Body Region

Hand

Keep a hand acupressure chart handy and self-care is always in arm's reach. LI4 (Hegu), HT7 (Shenmen), and PC8 (Laogong) sit on the thumb webbing, wrist, and palm — quick targets for headache, nausea, anxiety, and stress, with no mat or special setup.

Hand

Why Hand Acupressure Points Matter

The hands are where many people first learn acupressure, precisely because the whole point set is visible on a single hand acupressure chart. LI4 (Hegu), in the fleshy web between thumb and index finger, is frequently called the master point for headache- and toothache-type discomfort in traditional practice. HT7 (Shenmen), at the little-finger side of the wrist crease, is the classic target in routines for insomnia, anxiety, and heart-centered calm. PC8 (Laogong) sits in the center of the palm and is used for stress and heat, while LU9 (Taiyuan) and SI3 (Houxi) broaden the chart to cover cough, wrist, and neck concerns. The same points reappear across our headache, nausea, sleep, and anxiety guides.

Each hand channel — Lung, Pericardium, Heart, Large Intestine, and Small Intestine — begins or ends at the fingertips, which is how classical practice reads a small area like the hand as a control surface for distant regions such as the head and chest. Physically, the hands are dense with sensory nerve endings, so point work there is felt clearly and quickly. That combination of clear sensation and wide reach makes hand points ideal for quick, discreet self-care.

Key Points in This Region

Six points across the thumb web, palm center, fingers, and wrist crease. Every one of them is quick and discreet enough for a desk break.

LI4

LI4 (Hegu) · Union Valley

★★★★★

Headaches, toothaches, immune support

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PC8

PC8 (Laogong) · Palace of Labor

★★★☆

Palm heat, stress, fatigue

HT7

HT7 (Shenmen) · Spirit Gate

★★★★★

Insomnia, anxiety, heart health

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LU9

LU9 (Taiyuan) · Great Abyss

★★★☆

Cough, asthma, wrist pain

SI3

SI3 (Houxi) · Back Stream

★★★☆

Wrist pain, neck stiffness

How to Stimulate Hand Points

Pinch the target area between the thumb and index finger of your other hand and press at ninety degrees into the most tender, fleshy point — not onto bone. Build pressure slowly over ten to fifteen seconds until you feel the deep, dull deqi ache, then hold for thirty seconds to one minute for a quick acute need, or up to two minutes when you can sit and breathe evenly. Finish by pressing the same points on the opposite hand so both sides stay balanced.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is LI4 and how do I find it?
LI4 (Hegu) lives in the webbing between thumb and index finger, at the highest point of the muscle when you press your thumb toward your index finger. Squeeze the webbing corner and feel for the spot that produces a deep, dull, spreading ache rather than a sharp nerve jolt — that tenderness is the reliable landmark. The area is sensitive, so ease in gradually; the goal is a heavy, releasing sensation, never pain.
Can hand pressure help nausea?
PC6 (Neiguan), just above the inner wrist, and LI4 (Hegu) on the hand webbing are the points most associated with nausea in acupressure practice, and pressing them is a common travel-sickness ritual. It is worth trying as a self-help step for queasiness, thirty to sixty seconds with even breathing, but it is not a guaranteed remedy. Nausea has many causes, so persistent, severe, or unexplained bouts deserve a clinician's opinion.
How long should I press these points?
Plan thirty seconds to two minutes per hand point, repeated on both hands. For an acute moment — a coming headache or a wave of nausea — thirty to sixty seconds on LI4 can be enough. For relaxation work such as HT7 before bed, favor the one-to-two-minute hold. Trust the deqi feeling over the clock, breathe steadily, and ease off gradually.
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