Acupressure does not strictly require any tool — a thumb or a
knuckle is the traditional instrument — but a number of simple
devices have grown up around the practice to make sustained or precise
pressure easier to apply, especially for points that are awkward to reach
on oneself.
Common tools
- Pressure pens / probes — a blunt, rounded tip
used to apply firm, precise pressure to a single point, useful for
the smaller points on the hand and ear.
- Rollers — handheld wheels, often with small
spikes or nodes, rolled along a meridian line rather than pressed on
a single point.
- Mats and sandals — beds of blunt plastic
spikes that distribute pressure across the whole sole or back when
stood or lain on.
- Seed and bead patches — small seeds or metal
beads taped over a point for continuous low-level pressure over
hours, common in ear (auricular) work.
- Clips and rings — spring-loaded clips applied
to fingertips or earlobes for a fixed period, common in Su Jok
practice.
A practical note
None of these tools does anything a firm, sustained thumb press cannot
also do — they exist for convenience, reach and consistency, not
because they add any effect a finger lacks. If a tool causes sharp pain,
numbness, tingling that doesn't resolve, or breaks the skin, stop using it;
that is not part of how acupressure is meant to feel.