Acupressure is a practice that has been around for generations in Chinese medicine as a natural method of ensuring proper energy flow within the body. When our energy flow is blocked, the body cannot maintain high energy and combat health issues—using acupressure returns balance to the body and has various benefits.

 

One such benefit is pain management, which the LI4 pressure point is notorious for. This article will discuss the different forms of pain management LI4 acupressure assists with, as well as other benefits it can provide.

 

Locating and Activating the LI4 Pressure Point

LI4 stands for Large Intestine 4 and can also go by the name Hegu.

 

The LI4 pressure point is located in the web between the thumb and pointer finger. You can find it by bringing the thumb and pointer finger together. The highest point of the muscle that pops up when doing this is the pressure point.

 

To activate the LI4 pressure point, use a deep and firm pressure to massage and stimulate the area for four to five seconds. When applying pressure, it is important to relax and breathe deeply while massaging the area.

 

This is a massage that you can do yourself, someone else can do it for you, or you can use an acupressure device such as the Aculief clip.

 

 

In the case of a headache, if it is more prominent on one side of the head, that same side is the hand that should have pressure applied to it. So, if the headache is on the left side of the head, the right hand should apply pressure to the LI4 pressure point on the left hand. For any other type of pain or reason to engage in LI4 acupressure, it does not matter which hand is used.

 

Pain LI4 Acupressure Can Help Relieve

This pressure point is very effective for headaches, pain relief, regulating elimination, and clearing out symptoms in the head and intestines.

 

Some forms of pain relief which the LI4 pressure point has been proven to help with include:

• facial pain
• headaches
• toothaches
• neck pain
• menstrual pain

 

Activating this pressure point can cause someone to go into early labor, so it is not recommended for pregnant women. However, for those already in labor, LI4 acupressure is an effective method of pain management.

 

A 2014 study examined the effect of LI4 acupressure on those in labor to determine if it could be used as a form of pain relief instead of pharmacological methods. This study found that LI4 acupressure was successful at reducing pain and is a beneficial skill for midwives to utilize.

 

More importantly, the World Health Organization states that reducing the maternal fear of childbirth by making the process more enjoyable is important to reduce the rate of cesarean deliveries and promote safe childbirth. One way to encourage maternal ease in the delivery room is by using safe methods to reduce labor pain.

 

Intramuscular pain caused by an injection was also examined during a 2017 study to see if LI4 acupressure showed a significant decrease in pain. The study compared the pain intensity of the control group, which received no pain management, and those who underwent LI4 acupressure. It was found that the pain intensity in those who did LI4 acupressure was significantly less than in the control group.

 

LI4 acupressure can also be used to treat migraines. You can use it both while in the middle of a migraine or when you feel one coming on as a preventative measure. LI4 acupressure can help to relieve some of the major symptoms of migraines, such as nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to lights and sounds.

 

Additional Benefits

In addition to providing pain relief, this pressure point is also very helpful in all areas of detoxification. This includes constipation, food poisoning, diarrhea, and hangovers.

 

The LI4 acupressure point has also been used to treat peripheral circulatory failure, also known as shock. Shock occurs when the body experiences a sudden drop in blood flow and, as a result, someone in shock has extremely low blood pressure. While the person in shock should still be taking to the emergency room since this is a life-threatening condition, LI4 acupressure can help to treat this condition.

 

The reason why this form of acupressure works for shock treatment is because it increases skin blood flow. This helps the body promote blood flow, which combats the drop in blood flow that caused shock.

 

Besides benefits to the physical body, applying pressure to this point also benefits the mind. Stimulating this pressure point is all about elimination and ridding the body of things it does not need. It has the same impact on the mind.

 

Applying pressure to the LI4 pressure point allows us to let go of things that weigh heavy on our mind but are hurtful to hold on to. It can also help us find peace with what has happened while keeping the past from being detrimental to our present.

 

Destructive thoughts of anxiety, distress, and confusion can be cleared away by activating this pressure point, leaving a clean mind leftover. A 2020 study examined the effect of LI4 acupressure on anxiety in military members and found that performing LI4 acupressure was an effective way to reduce anxiety.

 

Final Thoughts

Acupressure is a form of medicine where pressure is applied to specific pressure points of the body. LI4 acupressure involves applying pressure to the LI4 pressure point, which resides between the thumb and pointer finger.

 

LI4 acupressure can provide pain relief for tooth pain, headaches, migraines, muscular injection pain, and labor pain. It has additional benefits such as stress and anxiety relief and treatment of peripheral circulatory failure.

 

The abilities of LI4 acupressure are numerous, and with our Aculief clip, you can easily reap the benefits of LI4 acupressure whenever your body needs it. If you are interested in acupressure for any of the above benefits, visit aculief.com to see how acupressure can improve your well-being.