The complete self-care guide

Acupressure — Ancient Healing,
Modern Evidence

A drug-free, needle-free Traditional Chinese Medicine technique. Press the right points to relieve pain, nausea, headache, anxiety and poor sleep.

Explore the Body AtlasWhere Does It Hurt?What Is Acupressure?
Acupressure point locations across the body, from head to feet
16
Essential point guides, each with location photos and technique
12
Body regions from head to feet, browsable in the interactive atlas
8
Condition-specific step-by-step treatment protocols
200+
Clinical trials reviewed in our evidence summaries

16 points. 12 regions. 8 conditions.

Too many points.
Find your two.

You don't need the whole map. Start with what you feel — every condition guide narrows it to the two or three points that matter most.

Find relief by symptomBrowse points by region

What Is Acupressure?

Acupressure is a therapeutic technique rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine that applies firm pressure to specific points on the body, known as acupoints. These points lie along energy pathways called meridians, and stimulating them with fingers, thumbs, elbows, or simple tools helps restore balance, relieve pain, and support the body's natural healing.

Unlike acupuncture — which inserts thin needles — acupressure works entirely on the surface of the skin. No needles, no prescriptions, no appointments. That makes it one of the safest and most accessible self-care practices available, and it can be learned in minutes.

Read the Complete GuideHow It Works

Key facts

  • No needles. Pressure applied with fingers only — nothing penetrates the skin.
  • Self-administered. You do not need a practitioner to perform acupressure on yourself.
  • 3,000+ years old. Roots in TCM healing traditions, now studied in modern clinical trials.
  • Recognized. The WHO recognizes acupressure for pain management and nausea.

The difference from acupuncture

Acupuncture uses needles inserted by a licensed practitioner. Acupressure applies the same points with finger pressure and works only on the surface. Most people find acupressure ideal for daily self-care between acupuncture sessions.

Acupressure vs acupuncture →

Find Relief by Symptom

Start with what you feel. Each protocol lists the exact points, their locations, technique, and a step-by-step routine.

All condition guides →

Headaches

LI4, GB20 and Taiyang for tension and sinus headaches

LI4 · GB20 →

Migraines

Points that calm the head and settle migraine nausea

PC6 · GB20 →

Neck Pain

Release tension held in the neck and shoulders

GB20 · GB21 →

Back Pain

Target the lower back and sciatic pathways

BL40 · BL60 · KD3 →

Nausea

The most research-backed use of acupressure

PC6 →

Anxiety & Stress

Calming points for a racing mind and tense body

Yintang · HT7 →

Sleep

A nightly routine for falling and staying asleep

HT7 · SP6 · KI1 →

Constipation

Support digestive rhythm and abdominal comfort

ST36 · CV6 →

Explore the Body

Every region has its own point guide — start anywhere.

Open interactive atlas →

The interactive body atlas links every region — head, face, hands, feet and more — to the points that live there. Click or search to jump straight to a point or symptom you care about.

FaceHeadNeckShouldersChestArms & WristsHandsAbdomenBackLegsFeetEars
Acupressure body atlas regions from head to feet

From head to feet

The ears have a full reflex map. The feet hold KI1, the sole point used for grounding and sleep. The back carries the Bladder meridian, the longest channel in the body. Every region links to the points that live there.

Explore the Atlas

16 Essential Acupressure Points

The points most people reach for first. Each card links to a full guide with photos, technique, research and safety notes.

All 16 point guides →
LI4 Hegu acupressure point on the hand

LI4 · Hegu

Hand

Web between thumb and index finger

Pain reliefHeadacheSinus
PC6 Neiguan acupressure point on the inner forearm

PC6 · Neiguan

Arm

Inner forearm, three finger-widths below the wrist crease

NauseaAnxietyMotion sickness
ST36 Zusanli acupressure point below the knee

ST36 · Zusanli

Leg

Four finger-widths below the kneecap, beside the shin bone

DigestionEnergyImmunity
SP6 Sanyinjiao acupressure point on the inner lower leg

SP6 · Sanyinjiao

Leg

Inner lower leg, four finger-widths above the inner ankle

Women's healthSleepCirculation
GB20 Fengchi acupressure point at the base of the skull

GB20 · Fengchi

Neck

Hollows at the base of the skull

HeadacheNeck tensionSinuses
HT7 Shenmen acupressure point on the wrist

HT7 · Shenmen

Wrist

Inner wrist crease, in line with the little finger

InsomniaAnxietyHeart calm
LV3 Taichong acupressure point on the top of the foot

LV3 · Taichong

Foot

Top of the foot, between the first and second toe bones

StressHeadacheLiver qi
Yintang acupressure point between the eyebrows

Yintang · Hall of Impression

Face

Midway between the eyebrows

AnxietyStressClear thinking

Plus BL40, BL60, CV17, CV6, GB21, KD3, KI1 and LI11 — 16 guides in total.

Does Acupressure Work? What the Research Says

Summary of the strongest published evidence, condition by condition. Full citations on our evidence review.

All research →
Strongest

Nausea & vomiting

The long-running Cochrane systematic review of P6/PC6 stimulation found non-invasive stimulation reduces post-operative nausea and vomiting — the strongest evidence on this site.

Lee & Fan, Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2009

Promising

Pain

Systematic reviews of acupressure for pain, including back, neck, and headache, describe the evidence as promising but limited in quality, with many small or difficult-to-blind trials.

Chen & Wang, 2014

Positive

Anxiety

A systematic review and meta-analysis of acupressure for anxiety found a positive overall direction of effect while calling for more high-quality trials.

Chen HM et al., 2022

Preliminary

Sleep

A randomized controlled trial found acupressure improved sleep quality in nursing-home residents; the wider evidence base is promising but still preliminary.

Liao et al., 2020

Promising

Headache

A randomized trial found one month of acupressure more effective than a muscle relaxant for chronic headache; review evidence is promising but limited in quality.

Hsieh et al., 2010

Low risk

Safety

Acupressure is generally considered low-risk when performed as described on this site; mild, temporary soreness is possible. Serious adverse events in controlled trials are rare.

Across the studies cited on this site

The bottom line: the strongest evidence supports acupressure for post-operative nausea and vomiting, and reviews describe the evidence for pain, anxiety, and sleep as promising but limited in quality. It has a good safety record when performed as described on this site. Acupressure is a complement to medical care, not a replacement. See the full evidence review for caveats and citations.

How Acupressure Compares

Choosing the right practice starts with knowing the difference.

Acupressure vs Acupuncture

Same points and meridians, different delivery. Needles require a licensed practitioner; pressure you can do yourself anytime.

Compare the two →

Acupressure vs Massage

Massage relaxes whole muscle groups with broad strokes. Acupressure targets specific points for local and referred effects.

See the differences →

Relief in three steps

No equipment. No appointments. Just your own two hands.

01

Locate

Find your point with the location photos and landmark guides in each point page.

02

Press

Apply firm, steady pressure for 45–60 seconds with small circular motions.

03

Breathe

Breathe deeply through each hold. Repeat 1–3 times, both sides where it applies.

Master the full technique →

Acupressure Safety

Know before you press. No serious adverse events have been reported in controlled trials — but a few groups need extra caution.

During pregnancy

LI4, SP6, BL60 and GB21 can stimulate uterine contractions and should be avoided. PC6, Yintang and HT7 are safe for symptoms like morning sickness and anxiety — always confirm with your OB-GYN first.

Pregnancy safety guide →

Who should avoid it

Avoid over open wounds, burns, varicose veins, surgical sites and active infection. Use light pressure with blood thinners, and ask a doctor if you have a clotting disorder or recent surgery.

Full contraindications →

Learning Center

Everything you need to go from curious to confident.

Enter the Learning Center →

Benefits

What acupressure can — and cannot — help with, based on evidence.

Techniques

Step-by-step methods: pressure, duration, patterns and routines.

Research

The evidence base behind each condition, with full references.

History

Three millennia of healing, from imperial China to modern clinics.

Written and edited by the Acupressure Guide Editorial Team, with verifiable medical references and safety guidance. Read more about how we research and review content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions we hear most.

What is acupressure? ▾
Acupressure is a self-administered technique from Traditional Chinese Medicine. You apply firm finger pressure to specific points on the body — called acupoints — that lie along energy channels known as meridians. Unlike acupuncture, nothing pierces the skin, which makes it safe and easy to learn at home.
How does acupressure work? ▾
In TCM, pressing points clears blocked energy (qi) so it flows smoothly along the meridians. From a modern view, stimulating points activates the body's own pain-modulating pathways, releases tension in surrounding muscle, and shifts the nervous system toward its rest-and-digest state — which helps explain the effects on pain, nausea and anxiety.
Does acupressure actually work? ▾
The evidence is strongest for nausea and vomiting (a Cochrane review of P6 stimulation for post-operative nausea and vomiting), pain, and anxiety. Meta-analyses also support it for sleep and headaches. Studies find it does not work equally for everything — evidence for some conditions is still preliminary — and it should complement, not replace, medical care.
What are the best acupressure points for headaches? ▾
LI4 (Hegu) on the hand and GB20 (Fengchi) at the base of the skull are the two most-studied points for headache relief. Taiyang at the temples helps side-of-head pain, and PC6 is useful when a migraine brings nausea. A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials found acupressure associated with significant reductions in headache intensity and frequency compared with control, though the review noted the supporting trials were small and heterogeneous.
Is acupressure safe? Who should avoid it? ▾
In controlled trials no serious adverse events were reported. Avoid pressure over open wounds, burns, varicose veins, surgical sites and infection. In pregnancy, stay away from LI4, SP6, BL60 and GB21. Use light pressure if you take blood thinners, and check with a doctor if you have a clotting disorder or recent surgery.
What is the difference between acupressure and acupuncture? ▾
Both target the same acupoints and meridians. Acupuncture uses thin needles inserted by a licensed practitioner, and its effects are often described as stronger and longer lasting. Acupressure uses only finger pressure on the surface, so you can practice it on yourself any time — both are complementary tools.
How long should I press an acupressure point? ▾
Most guides recommend firm, steady pressure for 45-90 seconds per point, using small circular motions, repeated 1-3 times on both sides where applicable. You should feel a dull ache or warmth — never sharp pain or bruising. Deep breathing through each hold improves the effect.
Can acupressure help with anxiety and sleep? ▾
The evidence is promising but not definitive. A systematic review and meta-analysis of acupressure for anxiety found a positive overall direction of effect, and a randomized trial found acupressure improved sleep quality in nursing-home residents. Yintang, HT7, SP6 and KI1 are the points most used in these studies.

Medical Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Acupressure is a complementary practice — it cannot diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease and should never delay or replace professional medical care. Consult a licensed healthcare provider before using acupressure, especially if you are pregnant, have a medical condition, or take medication.