P. Sze 
Sadly, no one is immune to health complications. We have all experienced some form of pain or discomfort whether it be from an injury, a condition, or aging. The normal sequence of events associated with feeling unwell guides us to the office of a medical professional, but those visits can be costly, time-consuming, and for some mild discomforts, they may feel unnecessary. Luckily, do-it-yourself acupuncture provides an effective and easy solution to these dilemmas.
I have found do-it-yourself acupuncture kits to be my saving grace for a number of conditions that I could not comfortably cure with western medicine alone, including constant sources of discomfort like my allergies. This option is especially appealing since it is a needleless approach, which is perfect for people who tend to be squeamish around acupuncture needles.
My personal experiences combined with the historical significance, research-based support, and the wide array of ailments that can be treated through acupuncture have made me fall in love with this natural form of medicine. In my attempts to share the healing properties of acupuncture with others, I have come to find the traditional treatment, as performed by professionals, is not accessible to everyone at all times, which is why I am excited to share the practice of do-it-yourself acupuncture with you.
Join me to explore the ways in which you can perform do-it-yourself acupuncture without needles and why it is so effective. By the end of this article, you will be ready to start your self-facilitated journey to better health through at-home acupuncture treatments.
Let’s start by discussing some frequently asked questions when it comes to DIY acupuncture.
Can You Do Acupuncture On Yourself?
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese Medicinal treatment that redirects and balances energy flows within the body. Most commonly the phrase acupuncture treatment brings up images of small needles pressed into pressure points all over the body while the patient relaxes. However, there is a loophole that allows for the practice of acupuncture on oneself without needles in a few ways. These include acupressure, ear seeds, and moxibustion. All of which we will explain further into the article.
Research has shown that similar effects can be obtained without acupuncture needles when acupoints are targeted with firm pressure or heat. A majority of acupoints are accessible without assistance, and those that are not accessible can be activated through alternative self-facilitated actions. All of this means that you can do acupuncture on yourself safely without any need for needles.
Is Self Acupuncture Dangerous?
Acupuncture does hold minor risks when needles are involved. These generally include a risk for infection if needles are not sanitized properly and a risk for puncturing an unintended location. In the hands of a professional, these risks are minimized and through the practice of do-it-yourself acupuncture without needles, these risks cease to exist.
Since self acupuncture is a completely external process there are no serious risks to your health, which is why it is an excellent and safe form of self-care for people of all ages to perform at home. With a proper understanding of the process, there is little room to make mistakes and the mistakes that are made can hardly be considered dangerous. This form of treatment is perfect because you have the chance to gain improved health without any associated risks or side effects.
The most that can happen is mild bruising from excessive pressure or the irritation of sensitive skin, both of which can be avoided since the do-it-yourself acupuncture process is so simple.
In the case of moxibustion, there is a slight chance of burning. This is because the process includes the use of heat which is facilitated through the burning of mugwort over acupoints. This herbal plant burns slowly and creates a healing heat at the acupoint, however, this slow-burn can penetrate the skin and leave small burn scars if it is accidentally dropped or touched to the skin for too long. Although some practices do incorporate full burning with associated light scarring, it is recommended for beginners to use moxa sticks that do not require direct contact with the skin and greatly reduce the chances of scarring.
Is It Hard To Do Acupuncture Yourself?
It may seem as if acupuncture is a complex medical concept, but acupressure is a relatively easy practice to learn. Since no acupuncture needles are required, there is no need to measure depths, learn sterilization procedures, or practice painless applications. Instead, you only need to understand the location of each point, how long to activate it for, and what it does.
There are hundreds of acupoints across the human body, and they all exist in relation to our unique anatomies. This may make it seem difficult to locate points, but the process is actually rather simple. The history and widespread practice of acupuncture has led to countless researched sources that simplify the finding and treatment of acupoints through do-it-yourself acupressure. Some sources provide simplified measurements with pictures while others use the historically accurate measurement of cun, which roughly translates to the width of your thumb, the distance between the top two knuckles on your pointer finger, or 3.33 centimeters. Either way, the points are easier to locate than you may expect.
Even the acupoints on hard-to-reach locations are not too hard to treat by yourself since you can use alternative methods of activation, like heat, or you can lean into the point.
Ear seeds are arguably the easiest method of self acupuncture. These easy-to-apply small patches can be placed on points in the ear and left in place for easy activation over the course of a few days. This speeds up the process since every point can be pre-marked in a discrete way.
In contrast, moxibustion is arguably a bit more complicated. The use of fire and the need to focus on specific areas of the body requires great precaution and stillness. It is not impossible to complete this acupuncture form on oneself, and the benefits are well worth the hard work.
How Quickly Does Acupuncture Work?
Acupuncture treatments create a notable sensation very soon after they are initiated. With professional acupuncture treatments that use needles, patients often describe a slightly warm or tingly sensation from nerve activation. Do-it-yourself acupuncture does not include needles, but it is capable of generating similar internal sensations of warmth.
The speed of acupuncture’s effects tends to depend on the ailment or condition they are treating. Some simple complications, like light neck pain or muscle pain, may experience some relief from acupuncture within a few minutes. That relief is likely to increase as the treatment continues and sometimes improvement carries on for a few minutes or hours after the treatment is completed.
Conditions like chronic pain commonly require multiple and even continuous acupuncture treatments. In some cases, major relief may not be experienced until multiple treatments are completed. The speed at which acupuncture works is greatly depending on the condition being treated, the individual in question, and the frequency of treatments.
This holds true for ear seeds as well. However, their tendency to be used for cravings over pain allows for faster results for more immediate relief, since the focus is more mental than physical.
Moxibustion comes with an immediate sensation of deep warmth due to the use of combustion, but long-term results can take just as long as acupressure.
Do It Yourself Acupuncture For Weight Loss
Acupuncture is not limited to the treatment of pain and medical conditions, it can also help accelerate healthy lifestyle changes like weight loss. Research has been able to prove that acupuncture can increase an individual’s capacity to lose excess weight by activating areas of the body that control important hormones. When hormones are well balanced they work to support a healthy weight and decrease the body’s tendency to retain unnecessary weight.
Do-it-yourself acupuncture without needles can also suppress food cravings that lead to unwanted weight gain. This form of at-home acupressure is commonly called auricular acupuncture or ear acupuncture. This form of acupuncture has been tested on craving controls in multiple trials and is strong enough to reduce the addiction cravings of smokers who recently quit.
When hormonally balancing acupuncture and auricular acupuncture are combined with a healthy diet and mild exercise they provide a simple and sustainable solution to self-facilitated weight loss. Luckily, this form of acupuncture includes ear seeds, and their ease of use makes acupuncture for weight loss attainable for many people.
Here are the 10 best acupressure points for weight loss.
How To Do Acupressure At Home
Now that we have discussed the healing potential of do-it-yourself acupuncture, it’s time to learn the simple steps you need to get started!
The simplest way to start is by finding acupressure points that are relevant to treating whatever complication you may have. You can search for reliable acupressure sites like tcmtips.com and simply include the condition you would like to treat in your search. For example, searching “tcmtips.com blood pressure” will bring you to a page with reliable acupressure points targeted at reducing blood pressure and it will describe how to locate and activate each point.
Now that you have found a reliable reference, you need to know how to read and apply the information it is sharing. Everyone’s body is a little different, so it is not uncommon for acupoints to shift with our anatomy. This is why it is important to look for landmarks on the body and to understand the measurement of cun as discussed in the “is it hard to do acupuncture yourself” section.
Let’s use acupoint Liv-3 for muscle pain as an example for point location and activation. This point directs you to find the crease between your big toe and second toe. Once you have located that area you want to trace up the top of the foot a distance of either 3 fingers or 2 cun, which can also be roughly translated to 6.67 cm. Feel free to use whatever measurement works best for you, although the simplest is commonly finger measurements.
Once you have located the Liv-3 point using the measurements described above, you are ready to activate it. Acupressure activation requires firm pressure at the acupoint, and you may have to feel around the area a little to trigger the warmth you should feel when the point is properly activated.
Always be cautious to use firm pressure without causing any damage to the skin or underlying muscle. You can do this by using a blunt or soft object and stopping if the pressure in that area causes pain. Fingers work best and are a natural tool for do-it-yourself acupressure without needles.
When practicing auricular acupuncture, a similar process can be followed for locating and activating points. However, the fine details of the ear are best activated with a more precise item than a finger, which is why ear seeds were created. The small raised seed on each patch allows for precision acupoint activation. This way you don’t need a needle or probe and you can easily activate the point regularly throughout the day for increased control of results. I have personally found this practice of self acupuncture to be my favorite due to its discrete yet impactful nature.
Moxibustion also follows the rule of locating acupoints that directly benefit your needs, however, the steps after that point are quite different. Since this treatment focuses on warming the body to rid you of cold or stagnant conditions, it is commonly focused on meridian points and large channels of energy. Since direct moxibustion has the potential for burns, indirect moxibustion is considered to be a safer self-practice. To complete it, you hold a smoldering moxa stick an inch or two above acupoints until warmth is felt and light redness is seen. Warmth seeps into the acupoint to activate it. After the warmth is felt and before the embers reach the skin, the mugwort can be removed and the embers can be put out.
Activation time for each point normally ranges from a few seconds to a few minutes and many points can be multiple times a week or even multiple times a day depending on their intended effects. The time you need to apply firm pressure for and the frequency of treatment should be designated in the description you find of each point, but a minute of activation and twice a week is generally considered a safe amount.
Where Can I Buy Do-It-Yourself Acupuncture?
If you are new to the world of do-it-yourself acupuncture without needles, it doesn’t hurt to have a little extra guidance. Buying at-home acupuncture kits is a great way to maximize the effect of each treatment with ease and accuracy. These kits tend to include accurate guides and helpful probes meant for the firm yet gentle activation of each acupressure point.
When it comes to auricular acupuncture, it is also extremely helpful to purchase a do-it-yourself acupuncture kit. The ear’s pressure points are rather small and tend to work best with continued activation, so these kits include a unique item known as ear seed kit. These are small patches that adhere to the ear and allow for easy activation of specific points. They include a raised “seed” that adds gentle pressure to activate the point it is placed on and they are delicate for increased comfort while you are wearing them. Their nude tone and long-lasting adherence make them the perfect discrete do-it-yourself acupressure treatment regardless of where you are.
You can also purchase a moxa roll stick extinguisher and ash collector. This specific little item is a must-have if you are intending to learn moxibustion treatments. It allows you to rest, ash, and extinguish a stick of burning moxa without the risk of loose ashes starting a fire. You can also learn how to use moxa home from us.
You can get reputable do-it-yourself acupuncture without needles from experienced sources like TCMtips. Quality acupuncture kits like these are an investment towards your health and they give you the power to improve your health at home.
