P. Sze 
Exploring the effectiveness of acupressure points for varicose veins offers a non-invasive and practical solution for those seeking relief from this common condition. Acupressure, an ancient healing art rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine, involves the application of pressure to specific points on the body to promote health and wellbeing. While it is widely recognized for its ability to alleviate various ailments, its role in addressing varicose veins is particularly noteworthy. These twisted, enlarged veins, often appearing on the legs, can lead to discomfort and aesthetic concerns. By understanding and utilizing targeted acupressure points, individuals can actively manage the symptoms of varicose veins, potentially reducing their impact and improving overall skin appearance and leg health.
Acupressure Points For Varicose Veins
Acupressure is effective in healing varicose veins if you know the acupressure points for varicose veins to massage.
Here are the nine acupressure points you can massage by yourself in the comfort of your home to relieve you from varicose veins.
Acupoint: KI-1 (Other Names: Kidney-1/Yong Quan/Gushing Spring)
Acupoint KI-1 is one of the two most effective acupressure points for varicose veins. It is the first of the kidney meridian and is referred to as the bubbling spring of the kidney meridian or Yongquan in Chinese.
This acupuncture point for the kidney is located on the sole, in the depression that is formed when the foot is in a downward motion away from the body, around the junction of the anterior third and posterior two-thirds of the sole.
When you massage acupoint KI-1, it clears the heat in your body, calms your Shen, and tonifies the yin (the feminine energy in your body). Therefore, KI-1 is effective for treating nausea, headaches, unconsciousness, dizziness, constipation, swelling of the pharynx, and dizziness, amongst others.
Acupoint: Bl-57 (Other Names: Urinary Bladder-57/Cheng Shan/Support the Mountain)
Acupoint Bl-57 is the second most effective acupressure point for varicose veins. In Chinese, this acupoint is called Chengshan, which translates to Supporting Mountain in English.
You can find Bl-57 on the bottom midline of the lower leg, in-between UB 40 and UB 60. You’ll have to extend your toes straight or lifting your heel to locate this point, which is also below m. gastrocnemius at the top of the depression.
Bl-57 is of the bladder meridian, which is why massaging this acupoint relaxes the sinews and heals issues in the heel and foot. Clinically, Bl-57 is effective in the treatment of hemorrhoids, constipation, spasm, and pains of the leg.
Here are the top 10 acupressure points to relieve body pains and aches that you should also check out.
Acupoint: KD-7 (Other Names: Kidney-7/Fu Liu/Returning Current)
KD-7 is called Fuliu in Chinese. It is a vital kidney meridian acupoint that is effective for varicose veins. You’ll find KD-7 when you place three forefingers directly above KI-3 on the medial part of the lower leg, before the tendo calcaneus.
This acupressure point for varicose vein, KD-7, is classified as the Jing-River point of the Kidney Meridian. This implies that massaging this point will help invigorate the kidney, regulate how much you sweat, and strengthen your low back.
Therefore, KD-7 is effective in treating medical conditions like Edema, diarrhea, numbness of the lower extremities, and night sweat. You can also improve your hair growth with KD-7 and these other acupressure points for hair growth.
Acupoint: Bl-40 (Other Names: Urinary Bladder-40/Wei Zhong/Middle of the Crook)
Bl-40 is another bladder meridian acupoint that is effective in treating varicose veins. In Chinese, it is referred to as Weizhong, which means Supporting Middle in English. You’ll find Bl-40 at the center of the area that spans the popliteal fossa, between the tendons of the femoris and semitendinosus biceps.
This acupoint is classified as the he-sea point of the urinary bladder which makes it an effective acupoint for treating conditions of the low back and skin problems. Hence, Bl-40 is effective in the treatment of lumbar pain, abdominal pain, rash, furuncle, and pruritus.
Research shows that there is a certain connection between Bl-40 and the brain that can be activated for better brain function through acupuncture.
You should also check out these acupressure points for sciatica.
Acupoint: SP-10 (Other Names: Spleen-10/Xue Hai/Sea of Blood)
SP-10, Xuehai, or Sea of Blood is another effective acupressure point for varicose veins as it relates to the blood. You’ll find this acupoint when you flex your knee, on the center area of the thigh. It is 2.5 inches above the patella mediosuperior border, right on the center portion of m. quadriceps femoris.
When you massage SP-10, you improve the movement of blood in the body, cool blood, regulate menstruation, and activate certain benefits to your skin. Hence, SP-10 is effective in treating eczema, erysipelas, and irregular menstruation.
If you have digestive problems, then you should learn about the liver 13 acupuncture point.
Acupoint: Liv-3 (Other Names: Liver-3/Tai Chong/Supreme Rush)
Liv-3 or Taichong as it is called in Chinese is a liver meridian acupoint that is also effective for varicose veins. You’ll find Taichong on the back of the foot, in the depression close to the first metatarsal space, two fingers away from the intersection of the big toe and the next toe.
This acupoint is classified as the Yuan-Source point of the Liver Meridian. This implies that massing this acupoint helps regulate the functions of the internal organs and eliminate pathogenic factors. Hence, Liv-3 is effective in the treatment of vertigo, swelling of the eye, weakness, headaches, irregular menstruation, and infertile convulsion, amongst others.
Sufficient research shows that stimulating Liv-3, in addition to other acupoints, helps in the management of post-stroke depression.
You can try this reflexology for hip pain if you are experiencing hip pain.
Acupoint: SP-6 (Other Names: Spleen-6/San Yin Jiao/Three Yin Intersection)
SP-6 is another important acupressure point for varicose veins. It is called Sanyinjiao in Chinese or Three Yin Intersection in English because it is the acupoint that passes across the Spleen, Kidney, and Liver meridians.
This acupoint is located at the highest point of the ankle, four fingers above your leg, on the border of the back of the center part of the tibia.
Because of how versatile SP-6 is, it is effective in the treatment of spleen, abdominal distention, headache, dizziness, testicular atrophy, enuresis, and edema. These acupressure points for gas and bloating will help relieve the bloated stomach.
Also, sufficient research exists to support that the stimulation of SP6 is effective in relieving pain and menstrual distress in young women.
Acupoint: ST-36 (Other Names: Stomach-36/Zu San Li/Leg Three Miles)
St-36, Zusanli (in Chinese), or Leg Three Miles is a stomach meridian acupressure point that is also essential to treating varicose veins. You can locate this acupoint by placing four fingers on your lower leg, from the bottom of your knee cap down, around the outer border of your shin bone.
As the he-sea of the Stomach Meridian, St-36 is an acupoint that treats troublesome Qi. It tonifies the Qi and blood, thus helping you live a healthier life.
Hence, in addition to treating varicose veins, St-36 is also effective in treating gastric pain, abdominal distention, borborygmus, diarrhea, indigestion, cough, asthma, and pain in the knee joint. Here are acupressure points for fertility if you have fertility issues.
One research points that when you stimulate ST36, you improve the limbic and paralimbic systems in the brain.
Acupoint: GB-34 (Other Names: Gallbladder-34/Yang Ling Quan/Yang Mound Spring)
Another acupressure point for varicose veins that require as much attention as the others listed is Gb-34. Gb-34 or Yanglingquan in Chinese is a Gall Bladder Meridian acupoint. You’ll find Gb-34 on the sidelong area of the lower leg, in the depression before the head of the fibula. It is located at the point where the sinews converge.
Therefore, stimulating this acupoint will strengthen the sinews and joints as well as move the Liver Qi and stop pains in the body. You can also see this acupressure point for knee pain.
While Gb-34 is clinically effective in treating pains in the hypochondrium, jaundice, and infantile convulsion, existing research shows that Gb-34 is also useful in activating neural responses associated with Parkinson’s disease.
Can Acupuncture Help Spider Veins?
Acupuncture procedures have proved effective in treating spider veins. Spider veins are a milder form of varicose veins. Unlike varicose veins, it is thinner and reddish. It can be bluish in some cases, but it is thinner and harmless.
Research shows that women are more susceptible to spider veins and varicose veins than men. In the USA, about 50 to 55 percent of women have varicose or spider veins compared to about 40 to 45 percent for men.
When weak calf muscle and connective tissue cause blood to pool in your veins, spider veins show up. An acupuncture professional understands that the causative factor for spider veins is related to the spleen network. So, by performing acupuncture on the points corresponding to the spleen, the professional can break up veins and improve the appearance of spider veins.
Who Needs Acupuncture For Varicose Veins?
Generally, anyone who shows symptoms of varicose veins will benefit from acupuncture for varicose veins. Specifically, if you suffer from pain and swelling in your legs or your varicose veins are warm and soft when you touch them, you’ll benefit from acupuncture for varicose veins.
Also, if you have bleeding varicose veins or the skin around your varicose veins are inflamed, colored, or itchy, then you’ll be needing acupuncture.
How Does Acupuncture For Varicose Veins Work?
When an acupuncture professional performs acupuncture procedures on you for varicose veins, your blood will be invigorated and your blood statis will break up. Also, the procedure will enhance healthy blood flow and remove the clog that is the reason why you have varicose veins in the first place.
You should also expect acupuncture for varicose veins to remove spider veins if you have any. Also, expect your lymphatic function to improve.
Can Acupressure Cure Varicose Veins?
Acupressure differs from acupuncture in that it involves applying pressure to the identified acupressure points for varicose veins rather than inserting needles. While acupuncture is effective for healing varicose veins, acupressure is as well effective.
A recent study provides adequate proof that acupressure, combined with acupuncture and Buerger’s Exercises, can relieve varicose veins. The study was carried out on a 47-year-old woman with varicose vein who was experiencing cramps in the affected leg at night for over six months.
When acupressure was applied to the acupoints responsible for relieving thyroid and parathyroid, her cramps, one of the symptoms of varicose veins, was healed.
