Acupressure Points for Constipation Our Little Secret:
Most of us have been constipated at some point. We just don’t like talking about it, so it stays a little secret. For some people it’s constant, and it hurts. There are a few natural ways to get relief, and pressing specific acupressure points is one of them.
Plenty of people rely on regular medication to keep their bowels moving, and quite often the food they eat is what caused the problem in the first place. Constipation is usually described as fewer than three bowel movements a week, but it means different things to different people.
Acupressure Points for Constipation:
For some, it’s hard to pass stool. For others, it’s going irregularly. Some people link it to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or to the more familiar word diarrhea. Young or old, anyone can get it, and acupressure is a handy way to get the bowels moving naturally.
Acupressure Points for Constipation Infographic:
How to Prevent Constipation:
Pair acupressure with a few everyday habits and you’ll have a much better chance of keeping constipation away. They are:
- Drink at least six to eight glasses of water a day. That’s a good rule for staying hydrated, especially when you’re adding fiber to your diet
- Get enough fiber from fruit, grains, and vegetables. Your bowels need it. Add it gradually, though, or you may end up feeling gassy and bloated.
- Exercise regularly
- Exercise regularly
- Pile on the veggies. Make sandwiches with roasted vegetables, or take a salad instead of fries with your meal.
- Swap your white bread, white pasta, and white rice for grains
The Best Acupressure Points for Constipation:
The points below can help ease your symptoms, and you don’t have to use them all at once. One or two at a time is plenty, whenever you have a free hand.
Joining the Valley or Large Intestine 4 (LI4)
If you’re pregnant, skip Joining the Valley, the Large Intestine 4 point. It could cause premature contractions in the uterus. You’ll find it at the highest point of the muscle on the back of your hand, where your thumb and index finger come close together.
Press on both hands for one to two minutes and breathe deeply. People use it for constipation, and also for toothaches, arthritis, labor pain, headaches, eye problems, allergies, and chronic pain.
The Crooked Pond or Large Intestine 11 (LI11)
The Crooked Pond, LI11, sits on the outer side of the elbow crease, and it’s a strong point for quick relief from constipation. Press firmly for one minute while you breathe deeply.
Then switch arms and work the same point on the other side. It’s also used for fever, indigestion, skin diseases, heat stroke, and constipation.
Center of Power or the Conception Vessel 12 (CV12)
The Center of Power, or CV 12, is another important point for digestive problems. You’ll find this reflexology point on the midline of your body, halfway between the base of your breastbone and your belly button. Work it gently, for two minutes only, and no more.
Press this point on an empty stomach. If you have cancer, heart disease, or hypertension, leave this one alone. It’s used to ease abdominal spasms, indigestion, emotional stress, jaundice, vomiting, insomnia, heartburn, and constipation.
The Sea of Qi or Conception Vessel 6 (CV6)
The Sea of Qi sits three finger-widths below your belly button. Use your fingertips on it, and don’t press more than one inch deep. You’ll feel something firm under your fingers. Hold the pressure for 30 seconds, breathe deeply, and close your eyes if you can. People use this point for:
- Pain in the abdomen
- Constipation
- Gas
- Hernia treatment
- Irregular menstruation
- Fatigue
- Digestive disorders
- And impotence in men
The Three Mile Point or Stomach 36 (ST36)
The Three Mile Point, ST36, is another good one. It helps with constipation and intestinal disorders, strengthens the whole body, and promotes indigestion. Look for it four finger widths below your kneecap and one finger width out from the outside of your shinbone. You’re in the right spot if you feel your muscles flex when you move your foot up and down. Press with your palms and rub briskly for one minute, on both legs.
People also use this point for the following:
- Pre-Menstrual Stress
- Nervousness
- Insomnia
- Strengthens the whole body
- Relieves intestinal disorders
- Aids digestion
- Constipation
The Inner Gate Point or Pericardium 6 (PC6):
You’ll find the Inner Gate point, PC6, on the inner side of your hand, four finger widths below your wrist, in the hollow between the tendons. Press it for one minute, then switch to the other arm. This point is also used for motion sickness, nausea, headaches, upset stomach, asthma, chest tightness, angina, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Use these acupressure Points for Constipation and Live Healthy:
Use these acupressure points for constipation, eat well, and exercise regularly, and easing constipation gets a lot easier. Used regularly, it may help your bowels move in a healthy, natural way. If you rely on laxatives, talk to your doctor before changing anything.
Home Remedies for Constipation
What causes constipation? Most of us will deal with it at some point, so it’s worth asking. Put simply, when you don’t go often enough, the feces become hard and difficult to pass. Sometimes that causes bleeding, or a constant feeling of being full.
Sometimes constipation takes turns with diarrhea, with abdominal cramps alongside. In severe cases it can lead to rectal problems and hemorrhoids. And bowels vary a lot from person to person. Three times a day or twice a week can both be normal, as long as the stool passes through the system.
So why does it happen? The first reason is a lack of fiber. You need 30 grams per day. Not drinking enough fluids is another. Stress, medication, digestive disease, and colon cancer can play a part too.
Want to avoid going through that painful experience again? Read on.
Which Foods Cause Constipation
As I said earlier, fiber and fluids every day are your best protection. But some foods work against you. If constipation keeps coming back, you’re better off avoiding them.
- Unripe Bananas— A ripe banana helps prevent constipation, but an unripe one does the opposite. It’s full of starch, which your body finds harder to digest. As the fruit ripens, that resistant starch turns into natural sugar, which is easier to take in. Unripe bananas also contain tannins, and those slow down how fast food moves through your gut.
- Alcohol – who would have thought it could leave your bowel movements irregular? Drink a lot of it and you lose more fluid through urinating, so you get dehydrated. Lose too much water and your risk of constipation goes up. It varies from person to person, mind you. Some people get diarrhea instead.
- Gluten – the nutrients found in grains, barley, rye, and more. Some people are sensitive to foods containing gluten because their immune system attacks their gut, so they have to follow a gluten-free diet. If gluten seems to irritate your bowels, see your doctor and get checked for celiac disease.
- Processed Grains—White bread, rice, and pasta are all processed grains. What happens when the bran and germ are removed during processing? You lose the fiber in the bran, which is exactly what you need to prevent constipation. Cut back on processed grains and swap them, bit by bit, for whole grains.
- Dairy products are another common culprit for some people. Recent studies show that kids aged one to twelve get chronic constipation when they drink a lot of cow’s milk. Once you replace the milk with soymilk, constipation
- Red Meat – Meat carries very little fiber, so it drags your daily fiber intake down. Beef is also fattier, and it takes your body longer to digest.
Which Foods Cause Constipation in Babies
If your child is on formula and eating solids, expect a bowel movement once a day. Breastfed babies are different. Anything from once a day to once a week can be normal for them. So what makes a baby constipated? Chances are it’s the formula, and something in it is doing it.
Breastfed babies get a balance of protein and fat that keeps their stools soft, even when they haven’t had one for days. Try a different brand of formula and see if it helps. Starting solid foods is another common trigger. Rice cereal is low in fiber, and it can cause constipation.
Weaning is one more reason. Coming off breast milk can lead to dehydration. Like adults, babies need the right amount of fluids, and too many processed grains, red Meat, dairy products, and gluten won’t help. To ease things, add prune, apple, and pear juice to their diet.
Foods to Avoid:
- Too much rice
- Bananas
- Cooked carrots
Frequently Asked Questions About Constipation
- Can constipation cause back pain?
Constipation and lower back pain often show up together. If you have a spinal cord injury or irritable bowel syndrome, though, get it checked out.
- Can constipation cause fever?
Constipation itself doesn’t cause a fever under normal circumstances, but the thing causing the constipation can. Bacterial, parasitic, and viral infections are some of the underlying causes.
- Can constipation cause headaches?
Straining through a bowel movement can bring on a headache. So can not eating properly, and low blood sugar. If you’re getting both at the same time, get it checked. Something else may be behind it.
- Does constipation cause heartburn?
Heartburn is a form of acid reflux called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Medication you take for it could cause constipation. Constipation itself, though, does not cause heartburn.
Does Constipation Cause Weight Gain
When you don’t go regularly, you can end up with belly fat, love handles, and saggy skin. Constipation also brings inflammation and a buildup of toxins in your system, and both of those can mess with weight loss in a few ways.
- Garbage Makes Toxic –if you don’t have a bowel movement, waste materials get reabsorbed into the body and you end up with a toxic buildup.
- Bacteria Overgrowth – when you strain to push out poop, pockets form in the colon. The wall muscles contract less, food builds up, and it rots. That buildup lets pathogens grow and produce toxins, which leads to inflammation in the gut.
- Leaky Gut & Inflammation: When the lining of the intestine becomes leaky, food, toxins, and undigested proteins slip through into the bloodstream. Your immune system responds with inflammation, and that affects organs all over the body. It leads to insulin resistance and a higher risk of obesity.
- Blood Sugar Imbalance—Inflammation blocks the insulin receptors, and you become resistant to insulin. Converting calories into energy gets harder, and fat piles up instead. Weight gain and belly fat are the usual signs.
- Thyroid Health—Constipation is often tied to this problem, which can cause inflammation in the body when hormones like estrogen aren’t cleared properly. Estrogen levels rise, thyroid hormone drops, and you pay for it. A healthy thyroid needs a healthy gut. Without one, you can end up with a slow metabolism, constipation, and weight gain.
When is Constipation Dangerous
Most of the time constipation is uncomfortable, short-term, and something you can sort out at home. It turns dangerous when the feces become hard and lodge in your rectum. That can cause bleeding and block the bowel. Get help straight away if you notice any of the following:
- Unbearable abdominal pain. It can point to something bigger, like your appendix, or a bowel that’s obstructed.
- You start vomiting because of the constipation. That’s a sign of fecal impaction blocking the colon. Seek medical attention immediately.
- Your stomach stays bloated and painful for more than a couple of days.
- You notice blood in your stool, which means something is causing rectal bleeding. Maroon, tarry feces are another warning sign.
- You’re still constipated after longer than two weeks.
Final Thoughts
Keep an eye on your constipation, because it may be a symptom of something more serious. A healthy diet, cutting out certain foods, plenty of fluids, and regular exercise will all help. If the problem keeps happening, see your doctor and get it checked out.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Jian Times
Last updated: October 22, 2026