Spatial Organization of Acupoint Selection Across Pain Conditions

Acupuncture involves selecting acupoints distributed across the body, yet the spatial organization of this process remains unclear. Previous studies have identified frequently used acupoints across conditions but have paid limited attention to their spatial organization. Here, we analyzed patterns of acupoint selection across seven pain conditions, including episodic migraine, low back pain, dysmenorrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis, and ankle sprain, using a dataset derived from randomized controlled trials. Acupoints were classified into six anatomical regions, and regional usage patterns were quantified and visualized. Acupoint selection showed two recurrent tendencies. Acupoints near the disease site were preferentially selected, reflecting region-specific recruitment. In contrast, distal extremity points were repeatedly used across conditions, with the lower-limb tendency being most evident in head/trunk conditions, reflecting cross-regional recruitment. Across the seven included conditions, distal extremity regions emerged as recurrent cross-regional components of acupoint selection. This region-level perspective complements point-frequency analyses by showing how acupoint selection is organized across the body.