbone, in the large hollow above it (the greater supraclavicular fossa), 4 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:

  1. Find the line straight up from your nipple (4 cun from the midline)
  2. Follow it up to the collarbone
  3. The point is in the hollow just above the collarbone
ST-12 (Empty Basin) acupressure point location: Above the collarbone, in the large hollow above it (the greater supraclavicular fossa), 4 cun out from the midline.

How to Apply Pressure

Because ST-12 sits over major vessels above the collarbone, use only gentle surface pressure and never press deeply into the hollow. Do not use it with swollen or tender lymph nodes, recent chest or neck surgery, or breathing difficulty — those need medical assessment.

Traditional Indications

In TCM, this point is traditionally used for:

  • Cough
  • Chest tightness
  • Throat inflammation
  • Supraclavicular swelling
  • Respiratory problems
  • Chest congestion
  • Lymph node swelling

Related Health Concerns

Cold and Flu Onset

Select a point to see its location, how to find it, and its traditional uses.

Important Precautions

Avoid this point with:

  • Recent chest surgery
  • Severe respiratory conditions
  • Lymphatic disorders

Take care:

  • Located near major vessels and lymph nodes