Acupressure - General Application
It is helpful to learn some key points commonly used by acupuncturists and acupressure practitioners. Key points are usually combined with assistant points to increase effectiveness. These key points are quite sufficient in covering most areas of the body.
Location |
Name & Diagram |
Function |
| Make a fist, on the back side, at the end of the web between the small and ring fingers. | SJ:2 (Yemen) |
Sore throat dry mouth |
| On vertical mid-line of face, directly B.E.B. | Between-the-eyebrows
(B.E.B.)  |
Frontal headaches nose congestion |
| 1 body-inch behind the end of the eyebrow and the corner of the eye | Sun-Point  |
headaches tension |
| The two depressions behind the neck, below the mastoid. | GB:20 (Fengchi = "pool of wind") |
neck discomfort headaches increases concentration insomnia tension |
| Place the left hand on the right shoulder naturally; the middle finger is on GB:21. | GB:21 (Jianjing = "shoulder well")  |
headaches shoulder discomfort tension |
| On the dorsal surface of the hand on the angle of the first two metacarpals. | CO:4 (Hegu = "narrow valley")  |
headaches |
| At the extremity of the flexure of the elbow. | CO:11 (Quchi = "winding pond")  |
elbow discomfort shoulder pain neck stiffness |
| On the palmer side of the arm, 2 finger widths (index and middle fingers), from the wrist line. | HG:6 (Neiguan = "internal gate")  |
chest discomfort gastric pain nausea vomiting insomnia tension |
| On the dorsal surface of the hand, between the 4th and 5th metacarpals. | SJ:3 (Zhongzhu)  |
ear discomfort shoulder pain neck stiffness ringing in ear |
| Raise your arm horizontally; CO:15 is the depression on the shoulder. | CO:15 (Jianyu = "edge of shoulder")  |
shoulder discomfort and arthritis |
| 3 body-inches below the lower edge of the knee cap. | ST:36 (Zusanli = "the 3 miles"; longevity point)  |
increases energy gastric discomfort knee & leg pain constipation tension |
| Below the lateral condyles of the fibula. | GB:34 (Yanglingquan; joint control point)  |
rib pain lower leg pain knee discomfort joint discomfort |
3 body-inches above the medial malleolus, behind the tibia. *Pregnant women should avoid using this point! |
SP:6 (Sanyinjiao = "the 3 meridian intersection")  |
increases energy menstrual cramps abdominal discomfort leg cramps |
| On the dorsal surface of the foot, in the angle between the 1st and 2nd metatarsal bones. | LV: 3 (Taichong = "the biggest river")  |
relaxation (always combine with CO:4) |
