Point selection is the determination of the points used in acupuncture treatment according to a pattern. Point combination refers to the combined use of points in acupuncture for achieving a desired therapeutic effect.

When you treat a disease using acupuncture, you need to decide which acupoint(s) should be selected. Point(s) can be selected from local, adjacent, distant, and /or left-right regions of a disease. They can be selected according to the pattern of a disease, or according to the signs and symptoms of a disease.

Selection of local points* refers to the selection of points at the disease site. For example, yingxiang (LI20) is selected to treat nasosinusitis*; dicang (ST4) is selected to treat deviated mouth. Selection of adjacent points* means to select points close to the disease site. For example, yintang (EX-HN3) is selected to treat nasosinusitis. Selection of distant points* means to select points far from the disease site. This method is mainly based on the distribution of associated meridians and collaterals. For example, hegu (LI4) is selected to treat toothache because the large intestine meridian connects with the teeth; taichong (LR3) is selected to treat redness, swelling and pain of the eyes because the liver meridian connects with the eyes. Left-right acupoint selection* is a method used to select acupoints located opposite to the disease side. For example, the acupoints located on the right ankle are selected to treat a sprain of the left ankle.

Selection of points according to the pattern* is a method of point selection based on the disease pattern. For example, dual deficiency of the heart and spleen can be treated by needling xinshu (BI15), pishu (BI20), sanyinjiao (SP6), because BI15 is the transport point of the heart, BI20 is the transport point of the spleen and SP6 is one of the spleen points. Selection of points according to symptoms and signs* is a general principle for point selection, in accordance with signs or symptoms. For example, dazhui (GV14) and quchi (LI11) are usually selected to treat high fever because these two points have the function of reducing high fever.

Two or more acupoints with similar effects can be selected for treating a disease in order to obtain a higher effect. A meridian disease can be treated by needling the points in the meridian and the points from exterior-interior related meridian or from the meridian related by five phases. Therefore, points can be used in combination according to their effects and based on their meridians.

Point combination according to their effects* includes anterior-posterior point combination, superior-inferior point combination, adjacent and distant point combination, left-right point combination and local and adjacent points combination. Local and adjacent points combination* means to select and combine the acupoints at or near the site of the disease to reinforce the therapeutic effects. Left-right point combination means to select the points on both sides of the body, mostly on the same meridians — for example, from the lung meridians of the both sides.

Point combination according to the meridians* is a method of point combination in which points on the associated meridian(s) are selected, and the common ones are the combination of the same meridian, exterior-interior combination, combination of the same-named meridians, combination of crossing meridians, and combination of mother and child meridians.*

Point combination of the same meridian* is a method of point combination in which only the points of an involved meridian are selected. For example, cough can be treated by needling the points of zhongfu (LU1), lieque (LU7), taiyuan (LU9) and chizhe (LU5), all of which are on the lung meridian. Exterior-interior point combination* is based on the exterior-interior relationship of the meridians. For example, angina pectoris* can be treated by needling neiguan (PC6) and waiguan (TE5) points, as the pericardium meridian and triple energizer meridian are exterior-interior paired meridians. Point combination of the same named meridians* is a method of point combination based on acupoints from the same meridian of both sides of the body, such as from lung meridian of the left and right of the upper limbs. For example, hegu (LI4) of both hands can be used to treat toothache. Point combination of crossing meridians* is a method of point combination according to the fact that more than one meridian may pass the disease site, and a disease may be associated with more than one meridian.