9 Pressure Points for Kidney Health

The kidneys are a crucial part of your body. Keeping them in good condition is one of the keys to living a long and healthy life.

To prevent kidney failure, blood filtration issues, kidney stones, and a myriad of other medical conditions from occurring, it’s important to give proper care and attention to these vital organs.

Many things can cause complications within and around your kidneys. Lifestyle and dietary factors, age, and hereditary conditions all play their part.

However, by taking proactive measures such as using acupressure to treat certain pressure points regularly, kidney issues may be safeguarded against and even avoided.

In this article, we’re going to be discussing in detail the top 9 pressure points for kidney health and to avoid the potential for chronic kidney failure.

All pressure points listed here have beneficial effects. They’ll boost not only the kidneys but numerous other parts of your body as well.

Firstly, however, it’s important that we take a look at what exactly the kidneys do within our bodies!

What are the Functions of the Kidneys?

The kidneys are a pair of organs shaped like beans, roughly the size of your fist. The kidneys are found on either side of the spine, beneath the rib cage.

They function as filter systems for our blood. It is said that they process up to half a cup of our blood per minute. From this filtration, excess water and waste products are sent to the bladder as urine.

Urine is not the only waste substance filtered out by the kidneys. They also remove certain acidic compounds from your blood that are by-products of the body’s cell activity.

Healthy kidneys mean a healthy variance of minerals, salts, and water within the blood. Unhealthy kidneys create the opposite, a fluid and nutrient imbalance.

So, what can you do if you believe you are experiencing kidney trouble?

Stimulate Pressure Points to Optimize Kidney Health

If your kidney yin is unbalanced, it is crucial to activating every major kidney pressure point. The symptoms that you may experience when the kidney yin is off-center are too numerous to list in full.

However, some of the most common are:

• Lower back pain
• Ringing in the ears, also known as tinnitus
• Infertility
• General redness of the cheeks
• Memory failure
• Nocturnal dry mouth

These are just a few of the ills that you may suffer if your kidney yin is unbalanced.

There’s a saying, after all: The kidneys are the source of all yin in your body!

An inequity here can cause further trouble for the liver, lungs, heart, and stomach.

It’s therefore vital that you stay vigilant about your kidney health if you want to avoid catastrophic internal damage to your kidney organ. 

This can mean using acupressure to balance your yin, as well as other positive and healthy choices such as a nutritious diet and adequate exercise.

In the following section, we’ve listed descriptions of all essential pressure points for kidneys.

Applying acupressure to these points will rebalance your yin, hopefully bringing ease and comfort back to your life by minimizing the above afflictions!

Here are the Kidney Pressure Points:

1. Kidney 1 (KD 1) - Yongquan or Gushing Spring

Yongquan or Gushing Spring is the first pressure point to lower blood pressure along the kidney meridian line.

When stimulated, this acupoint can calm the mind. It also has the potential to relieve headaches, nausea, and dizziness. These are all symptoms of having an unbalanced kidney yin.

KD 1 can be found on the middle line of the sole of your foot. Find this line and trace ⅓ down your foot, or ⅔ up from your heel. Once located, apply careful but firm pressure!

2. Kidney 3 (KD 3) - Tai Xi or Supreme Stream

Tai Xi is a pressure point that helps to release built-up heat generated by overworked or otherwise unhealthy kidneys.

The release of this heat allows the kidneys to work correctly again in their proper function.

Your Supreme Stream point can be found on the inside of your ankle, near the Achilles tendon.

Place a finger on the rather knobbly bone inside your ankle, then move it straight back towards your Achilles. Once in position, apply pressure firmly for several minutes.

Tai Xi is truly an all-purpose acupoint. In addition to releasing kidney heat, it can also help to relieve menstrual cramps, blurred vision, persistent coughing, dizziness, and more.

3. Kidney 6 (KD 6) - Zhaohai or Shining Sea

Zhaohai is another pressure point for kidneys that is excellent for releasing kidney heat.

Massaging KD 6 releases this heat in tandem with regulating the Yin Quia and calming the Shen. This benefits both the throat and eyes as well!

An experienced practitioner can often detect signs of kidney problems in a patient's eyes.

This is because disrupted kidney function can cause water imbalance, which manifests in the eyes among other places.

Zhaohai can be located by you on the inner point of the ankle, immediately below the high point of the medial malleolus.

More specifically: Press firmly on the foot’s medial aspect, in the depression below the tip of the medial malleolus, to experience Zhaohai’s beneficial effects.

4. Kidney 7 (KD 7) - Fuliu or Returning Current

Fuliu, or Returning Current, is an acupoint of tremendous healing capability.

Located on the medial aspect of the lower leg, directly above KD 3 or Taixi, this pressure point that helps to lower blood pressure also benefits your kidneys immensely.

Acupressure at this point simultaneously strengthens your kidneys and lower back.

It does so by acting against a variety of water imbalances in the body, which are of course a sign of kidney trouble.

By pressurizing your Fuliu, you can relieve dampness, treat edema, and regulate excessive sweating.

Clearly, this acupoint has been named so for a reason. After applying pressure here, your displaced fluids are allowed to return to where they originally came from!

5. Spleen 6 (SP 6) - Sanyinjiao

Sanyinjiao, or SP 6, is a pressure point located on your feet. Specifically, it can be found 4 finger widths (3 inches) above the inner ankle.

Its areas of effect are the lower back and parasympathetic nervous systems.

As we’ve mentioned above, the lower back is directly below the kidneys. This makes Sanyinjiao acupressure treatment very effective in relieving problems caused by problematic kidney function.

Sanyinjiao is also potent for relieving insomnia, which is one of hypertension’s leading causes.

Since remedying high blood pressure is often a case of altering the body’s fluids, treating this acupoint will relieve stress put on the kidneys.

This is vital, as the organs are inextricably linked with our bodies’ fluid filtration processes.

6. Conception Vessel 4 (CV 4 or REN 4) - Guanyuan or Gate of Origin

The Gate of Origin is an acupoint capable of curing a host of disorders that manifest in the pelvic or urinary tract regions.

Conditions of the following nature are all related in some way to the activity of unhealthy kidneys:

• Impotence
• Spermatorrhea
• Enuresis
• Frequent micturition
• Retention of urine

The following can also be relieved and remedied by activation of the Guanyuan pressure point:

• Irregular menstruation
• Postpartum hemorrhage
• Various prolapses
• Diarrhea

This prominent pressure point for kidneys is located 4 finger widths below your belly button.

7. Governor Vessel 4 (GV 4) - Ming Men or Life Gate

 

Ming Men is an acupoint that contributes beneficially to kidney health by relieving the lower back of its stresses and pains.

GV 4 can be found on the spine between the 3rd and 4th lumbar vertebrae, at roughly the level of the navel. The pressure here should be direct and moderate.

When stiffness, rigidity, and pain originate in the lower back, it’s possible for these to spread throughout the abdomen.

However, applying acupressure to Ming Men can relieve this discomfort before it has the chance to migrate around your body!

Additionally, various reproductive issues can be cured through this point. These can include infertility, irregular menstruation, and menstrual pain.

Pressure is also often applied to GV 4 when a patient is experiencing issues of impotence and frigidity.

Finally, remember how the kidneys can acquire a build-up of heat? This pressure point can effectively relieve that burning feeling, as well as any freezing sensations!

8. Bladder 23 (B 23 or BL 23) - Shenshu or Kidney Shu, or Sea of Vitality

Shenshu is another acupressure point located along the bladder meridian.

Like many of the other points listed above, Shenshu can be used to ease lower back pain and muscle stiffness.

With B 23, there are two pressure points that you can locate to treat yourself.

On your lower back, trace two finger-widths out from your spine to the left side or to the right. This will be at approximately the same height as your belly button.

Each acupoint has the capability to cure its own side of aches, pains, strains, and other stresses.

9. Large Intestine 4 (LI 4) - Hegu or Union Valley

 

Hegu or Union Valley is an acupoint that does not affect the kidneys directly.

Instead, it works by healing and relaxing other ills throughout the body. The kidneys, as a result, also see a significant boost.

So what does the Hegu point help with?

It is one of those pressure points with a near-endless array of medical potential.

From the top down, massaging this point can help to relieve pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulders, headaches.

If you are having trouble going to sleep, activating this pressure point can also help you relax and sleep more soundly. Toothaches, sinus pain, and constipation can also be effectively treated.

As you can see, Hegu is an incredibly versatile acupressure point capable of relieving all kinds of pain.

So, where can it be found?

Look at the back of your hand, and find the groove between your forefinger and thumb. Press on this point.

How to Massage the Pressure Points for Kidney Health

For all the pressure points above, these are the steps to apply pressure and massage for relief:

1. On the pressure point, place your thumb or 1-2 fingers. The most popular fingers for applying pressure are the index and middle fingers.

2. Press and hold for 5 seconds on the pressure point. Take slow, deep breaths while applying pressure.

3. Slowly and gently start to massage the point using a circular motion for 2 minutes.

4. Repeat the pressure and massage cycle 5 times for each pressure point.

You can repeat the cycle a few times throughout the day for additional relief.

What to Eat to Keep the Kidneys Healthy

(Black Fungus)

A healthy kidney diet is an easy answer to kidney health. Foods high in natural melanin work well to keep your kidneys healthy. Foods such as:

• Black Fungus: Cools down blood to the effect of kidney tonification.
• Black Dates: Contain nutrients vital to kidney nourishment.
• Black Beans: High in natural unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and melanin.

Consistently drinking plenty of water will also lower the risk of developing kidney stones, and flush out other poison simultaneously.

Foods that are low in potassium are also recommended for maintaining kidney health. These can include:

• Bell Peppers: Full of vitamins A, C, and B6, as well as being naturally low in potassium
• Cranberries: Compounds within them will fight to prevent ulcers and bacteria in the urinary tract
• Plant-based Proteins: Beans, nuts, and grains all benefit the heart and blood pressure

In Conclusion

Kidney health is not just about the organs themselves, but the entire body. Acupressure is Traditional Chinese Medicine that has been used for centuries to offer pain relief and improve blood circulation for increased energy. 

Pressure points for kidney health have the potential to cure a variety of other ailments that may occur anywhere in your body.

The body is a connected system and must be treated as such. Taking advantage of the interrelated meridian lines and their healing properties can contribute to a healthier overall body.

Therefore, dietary choices that benefit the heart and blood pressure are essential to kidney health. Foods rich in compounds that stimulate the kidneys themselves are also just as important.

Combine the right acupressure regimen with a good diet, and you’ll be well on your way to a healthier life.

 

 

Sources:

• https://joyretcmedispa.com/tips-to-taking-care-of-your-kidney/
• http://mendacupuncture.com/home-remedy-kidney-1/
• https://stramcenter.com/blog/blog-detail/point-of-the-month-kidney-3/
• https://tcmtips.com/5-essential-acupressure-points-for-kidney-according-to-a-tcm-practitioner/
• https://www.modernreflexology.com/acupressure-points-kidney-bladder/