According to TCM experience, the effects of acupoints are mostly selective to the diseased locations only, for different conditions of the same location, there is not much difference in the treatment. So practically, it is important for physicians to identify the exact diseased location, and select the appropriate points accordingly. Moreover, it is necessary to consider the nature of disease, individual symptoms, and multiple uses and effects of acupoints.

Some rules during acupoint selection are below:

• Local effects: Each acupoint has effects on its local region, for example stomach pain is usually due to qi disturbance inside the stomach, physicians will select zhong wan (Cv 12, center of the upper abdomen) and liang men (St 21, upper abdomen and lateral to the zhong wan). Moreover, identifying the tender points or trigger points in the local region such as a-shi point is particularly essential for acute conditions, which help to dissolve and expel the non-consolidated irritation, for example, for treating headaches tai yang (Ex-hn7, temple area) is selected.
• Remote effects: Acupoints located distally to the elbow and knee help enhance efficacy, and are most effective for acute and internal problems. Point selection should be in accordance with the meridian distribution of the lesion and its relationship with the organs. For example, in treating stomachache in addition to selecting the local point zhong wan (Cv 12, alarm point of the stomach), physicians also select zu san li (St 36, sea point of the stomach meridian) as well as nei guan (Pc 6, confluent point that regulates the stomach region). Anal prolapse is usually due to qi deficiency that fails to hold the internal organ in proper place; besides selecting the local point chang qiang (Gv 1, near the anus), physician will also select bai hui (Gv 20, top of the head), due to its effect of uplifting the yang-qi inside the body.
• Symptomatic relief: For certain conditions such as fever, sweating, night sweating, fainting, cramps and coma, they appear as systematic problems and it may not be possible to find a localized lesion. Then it is appropriate to choose customary acupoints with particular functions. For example, ying xiang (Li 20), located at both sides of nose can specifically relieve congestion and bleeding of the nose; this point is often indicated for nasal problems.
• Nerve distribution: Modern TCM believes that some actions of acupuncture can be explained by neural segment theory as well, which means that choosing points in the same or the nearest neural segment as that of the area of disturbance. This often used for limb problems, when a point located on a nerve trunk or root above the disease is selected for needling. For example, to treat pain in the lower limbs, the needle can puncture huan tiao (Gb 30), which is located on the sciatic nerve in the hip region.