Turns Out We Have A Poop Button To Help Keep Things Moving. Here's How To Find It
Sitting on the toilet first thing in the morning can be a chance to do many things: hum your favorite tune, scroll through Instagram, or mull the inner workings of the universe. But when your poop refuses to flow as it should, you're left wondering what could be wrong. Constipation or feeling bloated isn't pleasant.
This is when you might wish there were a magic button to get things moving. Turns out, there might be one, at least according to the traditional Chinese medicinal practice of acupressure. Also referred to as the "poop button" by mommy blogger Wisdom of the Moon, this pressure point in your body is one of over 2,000, according to Healthline. Traditional chinese medicine (TCM) believes that we can bring relief to a variety of problems related to our organs and tissues by simply stimulating these pressure points. Constipation is one ailment that apparently has a button-push remedy.
The poop button is located three finger widths (or two as shared by John Kirkwood, Master Acupressure practitioner from The Acupressure Centre, per Kidspot), below your navel. It's also called the Conception Vessel 6 or Sea of Energy. So, how did the poop button become one of the genius ways to get yourself to poop immediately?
How does pushing the poop button work, exactly?
Acupuncturists believe that stimulating the poop button can help relieve problems related to digestion, reproduction, menstruation, urination, and your genital region.
As John Kirkwood explained to Kidspot, "Conception Vessel 6 is useful for many abdominal conditions, be they digestive, reproductive, menstrual or urogenital. It is indicated for both diarrhea and constipation. My points of choice for constipation are Large Intestine 4 and 11 which help with letting go, not only of the colon, but of stress and anything you're holding onto."
Large Intestine 4 is one in a list of several other acupuncture pressure points that you can stimulate when your poop isn't moving as it should, per Healthline. In fact, according to certified massage instructor Elina Furmanm (via The Sun), who shared a video about it on TikTok, another pressure point to relieve constipation is the middle of the foot. Demonstrating on a baby, Furmanm shared, "First, with reflexology just rub across the small intestine and the large intestine, then make small circles in the middle of the foot."
As you would expect, there are researchers who think that stimulating pressure points and relieving bodily ailments is more psychological than actually physical when it comes to effectiveness, per Business Insider. There are also chiropractic professionals who advocate for calming chiropractic adjustments for babies that could work just as effectively. Be that as it may, here's how you could try pushing your poop button the next time you're "stuck" on the toilet.
How to try the poop button
If you're having constipation during your morning toilet visit, start by locating your poop button. Since there's some contention over just how many finger widths below your navel you should be aiming for, pick a spot in the general area (or try both).
Wendy, mother of four and the name behind the blog Wisdom of the Moon, learned about this pressure point from the book "Natural Healing for Children: An Essential Handbook for Parents." She shared that you may want to be mindful of long nails, as you don't want to end up wounding yourself while trying to get things moving. "Use firm pressure, but not super hard. Back off if this causes pain. If this happens, retry it very gently, slowly and steadily increasing the pressure," she wrote. You can also focus on your breathing to help things along. Pushing on the poop button could work as quickly as 5 to 10 seconds, or it might take about 3 minutes. Don't exceed 5 minutes. Other things to be mindful of include pregnancy, per Healthline. Pressing on your lower belly during pregnancy, or if you have health conditions like lung or kidney disease, heart issues, or irritated skin, could cause other problems.
Ultimately, acupressure isn't for everyone. Some believe in its benefits; others don't. But knowing that you may have a button to make your morning toilet time a little more carefree is definitely intriguing.