Acupressure for Back & Neck Pain

In honor of the winter season, below are some acupressure points on the Bladder and Kidney meridians. These organs are associated with the Water element in Chinese medicine, which is responsible for our longevity. Wear and tear, chronic stress, and sometimes genetics can result in deficient Kidney qi. Low back pain is probably the most common issue people come to see me for, and it usually results from some kind of imbalance in the Water element. Neck pain is another common issue, which sometimes corresponds to a stagnation in the Bladder channel. The points below can be helpful for providing low back and neck pain relief, in addition to a number of other uses.

General Tips for Applying Acupressure

Apply acupressure by pressing your knuckle or the pad of your thumb into the point, ensuring you feel tenderness. Feel free to palpate around until you find the most tender spot in the vicinity. Hold or pulse pressure. You can use your nail for more acute pressure, although the points listed below are well-suited to pressure from the thumb or knuckle.

Bladder 60: Kunlun (昆仑) | Kunlun Mountain

Location: Locate this point by placing a finger at the crest of the outer ankle bone, then sliding off towards the back of the leg into the “gully” there. This point lies about halfway between the crest of the ankle and the Achilles tendon.

Uses: This point also strongly “descends qi” and can be used for high blood pressure; headache particularly at the crown of the head; and stagnation in the Bladder channel resulting in a stiff neck/shoulders, back pain, and/or sciatica. The Fire point on the Bladder channel, it helps draw heat down from the head and upper body—which may result in emotional hotheadedness or a physically red face and eyes, paired with high blood pressure and/or headache. Bladder 60 is also useful for promoting labor.

Note: avoid strongly stimulating Bladder 60 during pregnancy, unless trying to promote labor.

Kidney 3: Tai Xi (太谿) | Supreme Stream

Location: This point mirrors Bladder 60; find it by placing a finger at the crest of the inner ankle bone, then sliding off towards the back of the leg into the “gully” there. This point lies about halfway between the crest of the ankle and the Achilles tendon.

Uses: Kidney 3 is a strengthening and nourishing point. It is good for low back pain, particularly when there is deficiency involved—wear and tear, degeneration, old age, and/or chronic cases. It can also help with certain cases of insomnia, asthma, urinary issues, and high blood pressure.

Bladder 10: Tian Zhu (天柱) | Celestial Pillar

Location: This is located on the back of the neck, just below where it meets the skull. Find this point by feeling for the knob at the base of the skull above the spine (the occipital protuberance), then dropping about a thumbnail length’s down (over the first cervical vertebra) and a thumbnail length’s over to either side. This is just within the hairline, in the trapezius muscle.

Uses: This is known as a Window of the Sky point, one of several around the head and neck that can help shed light on patterns we’re stuck in and bring a new perspective. It may also be used for mental illness such as schizophrenia, or simply for calming the mind. On a physical level, it’s good for headaches, neck pain, and tremors.