Constipation may not be a topic we actively want to talk about, but it's not an uncommon experience!
In the TikTok, she explains that the motion includes pressing your hands together so that both your pointers and thumbs touch. Then, you'll want to firmly press and rub back and forth.
I reached out to Anita to get a better understanding of how and why this works. "Constipation is when stool gets stuck and cannot pass through the colon," Anita explained. "Acupressure/acupuncture accesses various images through our body, like reflexology. There are connecting points on the hand that connect to the colon. It is key in bringing blood flow and stimulation to the affected areas. This massage at the acupressure point [known as] large intestine 4 (LI4) stimulates the large intestine or colon. The back and forward massage on the acupressure point causes the same back and forward contraction of the colon to pass the stool. That's why this works so well."
"I read about this in graduate school for acupuncture," Anita continued. "When I ran the free clinic near Hyderabad, India, many of my patients were constipated. Through trial and error, I discovered that massaging this acupressure point in this manner stimulates the colon to alleviate constipation. I discovered the massage at this point is equally important as the acupressure point itself."
Is this worth trying? Yes — but Anita warns that those who are pregnant should avoid doing so. "The back and forward massage on the acupressure point large intestine 4 or LI4 causes contraction of the colon to pass the stool," she explained. "This massage on this point can also cause contraction of the uterus. We want to avoid it if pregnant because we don't want any unwanted contractions. We don't want to bring about labor unnecessarily."
Finally, Anita noted that you may have to try a few times in order for it to work. "Constipation is a real problem. It's important to me that people get rid of the toxins in their body. It's important that their body works for them. If someone does not get results with this acupressure point, perhaps they need to continue to do this acupressure point for a couple minutes, a couple times a day for a couple of weeks. Finally, it's worth noting that the majority of acupuncturists are not primary care physicians. People should always get checked out by their physician if they have further questions."
