This post is part of an ongoing series on acupressure. If you’re jumping in the middle of this series, please check out our video giving a general introduction to acupressure and how to make these points work for you.
In our computer and gadget filled lifestyle, most common causes of wrist and finger pain are from overuse on devices. Typical conditions include carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain injury (RSI) at the wrist or the knuckles of a heavily-used finger. If you’re looking for how to avoid arthritis or how to avoid RSI in your hands, here are some acupressure points to use.
(Click on any image for a larger version.)
Pericardium-7 & Heart-7
These two points are useful for chronic or sudden wrist pain and numbness that extends into the fingers. These points are found where the skin creases when the hand is bent, in between particular tendons. When pressing them for wrist and hand pain, it is best to press further up on the palm and outward toward the sides of the hand, rather than on the points directly – see the arrows in the photo. (For those with carpal tunnel syndrome, this means you don’t press directly on the carpal tunnel, but instead press out and away toward the palm to open the carpal tunnel.)
Large Intestine-4 & Lung-10
These two points are useful for strained thumbs. Large Intestine-4 is found halfway between the two ends of the long bone (metacarpal) that attaches to the forefinger. Lung-10 is halfway between the two ends of the metacarpal that attaches to the thumb. In both cases, roll off the bone toward the palm and feel around for a sore area.
Large Intestine-3
Large Intestine-3 is a good point for strained forefingers from lots of mouse use. It is found just bordering the knuckle of the forefinger and is often sore if the finger gets many hours of use.
Not certain if these points work well for you? Schedule your consultation and we can find ones that will!
