Why Did You Put That Needle There?

As acupuncturists, we want our patients to have the most relaxing acupuncture experience possible. Of the 361 acupuncture points on the body, my personal favorite to create that "acupuncture calm" during treatments is called Yintang. According to Peter Deadman, author of A Manual of Acupuncture, Yintang was first discussed in the Su Wen, the classic book of Chinese Medicine, in the 3rd century BC. Yintang lies directly between the medial aspects of the eyebrows, and is traditionally used to:

1.      Calm the spirit, treating anxiety, insomnia, and stress

2.      Treat frontal headaches

3.      Alleviate frontal sinus and nasal congestion

In some cultures, Yintang is also the location of the third eye, which is said to relate to our mind center and our innate wisdom. Often patients will say that this one point is the most relaxing point of the whole treatment. 

If you have a lot of stress in your life, acupressure on this point is very helpful to do to continue the effects of your acupuncture sessions. Lightly touch the point with your index and middle fingers and gently activate the point by rotating both clockwise and counterclockwise for 60 seconds or more. Let all of your facial muscles relax and take a deep breath. Do this a few times per day at work or whenever you feel overwhelmed. Pair this with a deep inhale of Lavendar essential oil (preferably an organic brand without artificial perfumes or dyes), and you should feel better immediately!