Boost Your Immune System With This Key Acupoint

With the arrival of the Winter weather (deep sigh), you may have noticed a few more people coughing, or blowing their nose lately. Perhaps you have school aged children and you can sense that the spread of colds and flus is on the way. Now is the right time to give your immune system a boost. That’s where the acupuncture point Lung 7 comes in.

Lung 7 is located on the thumb-side edge of your wrist. To find it, make a thumbs-up sign. When you do that, you’ll see a depression at the base of your thumb (referred to as the anatomical snuffbox). From that depression, Lung 7 is located approximately two finger widths up your arm. Slowly glide your finger up until you feel a slight depression between two tendons (see picture below). That’s Lung 7.

Lung 7 is a key acupuncture point for treating early stage cold and flu symptoms, including cough sore throat, chills and fever, nasal congestion, headache, and stiff neck. Better yet, it is ideal for keeping your immune system strong so you can win the battle over the ever present cold and flu viruses.

As an Acupuncturist, I will frequently add this acupuncture point to treatments at this time of year to help keep my patients strong and healthy.

The good news is that now that you know where this point is, you can boost your own
immune system with self-acupressure. Just press the point firmly with your finger or the blunt end of a pen, holding for 1-2 minutes (remember to repeat on the other arm). Repeat 2-3 times per day, or hourly if you feel like you’re getting sick. This point works best when you’re just starting to feel a little tired or run down. If you have a full blown cold or flu, then Lung 7 is not strong enough and it’s best to come in for an acupuncture treatment and herbal prescription. If you have a stiff neck associated with the early stages of a cold or flu this is your go to point. That’s because Lung 7 is also a command point for the neck.

What else do we use Lung 7 for? Because of where Lung 7 is located, it is a great point for
treating thumb and wrist pain. Do you text too much or have wrist pain due to repetitive strain? Massage Lung 7 regularly to keep pain at bay, and keep your thumbs and wrists in working order.

As you can see, Lung 7 is an important point frequently used in the clinic for various reasons. But it does not replace a healthy lifestyle. As hard as it may be, try to keep your sugar intake low during the holiday season to keep your immune system functioning at full steam. Nothing replaces eating and sleeping well, getting exercise and fresh air. Enjoy the good things in your life and our immune system will love you for it!

Be well!