02/01/2026
A little insight on one of my go to points for chronic back pain 👌
BL40 (Weizhong)
BL40 is the fifth Five-Element point located on the Urinary Bladder energy channel.
“He points treat Fu organ diseases” is a fundamental principle in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
According to this principle, He-Sea points help in treating disorders of the Fu organs such as:
Stomach
Small Intestine
Large Intestine
Urinary Bladder
Gall Bladder
San Jiao (Triple Warmer)
When diseases do not heal for a long time, He-Sea points are especially useful.
ST36, LI11, SP9, BL40, GB34 and SJ10 are He-Sea points.
These points should not be omitted in chronic disease conditions.
Today, we look at BL40
Crook Regions – TCM View
In the human body, the bending areas of the elbow and the knee are called crook regions.
According to TCM classics, it is at these regions that Qi (energy) and Blood change their direction, flowing from top to bottom and from bottom to top.
BL40 is located at the center of the popliteal crease, at the back of the knee, between two tendons.
Because of this location, the Chinese named this point “Middle of the Crook.”
Since this point is situated at the center of the knee bend and acts as a key point where Qi and Blood change direction, BL40 is called “Middle of the Crook.”
This point clears heat from the blood and helps to release excess heat from the body.
Command Point
When problems such as pain, tightness, heat, and stagnation occur in the body, the points that give the earliest and most effective relief are called Command Points.
Command Points are central points that regulate the movement of Qi and Blood in a specific region of the body.
Urinary Bladder Energy Channel
The Urinary Bladder channel starts from the eyes and runs through the head, neck, the entire spine, lower back, and down to the legs.
This channel contains the maximum number of acupuncture points, a total of 67.
BL40 is a Command Point of the Urinary Bladder channel.
“Command points treat the cause, not just the complaint.”
Command Points do not treat only the site of pain.
They correct the root imbalance of Qi and Blood that causes the problem.
Therefore, points such as BL40, LI11, and ST36 are not used only for symptoms, but to correct the root mechanism of disease, according to TCM.
This is why Command Points are useful in acute cases, chronic cases, and recurrent cases.
BL40 clears Dampness, Cold, and Heat that block the Urinary Bladder channel.
At the same time, it removes stagnation of Qi and Blood within the channel and restores smooth flow.
Because BL40 works at the root level of regulation, it is highly effective in:
Acute low back pain
Chronic stiffness
Sudden muscle spasm (lumbago)
Recurrent back pain
From a TCM perspective, back pain is not pain limited to a single spot in the back.
It is understood as a manifestation of tightness and impaired energy flow in the Urinary Bladder channel.
When blockage or stagnation occurs in the channel, Qi and Blood cannot move smoothly.
As a result, muscle fibers are pulled, leading to sudden muscle spasm.
Since BL40 is the Command Point of the Urinary Bladder channel, it addresses this blockage at the root level.
This point regulates the flow of Qi and Blood and opens the energy pathway.
Once the pathway opens, muscle tightness gradually releases.
As a result, back pain that previously prevented forward bending improves.
Pain experienced while sitting down or standing up is significantly reduced.
Morning stiffness also reduces quickly.
These combinations may make a significant difference in:
Low back pain
BL40 + BL23 + DU4 + BL60
Sciatica
BL40 + BL57 + BL60 + GB30
Bladder Damp-Heat
BL40 + Ren3 + BL28 + SP9 + SP6
Blood-Heat skin diseases
BL40+ BL17 + SP10 + LI11
Head stroke
BL40 + DU14 + LI11 + PC6
Copied & pasted from
G. Joshua Sam Danie
Chennai / Chengalpattu