Happy Tuesday Stream Pointers! As many of you may know, a big part of who we are and what we do is education. As much as we love seeing you in the clinic for acupuncture, massage, yoga, or other services – our main goal is to get you to a point where you’re thriving and able to take care of yourself. With that in mind, this month’s theme is going to be all about self-care and we’re going to kick things off with how you can utilize some of the benefits of acupuncture at home.
Now, before you let your mind run and think you can stick needles in yourself, we are not suggesting you start acupuncturing yourself! Acupuncture can only be performed by a fully licensed/certified acupuncturist with appropriate education and training. However, for those of you who are acupuncture veterans, you may have become familiar with some areas we acupuncture. While maximum benefits are seen with using acupuncture needles, some benefits can still be realized by applying pressure to these areas – and yes this is Acupressure! You don’t have to pay the big bucks to apply pressure to these areas, especially if you’re already seeing Andrea or Hardin for acupuncture – you can do it at home – either on yourself or turn it into an opportunity to care for a friend or loved one.
So, what are some general areas you can apply pressure to that can yield some health benefits? Read Below to find out!
T
he 4 Gates (LI-4/LV-3): The 4 gates open up the circulation of Qi and blood throughout your entire body. They are great choices for almost anything! I usually use them when I’m managing stress, or trying to battle a headache. Women will find these especially helpful for soothing cramps and PMS along with a couple other points I’ll mention below.
LI-10: This point is located on the forearm, at the belly of the brachioradialis muscle. It’s translation is “3 Arm Mile” and was historically used with ST-36 (below) to give you the extra energy you needed to “go that extra mile!. It’s also a good point to massage when you’ve got a headache that’s from overexertion.
ST-36: This point is located on the shin, a few inches below the kneecap and just lateral to the tibia. Not enough can be said about ST-36, in fact when I was in school this point was commonly referred to as “Treasure” because it’s used for nearly everything! In TCM almost all conditions can be rooted back to dysfunction in the digestive system, and ST-36 is the ultimate regulation point for your digestion, and also your immune system. It’s translation is “3 Leg Mile” so it’s great for boosting energy, and is used with LI-10.
SP-6: SP-6 is one of my favorite points and is located on the lower inner leg a few inches above your ankle. If you’ve had some acupuncture with me, you’ve probably had this point needled. It’s great for nourishing Yin since 3 meridians intersect at this point (hence it’s translated name “3 Leg Yin”). You can use it to supplement circulation, digestion, OB-GYN conditions, emotional imbalances, and sleep issues. *As an interesting factoid, when you cross your legs into a full lotus position, your ankle bones rest perfectly on SP-6, which makes many people think of SP-6 as the “meditation” point.
GB-41: Do you get migraines? Then these points are for you! GB-41 is a great point for offsetting migraine pain. It is located on the lateral side of the foot, a couple of inches down from the webbing between the 4th and 5th toe – just on the outside of the tendon for the 5th toe.
KD-1: This point is one of the best points for acupressure because it’s very painful to needle! It’s located on the bottom of the foot, in the lower medial border of the ball. This is a FANTASTIC point to massage if you feel like you need to calm down and ground yourself, and it energizes you at the same time. Traditionally it’s also used as a point for resuscitation from loss of consciousness.
HT8/PC8: These to points are both on the palm of the hand, and are also great for acupressure because like KD-1, they are painful to needle. As a general rule, massaging the palms of your hand are good for anxiety and sleep conditions. I personally like to massage them daily since I work with my hands.
Yin tang & Ren-17: Yin Tang is located right between your eyebrows, and Ren-17 is located in the center of the breastbone. Both of these points are great for settling the spirit and are therefore great for when you’re feeling anxious, emotional, or can’t sleep. I personally like to tap on these points and repeat affirmations to myself. It’s pretty incredible how quickly it calms me down. For people that are into chakra theories, these points open into the Third Eye (intuition) and Heart (love) chakras.
KD-27: KD-27 is another great point for acupressure since it’s not needled very often. Traditional Chinese Medicine doesn’t make a huge deal over this point, but newer experts in energy medicine think of KD-27 as an “energy surge” point. You can massage it or tap on it when you need a boost and don’t feel like downing a coffee or energy supplement. It’s located on the chest, just below the medial ends of the collarbones.
GB-20: This last point is going to be the one that you can acupressure yourself, but is even better when someone does it for you. It’s located at the base of the skill a few inches away from where your spine starts. If you’ve had any treatments with me and I’ve massaged your head while you’re lying face up, it’s that point that “hurts so good!”. GB-20 is great for headaches and the common cold, as well as just a nice point to massage for relaxation and tension in the upper trapezius muscles.
So how does one properly acupressure? Well, aside from being sure you’ve found the right area, there really is no “right way” to do this. Just do what feels good! Massage it in circular motions, upwards, or downwards, or tap on the point. As a general rule, circular motions will harmonize, upward massage will tonify and downward motion will ground.
Happy Acu-Pressuring and hope to see your sun-kissed faces soon!
For more information or to schedule your appointment visit: www.streampointwellness.com
