We all want to feel 100 percent all the time, but some days that’s far from reality, especially as we get older. Parts of the body begin to ache, chronic pain that does not become chronic, nosebleeds and headaches that keep you awake at night. All this sometimes makes it difficult to be a fully functioning person. If you are looking for a holistic approach to treating these ailments, acupressure is one tool you can use.
“Acupuncture is a non-invasive technique that activates the body’s ability to heal through clearing signals in the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems,” says acupuncturist Jacqui Kinzig. “Simply put, stimulating certain parts of the body can help stop a variety of symptoms, including pain, anxiety, and allergies.”
The best part? Unlike acupuncture, you don’t need needles to get the benefits. Even better news: Kinzig says there are more than 400 points on the arm alone, which means you can discreetly press on these points to provide quick relief and no one will notice.
Note that it is important which hand you use when performing blood massage. “It can be used for both systemic and non-pain complaints,” says Dr. Kinzig. “For acute pain, it is best to use the hand on the opposite side of the pain.” Therefore, if you feel that your left side is experiencing pain in the lower back, you should try acupressure on your right hand. Are you ready for acupressure? 8 hand pressure points are recommended to relieve all kinds of symptoms.
Fish border
If your head or throat hurts (or both), Oakland acupuncturist Janet Thomson recommends stimulating the Pisces border point with your thumb or the back end of a pencil, pen, or bobby pin. “To find the border of the fish, use your thumb to draw a line between your hand and wrist,” says Thomson. “The point is located between these two points, on the fleshy part of the base of the thumb, where the dark skin of the back of the hand meets the light skin of the palm of the hand.”
Merge with the valley
Also known as Colon 4, the Connection Hollow hand pressure point is one of the most popular points because it works wonders for so many different things. “It helps with all kinds of headaches, migraines and facial problems, including bell’s palsy, sinusitis, nosebleeds, sore throats, eye pain, tooth and mouth pain, allergy symptoms,” says Dr. Kinzig. “It is also used to stimulate labor, relieve pain in the neck, constipation, diarrhea, pain in the arms and hands, and fever.” Acupuncturist Tiffany Cruikshank, founder of Yoga Medicine, adds that it can help boost your immune system when you have a cold.
Start by spreading your arms wide to find the main idea. “You’ll see a triangle form between the base of the thumb and the index finger,” says Thomson. “This point is in the middle of the triangle and is most sensitive when you squeeze it.” Once you find it, Cruikshank says, find one or two tender spots in that area and apply moderate pressure to each one for 30 to 60 seconds.
Small palace
The Lesser Palace is Thomson’s focal point for overcoming feelings of fear, sadness, anxiety, worry, and anxiety. The point is located in the palm of your hand. It is enough to make a fist to find it. This will be where your pinky finger touches your palm.
