Pressure Points in the Body/ Knowing Your Body
Pressure points are located on our body
and can help relieve pain, stress, and emotional imbalance. Pressure points can
also be used as part of a self defense strategy.
Introduction
If you’ve ever had a headache that would
not go away or experienced stress levels you considered unacceptable, then you
may be interested in learning more about finding your body’s pressure points.
Chinese acupressure uses pressure points to help heal the body and the mind.
The medical community locates pressure points to stop or control bleeding.
Martial artists and the military take advantage of our pressure points to stop
an attacker, or inflict damage on another person. Whether you learn about your
pressure points to help calm a nervous stomach or as a means of self defense,
knowing your body and how it works is an integral part of self-realization.
Healing Pressure Points in Chinese Acupressure
Finding relief from discomfort, stress, or pain without medication is a useful
technique for you and those you care for. There are seven main pressure points that we will explore for different kinds of relief. A traditional Chinese medicine technique called acupressure uses the pressure of the hands on the surface of the body to relieve symptoms. Your fingers, palms, thumbs, knuckles, and sides of your hand can bring healing relief for a variety of symptoms like headaches, wrist pain, sore throat, arm pain, even colds and flu. Apply pressure gradually and hold without movement for several minutes at a time for relieve pain or help aid relaxation.
Before we locate these seven pressure
points, know that your body is created symmetrically. Pressure points on the
right side correspond to another on the left in the same location. Pressure
points on your arms also have corresponding points on your legs, and points on
your hands have corresponding points on your feet.
1) Heavenly
Pillar- You can find this point by placing your finger on the base of your
skull, moving down one finger width and over one half inch to the left and to
the right. You will feel ropy muscles here. Apply pressure using your
fingers on both sides to relieve stress, insomnia, heaviness in the head, over
exhaustion, eyestrain, swollen eyes, stiff necks, and sore throats.
2) Heavenly
Rejuvenation- Locate this pressure
point on your shoulders in the middle between the base of your neck and the
outside of your shoulders. Move your fingers one-half inch below the top of the
shoulders, going down your back. This point will help relieve stiff necks and
nervous tension and can help increase your resistance to colds and flu. It is
also good for the lungs.
3) Crooked
Marsh- You will find this
pressure point on the inside of both arms at the lower end of your elbow crease
when your arm is bent. Apply pressure here to relieve nervous stomach, arm
pain, elbow pain, anxiety, and chest discomfort.
4) Inner
Gate- This point is also
located on both arms. Turn your arm so that your forearm is facing you. Place
your finger in the middle of your forearm at the base of your hand where your
wrist creases. Move your fingers up your forearm two and one half finger widths
from the wrist crease. Pressure applied here will help relieve nausea,
palpitations, wrist pain and anxiety.
5) Spirit
Gate- You can find this
pressure point on both arms, at the crease of your wrist on the little finger
side of your forearm. This pressure point will help relieve fear, nervousness,
anxiety, forgetfulness, and emotional imbalances.
6) Third Eye Point- Find this point between your eyebrows in the
indentation where the bridge of your nose meets your forehead. Press here to
calm your body and relieve nervousness.
7) Sea of Tranquility- This
pressure point is found on the center of your breastbone, three thumb widths up
from the base of the bone. Apply pressure here to relieve anxiety, nervousness,
anguish, chest tension, hysteria, depression, and other emotional imbalances.
Self Defense Pressure Points
Basic Pressure Points- These pressure points in the body require pain to work as a self
defense strategy. The primary intention of using these pressure points is to
cause a reaction in your attacker. You want them to stop attacking you and deal
with the pain you just inflicted. Kicking your attacker in the groin or the
shin should cause an immediate reaction if he can feel pain. Wrist locks and
arm bars will also impact your opponent immediately, but as with all basic
pressure points, when you stop, the pain stops. People on drugs or who are
mentally ill may not react to pain. Someone with specific training will not
react to pain. Basic pressure points are worthless in these cases.
Muscle Pressure Points- Pressure points in the muscles are found throughout your body where
you can find a muscle. Kicking, punching, or striking someone in the stomach,
chest, or shoulders will cause other muscles in their body to react, allowing
you a small window of time to prepare to fight further or to get away. There
are fewer level two pressure points in the body than level one and the effect
is not to cause pain, though that may be the result, but to create a specific
reaction. Learning more about your body’s reactions when certain muscles are
stimulated will help you determine which strategy will work best for you in a
self defense situation.
Reflex Pressure
Points There are fewer reflex
pressure points in your body than either muscle points or basic points.
Learning the location of these points will help you the most if you ever need
to defend yourself as they work every time. For example, the gag reflex point
is located on the middle of your lower neck, just above the jugular notch.
Applying pressure here very quickly will cause a person to back up. How hard
and how fast you push determines how far he will back away from you. Another
reflex is caused if you apply pressure to the carotid artery. This is the main
artery in your neck and pressure here will cause your brain to think your blood
pressure is too high and will send signals to lower it. Disrupting someone’s
balance by hitting them in the back of the knees or kicking their ankles is
another type of reflex reaction.
