Top 10 Acupressure Points For Fertility
One of my favorite techniques to teach the women I work with is acupressure. This ancient Asian technique is extremely powerful and can be pretty simple to learn.
I remember the day clearly when my first migraine hit me. I was 20 years old and working in a restaurant waiting tables when bam! The pain hit me out of nowhere and it was unbearable, I could hardly see or move. And at the same time, I wanted to run out of the restaurant because of the smells, the noise, and the bright lights.
Thankfully, one of the women I worked with knew just what to do. She sat me down, pressed two points hard in the back of my head with her thumb and forefinger while pressing on my forehead with her other hand. She did this for about 2-3 minutes, and to my amazement the pain began receding until it was just blip in the back of my head.
Afterwards, I remember being in total awe of this technique. I went from feeling like my head was going to explode and I was going to vomit to feeling almost back to normal in a few short minutes. It was amazing. When I asked her how she did this, she told me it was an acupressure technique she had learned to combat her own migraines.
This was my first introduction into just how powerful acupressure could be. Now, almost 25 years later, I have since had many many similar powerful experiences with acupressure both on myself and with the patients I have worked with.
What is Acupressure?
Developed over 5,000 years ago in Asia, acupressure is a type of bodywork therapy. It utilizes finger pressure at very specific points to help guide the body to heal or balance itself. These specific points on the body are areas where nerves, muscles, and connective tissue can be stimulated to produce specific physiological effects. Additionally, and maybe more importantly, it is also where a person’s qi, or life force, can be accessed as well.
With well chosen points, acupressure can be useful in helping improve almost any health issue, including fertility, hormone imbalance, anxiety/depression, insomnia, pain, low energy, and so much more.
In my clinical practice, it is one of my favorite techniques that I love to teach women who are looking for help to regulate their hormones and boost their fertility. It is a technique that you can easily learn and do on yourself virtually anywhere.
How To Do Acupressure
Doing acupressure on yourself is pretty simple. In fact, you’ve probably already used it without actually knowing you’re doing it. Have you ever pressed on both sides of your temples to help decrease the discomfort of a headache? Well, that place on either temple is actually an acupressure point, and one of the main functions is to relieve headache pain.
Once you have chosen your specific points, apply direct finger pressure to each area. The pressure should be strong enough that if feels like a good type of sore sensation, but never too painful. You’ll then want to provide a firm, steady pressure to each point for about 1-2 minutes. Repeat on the other side of the body.
I recommend choosing 2-3 specific acupressure points to begin with, depending on what’s going on with your body and what you would like to focus on at that time.
There are some points to avoid after ovulation (if you are currently trying to conceive) and if you are pregnant, so make sure to avoid stimulating these if applicable.
Top 10 Self-Acupressure Points For Fertility
The points below are all useful when preparing your body for pregnancy. They are all points which you can reach on your own, so are all located on the front side of your body. The first five points can be stimulated anytime. With the last five points, avoid doing acupressure on them in pregnancy or in the luteal phase if you are actively trying to conceive.
Yin Tang - This point is located in between the eyebrows at the ‘third eye’ location. It is a very useful point for stress, anxiety and insomnia. If you also need help focusing, it’s a great point to stimulate for this as well.
Liver 3 - This point is located on the dorsum of the foot (top side), in the webbing between the first and second toe. This point helps regulate the menstrual cycle, benefits the ovaries and uterus, helps build the blood, and also helps with headaches, stress/anxiety, and insomniar.
Stomach 36 - This point is located below the kneecap, about one fingerbreadth lateral to the boney edge of your lower leg bone (tibia). This is a wonderful point to build your vital life force (qi) and your blood. It is a particularly great point to stimulate for women over 35 trying to conceive as it benefits the Kidney yin. And, it is also a point that can help ‘calm the spirit’ or balance emotions.
Kidney 9 - This point is called the ‘beautiful baby’ point and is said that when it is used it will help produce a beautiful baby. The location is on the lower part of the inner leg, about a third of the way between the inner ankle and inner knee. It helps calm the mind, so is useful with anxiety and fear. It also helps to build the blood in the body.
Ren 12 - This point is located on the upper abdomen midline, about a hands-widths length above the belly button. The Ren channel, also called the Conception channel, is an important channel for female and male fertility. This point benefits the uterus and ovaries, and helps regulate the qi. It is also a useful point if you have issues with digestion such as bloating, gas, or reflux.
Ren 3 - This point is located on the lower abdomen midline, about a hands-widths length below the belly button. The Ren channel, also called the Conception channel, is an important channel for female and male fertility. This point regulates the menstrual cycle, benefits the uterus and ovaries, and builds the reproductive qi of the body. Caution with deep stimulation of this point in the luteal phase of the cycle if actively trying to conceive and avoid with pregnancy.
Ren 4 - This point is located on the lower abdomen midline, about 4 finger-widths below the belly button. The Ren channel, also called the Conception channel, is an important channel for female and male fertility. This point assists fertility, benefits the uterus, and is especially useful for older women trying to conceive. It also strongly helps build the qi, or life force, of the body. Caution with deep stimulation of this point in the luteal phase of the cycle if actively trying to conceive and avoid with pregnancy.
Ren 6 - This point is located on the lower abdomen midline, about two finger-widths below the belly button. The Ren channel, also called the Conception channel, is an important channel for female and male fertility. This point’s name translates to Sea of Qi, so it is especially important in building the qi of the body up and helps to build our body’s reserve tank. It also helps to build the blood, regulate hormones, and treats a large variety of gynecological disorders. Caution with deep stimulation of this point in the luteal phase of the cycle if actively trying to conceive and avoid with pregnancy.
Zi Gong - This point’s name is translated as ‘Palace of the Child’ and is one used often with fertility. It is located in the lower abdomen, about a full hands-width below the belly button and another hands-breadth lateral to this on either side of the stomach. Zi gong regulates the menstrual cycle and benefits the uterus and ovaries. It also helps regulate the qi. Caution with deep stimulation of this point in the luteal phase of the cycle if actively trying to conceive and avoid with pregnancy.
Spleen 6 - This point is located on the inner part of the lower leg, about four finger-widths above the inner ankle. This is a widely used point for regulating the menstrual cycle and boosting fertility. It also benefits the uterus and ovaries. It’s also useful in calming the mind, so it is also useful with anxiety/stress and insomnia. Avoid use of this point in the luteal phase of the cycle if actively trying to conceive and avoid with pregnancy.
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