Objective To explore the clinical application rules of single acupoint. Methods Computer-based search and manual examination was used to search clinical literature with single acupoint in medical monographs

CNKI

Wanfang Database

VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Full-text Database

and practice guidelines

and the "single acupoint treatment of disease database"was established. The bibliometrics was used to analyze the application rules of single acupoint from type of syndrome

characteristics of syndrome

channel tropism

location of acupoints

and properties of acupoints. Results Six monographs of medical sciences

185 journal articles

and4 practical guidelines were obtained that met the inclusion criteria. Medical monographs for single-point acupoints include 14 categories and 342 diseases and syndromes; database articles included 8 categories and 33 diseases and syndromes; practice guidelines strongly recommend acupuncture for single acupoint treatment of illness with low back pain

frozen shoulder

chronic constipation

and the primary dysmenorrhea. Single acupoint was mainly used to treat musculoskeletal system and connective tissue disorders

digestive system disorders

with more diseases

fewer diseases

and mostly acute disease and pain diseases with strong immediate effect; single acupoint application usually selected acupoints of Yang meridians

and it basically followed the principle of selecting acupoints from the distal extremities; and the specific acupoints are often selected

and the five shu acupoints and crossing acupoints are the most common. And the experience acupoints such as external points are also more common. Conclusion The single acupoint treatment has characteristics of "more acute diseases

more pain diseases

more treatment in syndromes and less treatment in diseases"in terms of applicable conditions; there are characteristics of "many specific acupoints

multiple experience acupoints

and far acupoints on the selection of acupoints".