Do you carry your stress in the upper back, neck and shoulders?

I want to share an acupressure point that is great at relieving this tension.

GB 21 – Jiang Jing or “Shoulder Well”

The acupressure point GB 21 is located at the top of the shoulders, at the highest point of the trapezius muscles. Note: this point is contraindicated in pregnancy.

This point helps alleviate stiffness and pain in the head, neck, shoulders and along the side of the body where the Gallbladder channel runs through. This point is helpful if you have a hard time raising the hand or arm.

It should not be used in pregnancy unless you are trying to induce labor because it promotes a strong downward movement of energy in the body. So it’s a good point to use for difficult or prolonged labor.

This point benefits the breasts, so it’s good for breast pain, mastitis, and helps promote flow of breast milk for nursing mothers.

The Gallbladder has a close relationship to the Liver organ in Chinese medicine. When we are stressed, when we feel anger, frustration, resentment, or we repress our emotions, the Liver is the most affected. As a result, there’s often constraint and stagnation along the Liver channel. The GB 21 point is helpful for relieving stress and pent up emotion that causes tension in the shoulders and neck.

So go ahead and take a deep breath and as you exhale, press downward with your fingers on this point like I’m doing in the picture. Close your eyes and continue to breathe deeply as you press on the point for a couple of minutes.

Take this time to release that tension, take a deep breath and reconnect.

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