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Before you read on. This page describes what the Vietnamese tradition does with these points and how people use them on themselves. It is not a treatment, it is not medical advice, and it is not written by a doctor. It does not replace anything your own doctor has told you to do. If what you are feeling is new, severe, or getting worse, please see a doctor first. Read our safety page before you press anything.

Pressure Points

Where the points are, and what each one is for.

Vietnamese acupressure works across the whole body. Each region has its own points, its own technique, and its own cautions.

The regions we teach

Traditional practice does not treat the body as separate parts. A point on the hand can change what happens in the shoulder; a point at the base of the skull can change what happens further down the back. But it helps to learn region by region.

Pressing the points at the temples with both index fingers

Head & face

Points around the temples, the brow, and behind the ears. Often the first place people reach for tension and restless nights.

Pressing a point behind the ear at the base of the skull

Neck & shoulders

Where most people carry the day. Points along the base of the skull and across the top of the shoulders.

Pressing a point at the crown of the head

Crown & upper head

Worked with the fingertips, sitting upright. Traditionally used when the head feels heavy or clouded.

Pressing the point between the eyebrows

Brow & between the eyes

One of the most familiar points in Vietnamese practice, and one of the easiest to find on yourself.

Hands & feet

Reached sitting in a chair, fully clothed, with one hand working on the other — useful when moving is difficult.

Back

Worked either directly or through related points elsewhere on the body, depending on what a person can reach.

The points

We are still filming this section. Rather than publish a half-finished guide to something you will do with your own hands, we would rather get it right.

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Before you press anything. Stop if a point causes sharp pain, numbness, or tingling. Do not press over broken skin, a rash, a recent injury, or a swollen joint. If you are pregnant, taking blood thinners, or managing a health condition, read our safety page first and speak to your doctor.

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