5 Acupoints Beneficial for Both Cough and Urinary Disorders

Introduction

When you have both cough and urinary dysfunction together, doesn’t it make daily life really frustrating? In traditional medicine terms, these two symptoms are deeply related to declining lung and kidney function. Fortunately, there are acupoints that can improve both symptoms at the same time. Today, I’ll introduce 5 effective acupoints that relieve both cough and urinary dysfunction simultaneously.

5 Acupoints Good for Cough and Urinary Dysfunction

1. Dachu — GV14

Location: It’s the depression below the spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra at the back of the neck. When you bend your head forward, you can find the depression right below the most prominent bone at the back of the neck. It’s located approximately at the border line between the neck and chest.

Benefits: Dachu strengthens overall immune function and improves lung function to relieve cough. It’s a representative dual-benefit acupoint that simultaneously regulates kidney and bladder function to improve urinary dysfunction.

Pressure technique: Find the Dachu acupoint with your thumb, then repeatedly press firmly for 5 seconds while slowly exhaling and release for 2 seconds. It’s best to stimulate it 3 times daily for about 2-3 minutes per session.

2. Tanzhong — CV17

Location: It’s located in the center of the chest, on the breastbone. It’s the point where the line connecting both nipples horizontally intersects the midline of the breastbone. Anatomically, this corresponds to the 4th intercostal space.

Benefits: It directly improves lung and bronchial health to calm cough and deepen breathing. It’s also effective at normalizing urinary function by promoting overall metabolic function through strengthened heart-lung capacity.

Pressure technique: Place your middle fingers together on the Tanzhong acupoint, then gradually increase pressure while slowly exhaling. It’s best to do this for 1-2 minutes per session, 2-3 times daily. Avoid excessive stimulation since this is a sensitive area on the breastbone.

3. Liequé — LU7

Location: It’s located on the outer side of the forearm, about 1.5 cun (roughly the width of your thumb) above the wrist crease toward the elbow. You can find it right above the styloid process of the radius (the protruding part of the wrist bone) on the outer border of the radius bone.

Benefits: As an important acupoint on the lung meridian, it directly treats respiratory disease and cough. At the same time, it regulates fluid metabolism of the kidneys and bladder to improve irregular urination and normalizes body fluid circulation.

Pressure technique: Place your opposite thumb on the Liequé acupoint and apply pressure in a circular motion clockwise for 30 seconds. Repeat counterclockwise for 30 seconds as well. It’s effective to do this 3 times daily — morning, afternoon, and evening.

4. Fenglong — ST40

Location: It’s located on the outer side of the shin. It’s about 8 cun (approximately 6-7 finger widths) below the lateral condyle of the knee toward the ankle, located 2 cun (roughly 2 finger widths) lateral to the tibia (shin bone).

Benefits: It removes dampness from the stomach to improve metabolic function in the body. Through this, it regulates respiratory mucus secretion to relieve phlegm-producing cough and activates kidney function to normalize urinary function.

Pressure technique: Use your thumb or middle finger to apply perpendicular pressure directly to the Fenglong acupoint. Press firmly for 10 seconds and rest for 5 seconds as one set, performing this for about 1-2 minutes daily. Stimulating it in the evening is effective for relieving nighttime cough.

5. Chize — LU5

Location: It’s located on the inner crease of the elbow. When you slightly bend your elbow, it’s on the crease line visible on the inside of the arm, on the outer border of the biceps tendon (the front arm muscle).

Benefits: As a key acupoint for strengthening lung function, it improves chronic cough, asthma, and shortness of breath. It also promotes the circulation of water vapor in the kidneys to normalize urinary function and even improves bedwetting.

Pressure technique: Find the Chize acupoint with your opposite thumb, then increase pressure while slowly inhaling and slightly release pressure while exhaling. Repeat this 10 times as one set and perform 2-3 sets daily. Since it’s on the inside of the arm, avoid excessive stimulation and maintain appropriate pressure.

5-Minute Self-Care Routine

Step 1 (1 minute): First, find Dachu (GV14) at the back of your neck and apply pressure for 1 minute. Press firmly with your thumb while maintaining deep breathing. This serves as the foundation for the entire routine.

Step 2 (1 minute): Gently press Tanzhong (CV17) in the center of your chest with both middle fingers for 1 minute. The effect doubles when you practice deep, slow diaphragmatic breathing.

Step 3 (1 minute): Apply pressure to Liequé (LU7) above both wrists. Stimulate in a circular motion with your opposite thumb to activate lung function.

Step 4 (1 minute): Stimulate Fenglong (ST40) on the outside of both shins. Apply firm pressure with your thumb, but stay within a comfortable range.

Step 5 (1 minute): Finish with Chize (LU5) on the inside of your elbows. Apply pressure to both arms in sequence while maintaining deep diaphragmatic breathing. It’s even better to finish by drinking warm water.

Optimal timing: This routine is most effective when done 30 minutes after waking up in the morning or 1 hour before bed in the evening. By consistently performing this routine at least 5 times a week, you can experience improvement in cough and urinary dysfunction within 1-2 weeks.