When you suddenly hit your knee or your toe what is your first impulse? To cover that area with your hand, right? That touch instinct is an instinctive feeling for most of us, much like Acupressure; touch is the core of this integrative practice.

You are in a good space as far as health is concerned when your mental health and physical health are in tandem when you are not suffering from any chronic disease and generally happy and healthy. So, what is Acupressure and how can it boost your overall health? Learn about the most important acupressure points and how it can impact your life in a positive way.

Acupressure is a holistic practice which involves applying precise pressure, with fingertips, to specific points on the body with the singular goal of balancing life energy also recognized as Qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine or chi in the West. The acupressure points or channels of energy in the body are also known as meridians. Practitioners of acupressure believe that when the meridians are blocked or thrown out of balance, disease arises.

To all those who believe that a pill is an answer to all your health issues, well you need to take a detour and explore the benefits of Acupressure. Acupressure has been around for at least 5000 years many people have benefited deeply from this practice.

What Does Acupressure Do? Points for General Health

As soon as you apply pressure to certain points on the body it sends a signal to the brain, which in its turn releases endorphins the chemicals that has the capacity to numb pain signals and bring out pleasurable feelings. Muscles tend to relax more and facilitate blood flows more freely when there is no pain. Slowly, but surely it helps the body to restore balance. When you use Acupressure strategically and use these shoes for reflexology, your body is able to react well to stressors and all types of illness.

The body has numerous acupoints, they are like electrical outlets.  An acupoint lays in an indentation, for example, the third eye point of the hollow at the temples. Acupoints are the same for both acupuncture and acupressure. While practicing acupuncture needles are used, and in acupressure, the fingers or toes are sufficed.

You can use pressure points for numerous ailments. For healing purposes, practitioners can put pressure on certain affected areas.  For example, when you are treating anxiety, you can stimulate scores of points on your head.

Sometimes, the most useful points, known as the distal points, are on the opposite radar of the meridian or opposite part of the body from the area where you are experiencing either pain or discomfort. Stimulating these points can open an entire channel of energy with different types of massages.

Acupressure is a safe practice for almost everyone, and the easiest part is it can be practiced by everyone on anyone. Don’t underestimate the power of a practice like this, it can provide unexpected results.

Most Important Acupressure Points for Improving Health

Try the following acupressure points to optimize your health, in every which way. The 7 acupressure points mentioned are versatile points and can treat a variety of conditions,

  1. Large Intestine 4 (LI-4):  It is located in the soft, fleshy web between your thumb and forefinger. It can be used for treating a number of maladies such as facial pain, stress, headaches, toothaches and neck pain.
  1. Liver 3 (LR-3): This point is located in the soft flesh that is found between the big and second toes, the equivalent of LI-4 on your foot. The Tai Chong (LV3) is commonly used for a number of issues such as high blood pressure, stress, lower back pain, limb pain, menstrual cramps, insomnia, and anxiety. 
  1. Spleen 6 (SP-6): This point is located approximately three finger widths right above the inner ankle bone, and in a tender region of your lower calf muscle. San Yin Jiao (SP6) is commonly used for a number of pelvic disorders, urological problems, insomnia, and menstrual cramps.
  1. ST 36 – Locate the ST 36 point or The Leg Three Miles four finger-widths down from the base of the kneecap. (ST 36) acupressure point is a particularly potent point to treat issues such as bloating, gas,  indigestion, diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation, nausea, vomiting. This is one of the most potent acupressure points to optimize your health.
  1. GV24.5 – It is also known as the Third Eye acupressure point and is a powerful tool to tame an un-calm mind. It also helps optimize memory, reduce chronic fatigue, relieve stress, reduces eye strain, minimizes headaches, and treats insomnia. The third Eye pressure point is a great relaxation point and this is easy to locate as it is right between the eyebrows.  Activate it by pressing on it for 1 minute.
  1. B54 – One way of optimizing your health is by getting rid of regular pains and niggles. The commanding middle point or the B54 Acupressure point is helpful for treating knee and back pain; it combats the usual suspects such as arthritic knee pain, sciatica pain, and hip and back stiffness. Feel up the leg, behind your knee cap, find the center median point and press it for 1 minute to reduce pain.
  1. P6 – The Pericardium (P6) acupressure point is a good acupressure point and located about three finger-widths the base of your palm tucked between the two large tendons of your wrist. It’s your go-to point for everyday health issues such as upset stomach, nausea and vomiting, chest pain, headaches, and carpal tunnel syndrome pain. It is, in fact, one of the best acupressure points to resolve everyday health issues.

Use your fingers and/or thumbs to activate these points on one or both sides of your body. Start with a minute and you can gradually increase the time schedule, try it at least up to two times a day. Remember to breathe gently throughout the entire procedure to reap the maximum benefits. It is important to be in a calm state of mind when you are self-administering this treatment or even when somebody else is administering the points on you.