Usually when people come to know that I have a black belt degree in Karate, they ask me about the deadly pressure points. They have a great misconception that people who are into martial arts know how to kill or paralyze people with the help of their amazing pressure point skills. But I want to tell all those people, that, learning martial arts pressure points and then using it on someone, needs a lot of skill and accuracy. And the most important thing is the purpose of using these points. Only some martial arts like Hapkido, Aikido, Jujutsu, Karate, Kyusho Jutsu, and certain styles of Kung Fu include pressure points. There are around 300 human body pressure points but very few are used in martial arts. They are included in the technique itself and the point of attack is made keeping the pressure points in mind. Let's find more about this. Pressure Points in Martial Arts Pressure points are the vital points or the weak points of the body where a blood vessel or a nerve is very close to the skin. By putting pressure on these points one can cause injury or induce pain or can even heal some pain. These points are at different positions in our body and hence they are used for different purposes. These pressure points can be used in self-defense, control tactics, healing and first aid. These points are so dangerous that they can even cause death. Hence while making an attack the person should keep the purpose of attack in mind whether it has to be harmful or helpful. Just knowing about the pressure points will not help, you need to be trained properly under a good master to get even minute knowledge of the technique. These techniques can put someone down in seconds or can leave you looking like an idiot who is trying to find the pressure point. But misusing the knowledge of pressure points in martial arts is considered a crime. Hence the usage of these techniques should be done only when there is no other option left. Following are some of the pressure points which are commonly targeted in martial arts techniques. Common Pressure Points in Martial Arts Here we will see two types of pressure points: one is used for self-defense techniques and the other is used for therapeutic purposes. Just go through them. Pressure Points for Self Defense

Temple	Temple is the most sensitive part of the head. It has a very thin covering and can cause very serious damage. If it is hit hard it can cause concussion, hemorrhage or even death.
Forehead	The middle of the forehead, between the eyebrows is a sensitive point which when attacked can rock the brain and can cause concussion.
Nose	Nose is an easy target. It is sensitive and can be broken by just one face punch.
Throat	It can be attacked with the help of a karate chop. As the wind pipe goes through the throat, a karate chop can dislocate the bone and can make breathing impossible. It can even cause death.
TMJ	The jaw joint just below the ear. If the pressure point located at this place is hit hard with a single knuckle punch, it can dislocate the jaw and cause speaking difficulty.
Collarbone	Putting pressure with the jab fingers in the depression of the collarbone can drop down the person. But you need to be quick and accurate in the position.
Sternum	It is the center of the chest where there are no muscles. A straight and hard punch can break the bones. It can be fatal.
Solar Plexus	It is one of the most sensitive parts and is a very easy target. It is located in the middle, right at the end of the rib joint which is just 1 to 2 inches below the chest. There is a bundle of nerves which if hurt causes immediate breathing problems and severe pain. In karate, the middle punch is hit targeting the solar plexus of the opponent.
Ribs	Ribs can be attacked very easily as they too lack muscles. A hard punch or karate chop can break the rib bone.
Groin	Most sensitive points are your private parts. Testicles can be hurt so badly that the person may not even be able to stand straight. If hit harder it can be very dangerous.
Shin	It is the area between the knee and the foot. A hard side kick can break the shin bone.

Pressure Points for Therapeutic Uses

Temple	Massage the temple to get relief from headache caused due to cold and flu.
Shoulder	Massaging the top of the shoulder while putting some pressure may give you relief from stiff necks, nervous tension, backache, etc.
Inner Forearm	Applying pressure on the middle of the inner forearm may give you relief from wrist pain, nausea and anxiety.
Back of the Head	Pressing the back of the head will give you relief from stress, insomnia, exhaustion, etc.

While practicing, keep in mind that pressure points can severely harm your opponent. They are so dangerous that they can even cause death. Do not misuse these pressure point tricks and always remember that martial arts is for self-defense and if you are a real follower of this art then follow its rules and regulations and respect them.