Read this before you start.
This is the page most people skip and the one you should read twice.
Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care. If your pain is new, getting worse, or comes with fever, unexplained weight loss, weakness in a limb, or loss of bladder or bowel control, see a doctor now. Do not press points instead.
Stop immediately if
- a point causes sharp pain rather than a dull ache
- you feel numbness, pins and needles, or shooting pain down a limb
- you feel dizzy, faint, or short of breath
- the skin bruises easily or breaks
Do not press over
- broken skin, a rash, an open wound, or a burn
- a swollen, hot, or acutely inflamed joint
- a recent fracture, sprain, or surgical site
- a mole, lump, or varicose vein
Talk to your doctor first if you
- are pregnant or think you might be
- take blood thinners, or bruise very easily
- have a bleeding disorder, osteoporosis, or fragile skin
- have a pacemaker or any implanted device
- are having cancer treatment
- have diabetes with reduced sensation in the hands
"What if I do it wrong?"
This is the question we are asked most, and the honest answer is reassuring: pressing a point in slightly the wrong place, with gentle pressure, for a short time, is very unlikely to hurt you. The main risk is bruising, and that comes from pressing too hard, not from being an inch off.
Use enough pressure to feel a firm, dull sensation. Never enough to make you wince.
When you are ready
The book covers the same cautions in more detail, on page 5 and again on page 33, and it names exactly where to press and how long for. Free.
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