Are You Making These 5 Dangerous Mistakes with Acupuncture Point Location?
Hey there, point-finders-in-training!
Let’s be real: learning acupuncture point location is like learning a new language… while blindfolded… underwater. You’re juggling meridians, cun measurements, landmarks, depth, angle—and meanwhile, your poor patient (or classmate) is lying there hoping you definitely know where LI11 is.
Now don’t worry—messing up point location as a first-year student is basically a rite of passage. We’ve all accidentally needled half a cun off and wondered why nothing was happening (or worse, why something weird was happening).
But here’s the thing: some mistakes in point location are more than just “oops.” They can make your treatments ineffective, uncomfortable—or in rare cases, downright risky.
So let’s go through the Top 5 Dangerous Mistakes Acupuncture Students Make with Point Location—and how to avoid them. I’ll even share a few embarrassing stories of my own, so you know you’re not alone!
Mistake #1: “Eyeballing” the Point Instead of Using Cun Measurements and Anatomical Landmarks
Ah yes, the ol’ “I think it’s about here” technique. Also known as: guessing with confidence.
I remember in my first semester of point location class, we were practicing ST36. I was rushing, trying to impress the instructor (because, you know, type A student energy), and just went for it. My partner looked confused, and the teacher gently said, “Nice try. That’s actually… a bit too close to the tibia.” Translation: “You’re in the wrong zip code, kid.”
Here’s the problem: eyeballing doesn’t build accuracy. And when you’re off by even a centimeter, you might not be on the right muscle belly, or worse—you could be over a vessel or nerve. Ouch.
What to Do Instead:
- Use your cun measurements when they are available and palpate every time, especially while you’re still learning.
- Slow down. Speed comes with confidence and repetition.
- Respect the anatomy. The fibular head, the anterior crest of the tibia, the ASIS—these are your friends. Get to know them well.
Oh, and if you’re ever unsure? Ask. No one expects you to know all 361 points by heart in semester one. That comes in semester two. (Kidding…sort of.)
Mistake #2: Ignoring the Patient’s Unique Anatomy
Let me paint you a picture: You’ve memorized that SP9 is on the lower aspect of the medial condyle of the tibia, just under the bone. You’re feeling good. Confident. You go to locate it on your practice partner—and uh… wait. Where is their medial condyle?
Spoiler alert: not every body looks like your textbook diagram.
In clinic one day, I had a lovely older patient with decades of knee injuries and surgeries. I went to find SP9 the way I always had in school, and… it just wasn’t there. Like a ghost point. After a few awkward seconds of poking around, my supervisor leaned in and said, “Try adjusting based on the patient’s structure. Not everyone’s anatomy is like the picture in your textbook.”
Lesson learned.
What to Do Instead:
- Understand the principles behind anatomical landmarking, don’t simply copy where things are illustrated in your text book.
- Adjust for body shape, muscle tone, injury history, or posture.
- Get hands-on experience with different body types—ask your classmates, friends, family. Variety is key.
- And most importantly: palpate everything. Trust your fingers more than the picture in the textbook.
Mistake #3: Not Checking Both Sides of the Body
Quick quiz: When you locate a point on the arm or leg, do you check both sides or just one?
If you said “just one,” don’t worry—you’re not alone. But let me tell you about the time I got gently roasted by my supervisor for it.
I was needling LU7 on a patient’s right wrist and it was so easy to do, textbook perfect. Then, my instructor said, “Needle the other side.” I immediately noticed how different the needling was for me – because I’m right handed, my hand position felt very awkward when needling their left side. I never would have discovered this if I had only needled the one side of the body.
What to Do Instead:
- Make it a habit to palpate both sides, even if you only plan to needle one.
- When practicing in class, always needle both sides of the body – discover these awkward needling scenarios in class…not during your exam.
- Compare tone, texture, temperature, and tenderness.
- Bilateral palpation is especially important in musculoskeletal or pain-related treatments.
Plus, it just makes you look super thorough—and patients notice that.
Mistake #4: Forgetting About Depth and Angle
Okay, this one’s sneaky. Because when you’re first learning, everyone’s so focused on where the point is that we forget to think about how deep and what direction the needle should go.
I’ll never forget the first time I needled LU1. I was a nervous wreck. I had the point location perfect—but I completely forgot the needle angle. My supervisor gave me a quiet, “Let’s not pneumothorax anyone today,” and kindly redirected my needle away from the lung.
What to Do Instead:
- For each point, learn:
- The anatomical depth
- The safe angle of insertion and direction
- Any caution notes (LU1, ST12, UB points on the thorax = caution city)
- Practice simulated needling during point location review—not just memorizing locations, but visualizing your full needling approach.
Remember: point location is not just surface-level. There’s a whole world beneath that skin you need to respect.
Mistake #5: Memorizing Without Palpating
Let’s be honest: you’ve probably stared at your point location flashcards until your eyes hurt. Maybe you even aced a quiz or two with pure memorization.
But then you go to locate SI11 on an actual back and… it’s just muscles. Everywhere. No neat triangle. No cun measurements to go by.
Why? Because memorization doesn’t equal palpation skills.
Palpation is like learning a musical instrument—you can’t just read the sheet music, you have to practice with your hands. Over and over. Even when it feels awkward.
What to Do Instead:
- Put the flashcards down and get your hands on real people.
- Practice with your eyes closed to train your tactile sensitivity.
- Palpate the entire area—feel for tension, hollows, bone landmarks.
- Your fingers will get smarter, I promise.
Wrapping It Up: You’ve Got This
If you’ve made any (or all) of these mistakes already, congratulations—you’re a totally normal acupuncture student.
The good news? Every time you correct one of these habits, you’re not just getting better at point location. You’re becoming a more confident, precise, and safe practitioner.
So keep practicing. Ask questions. Palpate more. Respect the body. And maybe… don’t eyeball ST36 ever again.
You’ve got sharp minds and sharper needles—just make sure they’re going in the right spot!
Until next time!
Drew Nesbitt R.TCMP, R.Ac.
