After thousands of years of research and refinement, the miraculous therapeutic effects of acupoint therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are gaining increasing popularity. TCM believes there are 361 acupoints on the body's meridians, and if you include acupoints outside the meridians, there are thousands. Mastering all this knowledge is very difficult for the average person. Therefore, under the guidance of Zhao Yan, Deputy Chief Physician of the Massage and Rehabilitation Department of Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, ten easy-to-remember acupoints for health preservation have been summarized. Massaging these points regularly can help strengthen your body, prevent illness, and promote health.
Important Note: Three inches is the width of four fingers (the width of the index, middle, ring, and little fingers held together).
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1. Acupoint for Brightening the Eyes and Refreshing the Mind:
2. Stomach-Nourishing Acupoint:
3. Kidney-tonifying and Qi-strengthening acupoint
4. Heart-Nourishing Acupoint
5. Heat-Clearing and Pain-Relieving Acupoint:
6. Acupoint for Relieving Lower Back Pain:
7. Acupoint for Relaxing Muscles and Activating Collaterals
8. The "All-Round" Acupoint
9. Acupoint for Nourishing Yin and Beautifying the Complexion
10. Acupoint for Calming the Mind and Strengthening the Body
1. Acupoint for Brightening the Eyes and Refreshing the Mind
Fengchi (GB20). TCM says "Fengchi governs the head and eyes" because this acupoint can treat most wind-related ailments. Fengchi (GB20) acupoint is located on the back of the neck, below the occipital bone, in the depression between the two large tendons, level with the earlobe. It is often used in conjunction with Zanzhu (BL2), Taiyang (EX-HN5), Jingming (BL1), and Sibai (ST2) acupoints to treat eye diseases and relieve eye symptoms.
Massaging these acupoints, combined with cervical spine correction, has a good therapeutic effect on myopia. In addition, massaging Fengchi acupoint and surrounding muscles can effectively relieve cervical spondylosis, headaches caused by external wind-cold or internal and external wind-evil, and neck fatigue caused by prolonged periods of looking down. During work breaks, gently tapping Fengchi acupoint can refresh the mind and eliminate fatigue.
2. Stomach-Nourishing Acupoint
Zhongwan (CV12). Zhongwan acupoint is located on the midline of the abdomen, at the midpoint of the line connecting the lower end of the sternum and the navel. Pressing it will produce a sore sensation.
People with stomach problems can frequently massage Zhongwan acupoint. For acute stomach pain, press the Zhongwan acupoint with your finger for 10 seconds, release, and repeat. Symptoms should subside within three to five minutes. For chronic stomach discomfort, gently massage the Zhongwan acupoint with your palm to promote digestion. For acute gastroenteritis, massage the Zhongwan acupoint in conjunction with the Tianshu acupoint (located 2 inches to the side of the navel) and the Daju acupoint (located 2 inches below and 2 inches to the side of the navel) for further treatment.
3. Kidney-tonifying and Qi-strengthening acupoint
Guanyuan. Located 3 inches below the navel (approximately the width of four fingers held together excluding the thumb), the Guanyuan acupoint is located.
Massaging the Guanyuan acupoint can replenish kidney qi and delay aging. For men, massaging the Guanyuan acupoint can alleviate kidney deficiency, lower back pain, and hair loss. For women, massaging the Guanyuan acupoint can treat and alleviate many gynecological conditions. Before massaging the Guanyuan acupoint, rub your palms together to warm them. Place your palms on the Guanyuan acupoint on your abdomen and rub gently, gradually increasing the pressure until you feel warmth.
4. Heart-Nourishing Acupoint
Neiguan (PC6). Extend your arm, palm facing up, clench your fist and raise your wrist. You will see two tendons in the middle of your arm. The Neiguan acupoint is located between these two tendons, about two finger-widths away from your wrist.
Massaging the Neiguan acupoint helps improve blood circulation. Press vertically downwards with your thumb for about 3 minutes each time, until you feel a slight soreness or numbness in the area. Besides protecting the heart, the Neiguan acupoint is also an emergency acupoint. In the event of a sudden heart attack, have the patient lie down and massage the Neiguan acupoint while waiting for emergency services to help relieve pain. In addition, massaging the Neiguan acupoint can also relieve headaches, dry mouth, sore throat, cervical spondylosis, frozen shoulder, and lower back pain.
5. Heat-Clearing and Pain-Relieving Acupoint
Hegu (LI4). The Hegu acupoint, also known as the tiger's mouth, is located at the highest point of the muscle bulge when the thumb and index finger are brought together.
The Hegu acupoint has the effects of clearing heat and relieving exterior symptoms, calming the nerves and relieving pain. It has a good relieving and therapeutic effect on diseases of the head and face. For headaches, fever, and toothaches caused by wind-heat colds, where medication is not immediately effective, acupressure on the Hegu acupoint can provide relief. The pressure should be enough to feel a slight soreness, numbness, or distension. If accompanied by fever, scrape the skin on the back of the neck with a porcelain spoon or gently pull the surrounding skin with your fingers until it turns red or purple; this helps expel heat toxins and reduces fever more quickly.
6. Acupoint for Relieving Lower Back Pain
Weizhong. The Weizhong acupoint is located at the midpoint of the popliteal fossa (the hollow behind the knee).
Traditional Chinese medicine says, "For lower back pain, seek Weizhong." Office workers who sit for long periods or have poor posture, causing discomfort in their lower back and shoulders, or elderly people who frequently experience lower back pain, can benefit from regularly pressing the Weizhong acupoint to improve blood circulation in the lower back. When massaging the Weizhong acupoint, the pressure should be enough to feel a slight soreness; one press and release counts as one repetition, and you can generally press it about 20 times consecutively. It is worth noting that for lower back pain caused by kidney deficiency, the treatment should focus on tonifying the kidneys.
7. Acupoint for Relaxing Muscles and Activating Collaterals
Yanglingquan. Yanglingquan is located on the calf. To find it, sit still and feel your leg with your hand. Below and on the outer side of the knee joint, there's a protrusion called the fibular head. The depression below and in front of the fibular head is the location of Yanglingquan.
Regularly massaging Yanglingquan, combined with shoulder exercises, can relieve pain around the shoulder. In addition, Yanglingquan can relieve breast tenderness, rib pain, and intercostal neuralgia.
8. The "All-Round" Acupoint
Zusanli. There's a saying that "regularly massaging Zusanli is better than eating an old hen." Zusanli is located 3 cun below the outer knee crease.
Traditional Chinese medicine has a saying, "For abdominal ailments, retain Zusanli," meaning that massaging Zusanli can help with abdominal problems such as chronic gastroenteritis, chronic diarrhea, and stomach cold. Furthermore, Zusanli has a good preventive effect on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, pulmonary heart disease, cerebral hemorrhage, and arteriosclerosis. White-collar workers and those in a sub-healthy state can reduce work stress and relieve fatigue by pressing Zusanli for 10 minutes daily.
9. Acupoint for Nourishing Yin and Beautifying the Complexion
Sanyinjiao (SP6). Known as the "Women's Acupoint," Sanyinjiao is located on the inner side of the lower leg, 3 cun (approximately 1.5 inches) above the highest point of the ankle bone.
Massaging Sanyinjiao helps clear blockages in the body, nourishes the uterus and ovaries, regulates menstruation, removes blemishes, wrinkles, and acne, and treats skin allergies, dermatitis, and eczema. Starting three days before menstruation, massage Sanyinjiao daily for three months to alleviate menstrual irregularities and dysmenorrhea. When massaging, place your thumb upright on the acupoint, press down first, then rub for about one minute each time, rest, and then massage again. Because massaging Sanyinjiao regulates the flow of Qi and blood, it is not suitable for pregnant women.
10. Acupoint for Calming the Mind and Strengthening the Body
Yongquan (KI1). Yongquan is the first point of the Kidney Meridian, located on the sole of the foot, in the depression at the front 1/3 of the foot when the toes are flexed.
There is a folk saying: "Sanli and Yongquan acupoints are the secret to longevity; massage them a hundred times before bed to strengthen the spleen and nourish essence and blood." After washing your feet daily, massage the Yongquan acupoint on the soles of both feet with your thumbs for about 10 minutes to help with sleep. Those with neurasthenia can extend this time to half an hour. As the weather warms up, you can walk barefoot or in socks on a cobblestone path to stimulate the Yongquan acupoint.
Finally, experts remind us that while regular acupressure can treat and alleviate illnesses and has health benefits, it is not a cure-all. In addition to local massage, it's important to adjust your overall health. It's worth noting that while acupressure is simple and effective, it's not suitable for everyone, especially pregnant women, postpartum women, and those with weak constitutions. These individuals should perform the massage under the guidance of a doctor and should not attempt it arbitrarily.
