TB12 (Xiaoluo, “Dispersing Riverbed”) is an acupuncture point on the Triple Burner Meridian. It is located on the posterior aspect of the upper arm, on the line connecting the olecranon with TE14 (Jianliao), 5 cun superior to the tip of the olecranon, midway between TE11 and TE13. It activates the channel and alleviates pain, clears heat and calms the spirit.
On the posterior aspect of the upper arm, on the line connecting the olecranon with TE14 (Jianliao), 5 cun superior to the tip of the olecranon, midway between TE11 and TE13.
Perpendicular insertion 0.8 to 1.2 cun.
Activates the channel and alleviates pain, clears heat and calms the spirit.
Headache, stiffness and pain of the neck, pain of the upper arm and shoulder, toothache, epilepsy, dizziness.
A local point for pain of the upper arm and shoulder along the San Jiao channel, also used for headache and stiff neck.
Classical text; the translation was prepared with AI and is not clinical advice.
《針灸大成》 Zhēnjiǔ Dàchéng — Great Compendium of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, 1601 · 卷八 · Source: Wikisource ↗
消濼 肩下臂外間腋斜肘分下。 銅人針一分，灸三壯，明堂針六分。 素註，針五分。 主風痺，頸項強急腫痛，寒熱頭痛，癲疾According to this text, TB12 lies below the shoulder on the outer arm, obliquely between the armpit and the elbow; the Tongren gives 0.1 cun needling and 3 moxa cones, the Mingtang 0.6 cun, the Suwen commentary 0.5 cun; it was used for wind-bi, stiff, tense, swollen and painful neck, chills and fever with headache, and epilepsy.
《十四經發揮》 Shísì Jīng Fāhuī — Exposition of the Fourteen Channels, 1341 · Source: Wikisource ↗
消濼：在肩下臂外間，腋斜肘分下行According to this text, TB12 lies below the shoulder on the outer side of the arm, running obliquely down between the armpit and the elbow.
《針方六集》 Zhēnfāng Liùjí — Six Collections on Needling, Wu Kun, 1618 · 卷之五·紛署集 · 手少陽及臂凡二十四穴第二十七 · Source: jicheng.tw ↗
消濼二穴，主寒熱肩腫，引肩中痛，臂痛不能舉，項癭氣瘤The text records that TB12 was used for chills and fever with swollen shoulder, pain drawing into the shoulder, arm pain with inability to raise it, and goitre-like qi swellings of the neck.
《類經圖翼》 Lèijīng Túyì — Illustrated Wings to the Classified Canon, Zhang Jiebin, 1624 · 卷七 · 經絡（五） · 手少陽三焦經穴 · Source: jicheng.tw ↗
消濼 在肩下臂外間，腋斜肘分下行。 刺五分，灸五壯。 一曰刺一分，灸三壯。 主治風痹，頸項強急腫痛，寒熱頭痛肩背急。 一傳海南治牙疼，灸此穴According to this text, TB12 lies below the shoulder on the outer arm, obliquely between armpit and elbow, needled 0.5 cun with 5 cones (another view: 0.1 cun, 3 cones); it was used for wind-bi, stiff, swollen and painful neck, chills and fever with headache and tense shoulders and back, and one tradition from Hainan used moxibustion here for toothache.
TB12 is one of 23 points on the Triple Burner Meridian. Nearby points:
TB12 (Xiaoluo) is located on the posterior aspect of the upper arm, on the line connecting the olecranon with TE14 (Jianliao), 5 cun superior to the tip of the olecranon, midway between TE11 and TE13.
TB12 activates the channel and alleviates pain, clears heat and calms the spirit. Common clinical indications include headache, stiffness and pain of the neck, pain of the upper arm and shoulder, toothache, epilepsy, dizziness.
Perpendicular insertion 0.8 to 1.2 cun.
TB12 is a point on the Triple Burner Meridian (Sān Jiāo).