You’ve probably already seen an Acupressure Ring* and wondered: is it trash? Or treasure?

Well, as they are not that expensive, I decided to buy some of those Chinese medicine rings (on Amazon) and try them myself. I have to confess I am known for ALWAYS fiddling around with something in my hands since I was a kid. Just ask my parents. My father once found my first-day-at-school-ring in the garden bean bed!

So I thought it could be a good idea to give those acupressure rings a chance. There seem to be so many benefits, who couldn’t resist?

Acupressure Ring Benefits (which I found online)

• Activate and invigorate acupuncture meridians
• Improve blood circulation in fingers and hands
• Stimulate nerves and refloxology on fingers
• Relax fingers in case of numbness and stiffness (due to long time writing, typing, driving, illness and injury)
• Enhance energy flow / energy regulation
• Improve mental focus and concentration
• Relieve stress and anxiety
• Promote overall health
• Can be used by a layperson – no education needed
• Portable: a pocket massage tool which can be used anytime anywhere

I am not sure about all those benefits, but what really gets me is this:

Of the 12 meridians, 6 flow through the fingers.

I’d say if someone wants to work on their meridians, the fingers are a pretty good place to start. (Just in case you don’t know: Meridians are energy channels or pathways in the body according to Traditional Chinese Medicine.)

So let’s get started, this is how to use the ring: just roll them up and down each finger. If you need a video for that, this one is really short about how to use an acupressure ring:

So I’ve done that for a couple of weeks and this is what I noticed:

• I do feel better blood circulation – my hands (during winter) are definitely warmer than they usually are.
• My hands feel smoother – I need less hand creme!
• My fingers feel slimmer. I’m not saying that I lost weight due to the acupressure ring. But it feels as if there is less “excess” left in the fingers. They are less swollen. They just feel better.

I have to admit though, that I also use Baoding Balls. But I used them long before I started with the massage ring so I feel confident to say that those changes I noticed come from the acupressure ring use.

Just in case you wonder: I would recommend to try those Chinese balls if you want to train the whole hand and arm up to the shoulder. And if you want to practice longer (app. 10 minute per hand). If you don’t know how to find the right Baoding Balls for you, I wrote a post about how to buy Baoding Balls.

However, the acupressure ring is more for a quick simulation. Up to 30 seconds per finger are just right – so you are “done” in less than 5 minutes! The ring is also easier to carry and to use in public! (And a little note from my husband: he thinks anyone who chews fingernails should use an acupressure ring instead!)

However, there is one BIG difference between Baoding Balls and acupressure rings: the rings actually break often. If you read some customer reviews on Amazon, you will notice all the people complaining about that.

And I have to agree, they are not as sturdy as Baoding Balls. Actually my first Chinese medicine ring broke after just a couple of days. But I would like to show you how I fixed my broken acupressure ring:

Easy, right? So don’t let all those reviews let you down. Give it a try.

Now let’s wrap it up: the rings are not the cure-all, but they are fun to play with. They do impact the feeling in my fingers and the price is reasonable. Some even come with a nice little bag or in a small box.

If you feel intrigued – give it a try & get your Acupressure Massage Ring*!

Happy Qi

Angelika

Note: Though there are basically no side effects, in some cases it is not advised to use a therapeutic ring: Do not use the ring on an open sore or wound. Do not use the ring on a bruised area. Do not overstimulate a single area (30sec per finger is sufficient).

Merken