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Acupressure uses specific anatomical points — over 360 named points in the classical system, sitting along 12 primary meridians and 8 extraordinary meridians. This guide focuses on the 30–40 most clinically relevant points for home practice, organized by meridian with practical location instructions. You don't need to memorize all of them — most people use 5–10 points regularly. But having a reference helps.
How to Measure: The Cun System
Traditional Chinese medicine uses "cun" (pronounced "tsoon") as the unit of measurement for locating acupressure points. Unlike centimetres, cun is proportional to the individual body — it scales automatically to different body sizes, which is why a single set of instructions works for everyone.
Key cun measurements using your own fingers:
- 1 cun = the width of the interphalangeal joint of your thumb (the knuckle of your thumb)
- 1.5 cun = the combined width of your index and middle fingers at the middle joint
- 2 cun = width of index + middle + ring fingers together
- 3 cun = the combined width of all four fingers held together at the knuckle level
When measuring on your own body, use your own fingers. When measuring on someone else, use their fingers — the proportional relationship is the point.
The 12 Primary Meridians
The 12 primary meridians are bilateral (one on each side of the body, mirror-image) and are paired as yin-yang pairs across organ systems:
| Yin Meridian | Yang Meridian | Pathway |
|---|---|---|
| Lung (LU) | Large Intestine (LI) | Arm — inner/outer |
| Spleen (SP) | Stomach (ST) | Leg — inner/outer |
| Heart (HT) | Small Intestine (SI) | Arm — inner/outer |
| Kidney (KD) | Bladder (BL) | Leg — inner/outer |
| Pericardium (PC) | Triple Burner (TB/SJ) | Arm — inner/outer |
| Liver (LR) | Gallbladder (GB) | Leg — inner/outer |
Two additional important channels — the Governing Vessel (GV, running up the back of the spine) and Conception Vessel (CV, running up the front midline) — are unpaired and are used extensively for systemic conditions.
Major Points Reference
Hand and Wrist Points (Most Accessible)
LI4 / Hegu — In the webbing between thumb and index finger, at the apex of the mound when pressed together. Uses: headache, facial pain, dental pain, fever, immune support, constipation. Avoid in pregnancy.
LI11 / Quchi — At the outer end of the elbow crease when the arm is bent to 90°. Uses: fever, skin conditions (eczema, hives), high blood pressure, elbow pain, constipation.
PC6 / Neiguan — 2 cun above inner wrist crease, between the two central tendons. Uses: nausea, anxiety, palpitations, insomnia, motion sickness, chest tightness. (Sea-Band target point)
HT7 / Shenmen — Wrist crease, pinky side, in the hollow inside the pisiform bone. Uses: insomnia, anxiety, heart palpitations, emotional unsettledness.
LU7 / Lieque — 1.5 cun above outer wrist crease, on the radial edge (thumb side notch). Uses: cough, respiratory conditions, headache, stiff neck.
TB5 / Waiguan — 2 cun above outer wrist crease, between the two forearm bones (opposite side from PC6). Uses: fever, ear conditions, temporal headache, lateral elbow pain.
Arm and Elbow Points
LI10 / Shousanli — 2 cun below LI11 (outer elbow crease), on the outer forearm. Uses: arm pain, digestive issues, fatigue, immune support.
HT3 / Shaohai — At the inner end of the elbow crease when the arm is bent. Uses: elbow pain, tremor, emotional disturbance, arm numbness.
Leg and Ankle Points (Most Therapeutically Important)
ST36 / Zusanli — 3 cun below the bottom of the kneecap, 1 cun lateral to the shinbone. Uses: digestive issues, fatigue, immune support, overall tonification, knee pain. One of the most important points in all of TCM.
SP6 / Sanyinjiao — 3 cun above inner ankle bone, behind shinbone. Uses: digestive issues, menstrual conditions, sleep, anxiety, urinary problems. Avoid in pregnancy.
SP9 / Yinlingquan — In the depression below and behind the inner knee. Uses: fluid retention, knee pain, urinary issues, digestive bloating.
LR3 / Taichong — Top of foot, 2 cun back from the webbing of the 1st–2nd toes. Uses: stress, menstrual pain, headache, eye problems, IBS. One of the most important emotional regulation points.
KD3 / Taixi — In the hollow between inner ankle bone and Achilles tendon. Uses: kidney deficiency, fatigue, lower back pain, menstrual irregularities, chronic ear conditions.
KD1 / Yongquan — Sole of foot, upper third depression when toes curled. Uses: grounding, hypertension, anxiety, insomnia, hot flashes.
BL40 / Weizhong — Centre of the back-of-knee crease. Uses: lower back pain, hip pain, sciatica, knee pain. One of the best distal points for acute lower back spasm.
BL60 / Kunlun — In the hollow between outer ankle bone and Achilles tendon. Uses: lower back pain, headache, neck stiffness, ankle pain. Avoid in pregnancy.
GB34 / Yanglingquan — In the depression below and in front of the outer knee, just below the fibular head. Uses: muscle and tendon issues (the influential point for tendons), lateral knee pain, hip pain, liver/gallbladder conditions.
Back Points (Harder to Self-Apply)
BL23 / Shenshu — 1.5 cun to either side of L2 vertebra (at waist level). Uses: lower back pain, kidney conditions, fatigue, reproductive issues. Best applied with a tennis ball or a partner.
GV4 / Mingmen — Between L2 and L3 vertebrae, on the midline. Uses: lower back pain, fatigue, Kidney Yang deficiency, cold conditions. The Gate of Life.
BL13 / Feishu — 1.5 cun either side of T3 vertebra (upper back, between shoulder blades). Uses: respiratory conditions, cough, asthma, upper back tension.
Head and Face Points
GV20 / Baihui — Top of skull, midline, at the midpoint between the two ears. Uses: headache, mental clarity, dizziness, prolapse, anxiety, depression.
GV24.5 / Yintang — Between the eyebrows. Uses: calming anxiety, frontal headache, insomnia, nasal congestion. Extra point.
GB20 / Fengchi — At the base of the skull, in the two hollows on either side of the cervical muscles. Uses: headache, neck stiffness, eye problems, cold/flu, insomnia, tinnitus. One of the most important head-neck points.
LI20 / Yingxiang — Just beside the nostril flare, at the nasolabial groove. Uses: nasal congestion, sinus problems, sense of smell. The primary point for blocked nose.
ST7 / Xiaguan — In the depression in front of the ear, below the cheekbone, found when the mouth is closed. Uses: TMJ pain, toothache, ear conditions, facial pain.
Chest and Abdomen Points
CV17 / Shanzhong — Midline of sternum, at the level of the 4th intercostal space (nipple level). Uses: chest tightness, asthma, anxiety, emotional constriction, palpitations. Influential point for Qi.
CV12 / Zhongwan — Midline, halfway between navel and bottom of sternum. Uses: digestive issues, bloating, nausea, stomach pain. Front-mu point of Stomach.
CV6 / Qihai — 1.5 cun below navel, midline. Uses: fatigue, Qi deficiency, digestive weakness, reproductive issues. Sea of Qi.
ST25 / Tianshu — 2 cun to either side of navel. Uses: IBS, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain. Front-mu point of Large Intestine.
Clinical Groupings: Points by Condition
For quick reference, here are the 5 most common applications and their primary points:
- Headache/migraine: LI4, GB20, GV20, LR3, BL60
- Lower back pain: BL40, BL23, GV4, KD3, BL60
- Nausea/vomiting: PC6, ST36, CV12, SP4
- Anxiety/insomnia: HT7, PC6, SP6, KD1, GV20, Yintang
- Digestive/IBS: ST36, SP6, LR3, ST25, CV12, PC6
Use the Acupressure Point Finder tool to get specific point recommendations for your symptoms — it provides exact location instructions and techniques for the 15 most common conditions treated with acupressure.
For condition-specific detailed guides, see: back pain, headaches, sleep, anxiety, nausea, and digestion.