AcupressurePointsfor

ColdsandFlu
Coldsarecausedbyvirusesthatthriveinyournoseand
throatwhenthetemperature,acidity,andmoisturesuitthem.When
youarerundownandyourresistanceislow,yourabilitytoadapt
toenvironmentalchangesweakens,makingiteasiertocatcha
cold,andthemucousmembranesbecomeaperfectbreeding
groundforviruses.Coldsymptomsarethebody'sattemptto
protectitselffromtheseintruders.Whenavirusentersyournose,
forinstance,thebodysecretesmoremucustoflushitaway.
Becauseacupressurestimulatesyourbodytoexpelthevirus
morequickly,itmayseematfirstthatyourcoldisworsening.But
yourbodyissimplyprogressingthroughthesymptomsfasterthan
usual.Althoughacupressurecannotcureacold,workingoncertain
pointscanhelpyougetbetterquickerandincreaseyourresistance
tofuturecolds.

AcupressurePoints
forSeasonalChanges

PotentpointB36,calledBearingSupport,isespeciallygoodforstimulatingthebody'snatural
resistancetocoldsandflus.It'slocatednearthespine,offthetipsoftheshoulderblades.Accordingto
traditionalChinesemedicine,windandcoldentertheporesoftheskinatthispoint.1Themusclesinthis
upperbackareatendtogettensejustbeforeacoldorflutakeshold.2
Recently,oneofmybestfriends,arealtor,wassufferingfromabadcoldwithastuffynose,ahacking
cough,puffinessaroundhiseyes,andapallidcomplexion.Hehadn'tsleptwelltheprevioustwonights
becauseofthesediscomfortsandwasverytired.AfterIbrieflymassagedhisupperback,shoulders,neck,
andchest,Ishowedhimhowtopressthedecongestionpointsunderneaththebaseofhisskullandonhis
face.Ialsotoldhimtodrinkgingerteaatleasttwiceaday.WhenIsawJohnthenextday,hetoldmehe
hadsleptsoundlyandfeltmuchmorerefreshed.Hiseyeslookedmuchclearer,andalreadyhewasno
longercoughingandblowinghisnose.

PotentPointsforRelievingColdsandFlu
DrillingBamboo(B2)

Location:Intheindentationsoftheeyesockets,oneithersideofwherethebridgeofthenosemeets
theridgeoftheeyebrows.
Benefits:Relievescolds,sinuscongestion,frontalheadaches,andtiredeyes.

FacialBeauty(St3)

Location:Atthebottomofthecheekbone,directlybelowthepupil.
Benefits:Relievesstuffynose,headcongestion,burningeyes,eyefatigue,andeyepressure.

WelcomingPerfume(LI20)

Location:Oneithercheek,justoutsideeachnostril.
Benefits:Relievesnasalcongestion,sinuspain,facial

Benefits:Relievesnasalcongestion,sinuspain,facial
paralysis,andfacialswelling.

CrookedPond(LI11)

Location:Attheouterendoftheelbowcrease.
Benefits:Relievescoldsymptoms,fever,constipation,and
elbowpainstrengthenstheimmunesystem.

JoiningtheValley(Hoku)(LI4)

Caution:Thispointisforbiddenforpregnantwomenbecauseitsstimulationcancausepremature
contractionsintheuterus.
Location:Atthehighestspotofthemuscleonthebackofthehandthatprotrudeswhenthethumb
andindexfingerareclosetogether.
Benefits:Relievescolds,flu,headcongestion,constipation,andheadaches.

GatesofConsciousness(GB20)

Location:Belowthebaseoftheskull,inthehollowsonbothsides,twotothreeinchesapart
dependingonthesizeofthehead.
Benefits:Relievesheadaches,headcongestion,arthritis,neckpain,andirritability.

WindMansion(GV16)

Location:Inthecenterofthebackofthehead,inthelargehollowunderthebaseoftheskull.
Benefits:Relievesheadcongestion,redeyes,mentalstress,headaches,andstiffneck.

ThirdEyePoint(GV24.5)

Location:Directlybetweentheeyebrows,intheindentationwherethebridgeofthenosemeetsthe
centerofyourforehead.
Benefits:Relievesheadcongestion,stuffynose,andheadaches.

ElegantMansion(K27)

Location:Inthehollowbelowthecollarbonenexttothebreastbone.
Benefits:Relieveschestcongestion,breathingdifficulties,coughing,
andsorethroats.

PotentPointExercises

Youdonothavetouseallofthesepoints.Usingjustoneortwoofthemwheneveryou
haveafreehandcanbeeffective.
Liedownonyourbackorsitcomfortably.
Step1
PressintoB2:Useyourthumbsontheupperridgeofyoureyesockettopressintotheslighthollow
nearthebridgeofyournoseforoneminute.Closeyoureyesandtakeafewdeepbreaths,lettingthe
weightofyourheadrelaxforwardontoyourthumbs.


Step2
PressSt3andLI20:Placebothofyourmiddlefingersbesideyour
nostrilsandyourindexfingersnexttothemgraduallypressupand
underneaththecheekbonesforoneminute.Youcaneasilyteachthisstep
toyourchildtohelprelievenasalcongestion.

Step3
PressbothLI11:Bendyourarmandplaceyourthumbattheendofthe
elbowcreaseontheoutsideofyourforearm.Curveyourfingerstopress
firmlyintotheelbowjointforoneminute.Repeatonyouroppositearm.

Step4
PressLI4firmly:Spreadyourleftthumbandindexfingerapart.
Placeyourrightthumbinthewebbingonthebackofyourlefthand
andyourfingertipsonthepalmdirectlybehindyourthumb.Firmly
squeezeyourthumbandindexfingerofyourrighthandtogetherto
pressintothewebbing.Anglethepressuretowardthebonethat
connectswithyourleftindexfinger,andholdforoneminute.Then
switchhands.

Step5
FirmlypressGB20:Nowcloseyoureyesandplaceyourthumbs
underneaththebaseofyourskull,twotothreeinchesapart.Slowlytilt
yourheadbackandapplypressuregradually,holdingthepositionfor
oneminutetofullyreleasetheseimportantcoldreliefpoints.

Step6
FirmlypressGV16:Placethetipsofyourmiddlefingersintothe
hollowinthecenterofthebaseofyourskull.Keepingyourfingerson
thepoint,inhaleasyoutiltyourheadbackandexhaleasyourelaxyour
headforward.Continuetoslowlyrockyourheadbackandforward,and
breathedeeplywhileyouholdthisimportantpointforrelievinghead
congestion.

Step7
TouchtheGV24.5:Bringyourpalmstogetheranduseyourmiddleandindexfingerstolightly
touchtheThirdEyePointlocatedbetweenyoureyebrows.Breathedeeplyas

touchtheThirdEyePointlocatedbetweenyoureyebrows.Breathedeeplyas
youholdthispointforbalancingyourendocrinesystem.

Step8
FirmlypressK27:Placeyourfingertipsontheprotrusionsofyour
collarbone,thenslideyourfingersdownandoutwardintothefirst
indentationinbetweenthebones.Pressintothishollowasyoubreathe
deeplyandvisualizethecongestionclearing.

PotentPointsforRelievingCoughing

Asevere,repeated,oruncontrolledcoughcanbeharmfulandyoushouldalwaysconsultaphysician.
Manyillnessessuchasinfluenza,pneumonia,andchronicbronchitiscanbecomeseriousifthecondition
continuesunattended.
Sometimes,yourphysicianwillfinditadvisabletoattempttosuppressacoughtopreventfurther
irritationofthebronchialtubes.Coughmedicationsmaybeused,butacupressurecanbeaneffective
adjuncttherapy.Duringacoughingfit,manyofthelargemusclegroupsintheupperbackareacango
intoaspasm.Specificpointsonthechest,throat,neck,andupperbackbenefittherespiratorysystem,
relaxyourbody,andrelievecoughs.

VitalDiaphragm(B38)

Location:Betweentheshoulderbladeandthespineatthelevelof
theheart.
Benefits:Relievescoughing,breathingdifficulties,andrespiratory
problems.Thiscalmingpointalsohelpsbalancetheemotions.

DingChuan(ExtraPoint17)

Location:Tothesideandalittleabovethevertebrathatprotrudesatthetopofthespinewhenthe
headistilteddownward.
Benefits:Relievesthroatproblems,coughing,shoulderandneckpain,andthyroidimbalances.

HeavenlyPillar(1310)

Location:Onehalfinchbelowthebaseoftheskullontheropymusclesonehalfinchoutfromeither
sideofthespine.
Benefits:Relievessorethroat,stress,burnout,overexertion,andheavinessinthehead.

HeavenRushingOut(CV22)

Location:AtthebaseofthethroatinthelargehollowdirectlybelowtheAdam'sapple.

Location:AtthebaseofthethroatinthelargehollowdirectlybelowtheAdam'sapple.
Benefits:Relievesdrycough,bronchitis,sorethroat,chestcongestion,andheartburn.

ElegantMansion(K27)

Location:Inthehollowbelowthecollarbonenexttothebreastbone.
Benefits:Relieveschestcongestion,breathingdifficulties,asthma,coughing,andanxiety.
(Youdonothavetouseallofthesepoints.Usingjustoneortwoofthemwheneveryouhaveacough
canbeeffective.)

PotentPointExercises

Althoughmanyofthefollowingpointscanbeheldwhileyouare
sitting,itispreferabletoliedowncomfortablyonyourback.
Step1
HoldbothK27points:Placeyourfingertipsonyourchestand
firmlypressintotheindentationsdirectlybelowtheprotrusionsofthe
collarbone.Thisisanotherpointthatyoucaneasilyteachachild.

Step2
Usetennisballs3onB38:Placetwosmallrubberballsortennis
ballstogetheronacleancarpet.Liedown,placingtheballsbetween
yourshoulderbladesatthelevelofyourheart.Closeyoureyesandtake
threelong,deepbreathsasyoucontinuetopresstheK27pointson
yourupperchest.

Step3
Firmlypressextrapoint17:Slowlyrollthetennisballsafew
incheshighertowardthebaseofyourneck.Ifthetennisballstendto
slip,oryouaren'tusingthem,Simlyusebothmiddlefingerstopress
thisimportantacupressurepointatthebaseoftheneck.

Step4
HoldbothB10pointsandCV22:PressB10ontheupperneckwithonehand,usingthefingertips.
UseyourotherhandtolightlyholdCV22,aninchbelowthebaseoftheAdam'sapple,pressinglightlyat
adownwardangle.Closeyoureyesandbreathedeeplyasyouvisualizehealingenergysoothingyour
throat.

ForSoreThroatsandCoughing

Asmallpieceoffreshgingercanbeoneofthemostnaturalandeffectivewaysforsoothingasore
throat.Simplyplaceaverythinsliceoffreshgingeronthebackofyourtongue.Ifyourthroatissensitive
andthegingerfeelshot,useasmaller,thinnerpieceandplaceitfartherbacktowardyourthroat.Keepthe
gingerinthebackofyourthroatfortenminutes.Repeatwithafreshpieceseveraltimesadayasneeded.
Aquartercupofchoppedgingercanalsobesimmeredinafewcupsofwaterandusedasateafor
soothingcoughsandsorethroats.

AdditionalPointsforRelievingColdsandFlu
1FelixMann,TreatmentofDiseasebyAcupuncture(London:WilliamHeinemannMedicalBooks,

Ltd.,1976),32,37.
2FormoreinformationandselfhelptechniquesforcoldsandfluseeMichaelReedGach,AcuYoga
(Tokyo:JapanPublications,1981)pp.138142.
3Thisstepisoptional.Ifyoudon'thavetennisballsorapairofsmallrubberballs,feelfreetoskip
thispoint.