What is an Acupressure Point?
Acupressure is an old healing practice. You use your fingers to press key points on the body and ease pain and tension. People in Asia have used it for centuries, for all sorts of illnesses. These days plenty of people turn to it for pain and stress.
The points sit in the same places as acupuncture points. The difference is the tool. No fine needles here. Finger pressure can work just as well to release blocked energy and tension from nerve endings.
Location matters because a point only relieves pain or discomfort if you massage it in the right spot. Most points for pain sit on specific meridians. A few don’t link directly to an organ or body part at all. Those are the ones you really need to learn properly, so you can find them again.
People often use points in combination to relieve pain. And you don’t need to press hard. A light touch with the fingertips is often all it takes.
A few ways people actually use acupressure:
NECK AND SHOULDER PAIN RELIEF –
That tender, sensitive area around your upper trapezius muscle? Press it right and it feels great.
Support the back of your head with one hand. With the other hand, use your thumb and forefinger on the neck muscles that run up either side of your spine. Press in gently but firmly.
You’ll probably feel deep tension right under your fingers. Try slowly rotating your head in a circle while you press. It helps the muscles let go.
– That tender spot around your upper trapezius really does feel better once you stimulate it properly.
BACK AND NECK PAIN RELIEF –
A lot of us carry stress in the upper back, especially the trapezius muscles. Press with your thumbs, gently but firmly, at the base of your neck where it meets your shoulders. Hold for several minutes, until the pain starts to ease.
You can also put one hand on each side of the neck and press lightly against the bone, fingertips pushing in towards the spine.
HEADACHE RELIEF –
Headaches are where a lot of people start with this. Use your thumb and first two fingers to press gently but firmly on either side of your head, just above your temples.
Or press down on the bridge of your nose with the thumb and first finger of one hand. Hold for a minute or two, until the pain eases off.
FOOT PAIN RELIEF –
Press down on the arch of your foot with your thumb and first two fingers. You can also massage the sole of your foot in small circles.
Plenty of other points help with pain too. Try a few techniques and see what works for your body. Use it regularly and acupressure tends to become a normal part of how you look after yourself.
If you’re living with chronic pain, don’t write it off as something you just have to accept. It’s one of the most common problems people deal with, and plenty of natural remedies for pain relief actually help.
Acupressure is one of the simplest options. It’s a natural healing method, it takes just a few minutes, and anyone can do it at any time. Work the points regularly and most people feel a clear difference from where they started.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Jian Times
Last updated: October 22, 2026