Bladder meridian
BL-10 (Tiānzhù, 天柱) — Celestial Pillar
- Meridian
- Bladder (BL)
- Anatomical view
- head
- Point classification
- Regular point of the Foot Taiyang Bladder channel in the upper cervical region.
- Depth reference
- 0.5-0.8 cun perpendicular or oblique; direction and depth must be selected by a trained clinician from individual cervical anatomy
- Moxibustion
- No point-specific moxa instruction was found in the checked open point sources
- Reference aliases
- BL10; Tianzhu; 天柱; Celestial Pillar
Anatomical location
At the back of the neck, level with the upper edge of the C2 spinous process, in the hollow just lateral to trapezius.
Traditional actions
Traditionally releases the neck, clears wind, and benefits the head and sensory organs.
Recorded indications
Primary: Reference uses include occipital headache, neck stiffness, dizziness, and nasal congestion.
Secondary: Secondary uses include sore throat, eye strain, and poor concentration.
How to read this reference
AcuAtlas separates anatomical location, traditional classification, recorded actions, indications, insertion-depth references, and moxibustion notes because these fields answer different study questions. The location statement is the orientation anchor. The classification and actions describe traditional reference categories, while indications summarize how checked educational sources associate the point with established teaching material. They are not a recommendation to select or stimulate the point.
Depth and moxibustion entries are reproduced as bounded reference notes rather than procedural instructions. Individual anatomy, technique, angle, clinical setting, and local professional standards can change what is appropriate. Review the cited documents and supervised training material before using any technical field. The normalized map coordinate is included only to place the point on the matching AcuAtlas body plate; it is not a substitute for palpation or anatomical assessment.
Sources
References displayed on this page were recorded with the point dataset.
- WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008) BL10, p. 104
- Acupuncture.com Point Locator - Urinary Bladder 10 English name, classification, indications, functions, needling and point-specific depth caution
- TARA Acupuncture Knowledge Base BL 10: indications, method, innervation and vasculature
- An Exploration of the Needling Depth in Acupuncture Table 1 and section 3.1.1, BL10
- WHO Guidelines on Basic Training and Safety in Acupuncture Section II, 5.2, central nervous system
Frequently asked questions
Where is BL-10 located?
At the back of the neck, level with the upper edge of the C2 spinous process, in the hollow just lateral to trapezius.
What reference actions and indications are recorded for BL-10?
Traditionally releases the neck, clears wind, and benefits the head and sensory organs. The dataset lists these primary indications: Reference uses include occipital headache, neck stiffness, dizziness, and nasal congestion. Secondary indications are recorded as: Secondary uses include sore throat, eye strain, and poor concentration.
Is BL-10 safe during pregnancy?
This dataset does not identify BL-10 as one of its five mandatory pregnancy-caution points. That is not a declaration of safety. Pregnancy-related point selection requires individualized assessment by a qualified clinician.