Knowledge Center
Everything you should know before practicing acupressure — from fundamental concepts to advanced techniques and clinical evidence.
What You'll Find Here
Acupressure is a therapeutic technique rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that applies firm pressure to specific points on the body, called acupoints, which lie along energy pathways known as meridians. Unlike acupuncture, acupressure works entirely on the surface — no skin is broken — so it can be practiced with your fingers, thumbs, elbows, or simple tools anywhere you have a few quiet minutes.
This center gathers everything on the site into one starting point. The Basics section explains what acupressure is, how it works, and what the research says about its benefits. The Conditions pages give step-by-step point protocols for common problems such as headaches, back pain, nausea, anxiety, and poor sleep. Techniques covers proper form, Research summarizes the clinical evidence, and Safety explains when to be cautious and who should avoid certain points.
You do not have to read everything before you begin. If you want to start pressing points today, open How to Do Acupressure at Home, then look up a single point in the Body Atlas. Use the rest of the sections when you want to go deeper or target a specific condition.
Basics
Start here — what acupressure is, how it works, and its evidence-based benefits.
Conditions
Point protocols for common health conditions with clinical evidence.
Techniques
Step-by-step guides for effective acupressure practice.
Research & Evidence
Systematic reviews, clinical trials, and neuroimaging studies on acupressure.
Safety
Safety guidelines, contraindications, and when to seek professional care.
Where Should I Start?
If you are new to acupressure, a simple path works well:
- Read What Is Acupressure? for a short overview of the practice and how it differs from acupuncture.
- Read How to Do Acupressure at Home to learn the core steps: locate the point, press at a 90-degree angle, build pressure over 10-15 seconds, and hold for 30 seconds to 3 minutes while breathing deeply. You are aiming for a deep, dull ache (deqi), never sharp pain.
- Start with a few beginner-friendly points such as LI4 (Hegu) for headaches and pain, PC6 (Neiguan) for nausea and anxiety, and ST36 (Zusanli) for digestion and energy.
- Once you are comfortable, browse the condition guides for complete protocols and the body regions for points organized by location.
- Before practicing — especially during pregnancy or with a chronic condition — review the Safety section.