Everything I recommend, on one shelf

From Acupressure wristbands for nausea, motion sickness and morning sickness

If you would rather use your thumb

Small acupressure ring or stud tool

You do not need a tool at all; a thumb works. But a small stud tool lets you press PC6 firmly through a sleeve on a plane without anyone noticing.

From Acupressure wristbands for nausea, motion sickness and morning sickness

For a queasy child

Child-size acupressure wristbands

Adult bands slide around on a small wrist and the stud ends up nowhere near the point. The child sizes hold it in place. Put them on before the car starts, not after the first complaint from the back seat.

From Acupressure wristbands for nausea, motion sickness and morning sickness

The other sense

Peppermint aromatherapy inhaler stick

A sealed inhaler tube you sniff, nothing to swallow or spill. Some of my patients find a sharp peppermint smell steadies a queasy stomach on a boat or a plane. Use it with the band, not instead of it.

From Acupressure wristbands for nausea, motion sickness and morning sickness

For the clammy stage

Cooling towel

The hot, clammy phase of motion sickness responds to a cool cloth on the back of the neck. A cooling towel wrung out in any water does that in a car, and gives a nauseated passenger something to do.

From Sore feet and plantar fasciitis: rollers, balls and the point on top of the foot

Best overall

Spiky massage ball, firm

The spikes find the tight strands of the fascia in a way a smooth ball does not. Keep one by the bed and one under the desk.

The whole acupressure shelf

IICupping

All 10

Home cupping sets, and what those marks actually mean.

Best for beginners

Silicone cupping set, 4 sizes

A four-cup set covers everything from the neck to the thigh. The two mid-size cups are the ones you will use most.

From Home cupping sets: silicone vs. pump vs. glass, from someone who cups all day

From Home cupping sets: silicone vs. pump vs. glass, from someone who cups all day

Upgrade / precise control

Pump cupping set with gauge-style hand pump

Once you know how much suction you like, a pump set lets you dial it in exactly. Get a set with a mix of small and large cups and a soft pump.

From Home cupping sets: silicone vs. pump vs. glass, from someone who cups all day

You will also need

Unscented massage oil or cupping oil

Moving cupping needs a slippery surface. Fractionated coconut oil or a plain massage oil is ideal; lotion absorbs too fast and the cup drags.

From Home cupping sets: silicone vs. pump vs. glass, from someone who cups all day

For hips and thighs

Extra-large silicone cups

The cups in a four-piece set are sized for the neck and shoulders. On a thigh, a hip or the low back, a bigger bell moves more tissue and glides better. Two large cups is enough.

From Home cupping sets: silicone vs. pump vs. glass, from someone who cups all day

Afterward

Microwavable flaxseed pack, rectangular

Keep the cupped area warm afterward is the rule most people skip. A grain pack over the shoulders or low back for fifteen minutes after you wipe off the oil does it, and the combination is one of my favourite home routines.

From Cupping marks explained: what the colors mean and what they don't

The gentle cups

Soft silicone cupping set

Silicone caps out at moderate suction, which is why beginners end up pink rather than purple with them. Squeeze halfway, place, and keep the cup moving. The full comparison is in the home cupping guide.

From Tennis elbow, mouse arm and tight forearms: what helps between visits

The whole cupping shelf

IIIGua Sha

All 14

Stones, technique and the difference between face and body work.

Best overall

Lever-style forearm massage roller

A hinged roller you squeeze around the forearm with your other hand and slide up and down. It reaches the top of the forearm with real pressure, which is hard to do with your own thumb.

From Tennis elbow, mouse arm and tight forearms: what helps between visits

Warm-up

Wraparound elbow and forearm heat wrap

A wrap that stays on the forearm while you work at a desk for the first fifteen minutes of the day. Loosens the muscles before you start gripping.

From Tennis elbow, mouse arm and tight forearms: what helps between visits

For scraping

Stainless steel muscle scraping tool

The same body tool I recommend for the neck. Its curved edge fits the forearm perfectly. Read the technique in the gua sha guide before you use it.

From Tennis elbow, mouse arm and tight forearms: what helps between visits

Worth a try, not a fix

Counterforce elbow strap

A strap just below the elbow changes where the tendon pulls, and some people find it lets them work with less pain. It does not treat the cause. Use it on the days you cannot avoid gripping, and keep doing the rest.

From Tennis elbow, mouse arm and tight forearms: what helps between visits

Change how you grip

Vertical ergonomic mouse

If the gripping is a mouse, change the mouse. A vertical one puts the hand in a handshake position, and the forearm muscles that lift the fingers stop working all day. It takes about a week to feel normal. Most of my desk patients do not go back.

From Tennis elbow, mouse arm and tight forearms: what helps between visits

The exercise that works

Rubber twist bar for forearm exercise

A flexible rubber bar for a slow twisting exercise that loads the forearm tendon as it lengthens. It is the one exercise with real evidence behind it for tennis elbow. Start with the lightest resistance and have someone show you the movement once; done wrong it is just more gripping.

From Knee pain at home: heat, self-massage and the points around the kneecap

The whole gua sha shelf

IVHeat & Moxa

All 23

Warming therapies for cramps, stiff backs and cold hands.

Best overall

Wraparound heated knee pad

A wrap with straps stays put while you sit, which a flat heating pad does not. Use it before movement and stretching, not after an injury.

From Knee pain at home: heat, self-massage and the points around the kneecap

For the thigh

Medium-density foam roller

For the quadriceps and outer thigh, slowly, before the knee ever gets touched. Medium density; the very hard ones make people tense up and skip it.

From Knee pain at home: heat, self-massage and the points around the kneecap

Precision option

Firm massage ball, lacrosse-ball size

Sit on a chair, put the ball under the thigh just above the knee, and lean into it. Finds the exact spot a roller misses.

From Knee pain at home: heat, self-massage and the points around the kneecap

Cordless heat

Microwavable knee wrap

A grain-filled wrap that straps around the knee. Two minutes in the microwave, fifteen minutes on the joint before you move. No cord and no timer to worry about, and it drapes around the sides better than a flat pack.

From Knee pain at home: heat, self-massage and the points around the kneecap

For the days you overdo it

Reusable gel cold pack with strap

If the knee is puffy and warm after a long walk or a run, that is a cold day, not a heat day. A gel pack with a strap stays on the knee while you sit with the leg up for fifteen minutes.

From Knee pain at home: heat, self-massage and the points around the kneecap

For the stairs, not a fix

Knee compression sleeve

A snug sleeve keeps the joint warm and gives it a sense of support on stairs and long walks. It does not treat anything; the thigh work does that. Wear it on the days you have to be on your feet, and keep doing the routine.

The whole heat & moxa shelf

VSleep & Calm

All 13

Wind-down routines and the few tools that help.

Warm the feet

Microwavable foot warmer or foot heating pad

Warm feet are underrated. Ten minutes with a warm pack or heated booties before bed makes the 'lights out and asleep' part noticeably faster for many of my patients.

From A sleep wind-down kit that does not involve a supplement

From A sleep wind-down kit that does not involve a supplement

Darkness and light pressure

Lavender flaxseed eye pillow

Gentle weight over the eyes plus true darkness. Chill it in summer, warm it briefly in winter. Unscented versions exist if lavender is not for you.

From A sleep wind-down kit that does not involve a supplement

For the racing-mind wake-up

Ear seed kit (vaccaria seeds or beads on adhesive)

Tiny seeds taped to specific ear points, pressed when you wake at 3 a.m. Ask your acupuncturist to place them, or follow the chart included for the calming points (Shen Men is the usual first choice).

From A sleep wind-down kit that does not involve a supplement

Weight

Weighted blanket, about 10 percent of body weight

Not for everyone, but people who like it really like it. Choose roughly ten percent of your body weight and a breathable cover. Skip it if you run hot or feel claustrophobic under weight.

From A sleep wind-down kit that does not involve a supplement

Lights down

Amber low-blue bedside bulb

The single biggest lever is dim, warm light in the last hour, and a dimmer is not always practical. An amber bulb in the bedside lamp gives you a light you can read by that does not tell your brain it is noon.

From A sleep wind-down kit that does not involve a supplement

Warm the feet, version two

Foot soak basin

Ten minutes with the feet in warm water does the same job as a foot warmer and, for many of my patients, does it better. A collapsible basin lives under the sink and comes out at night. Plain warm water is all it needs.

The whole sleep & calm shelf

VIEveryday care

The small, unglamorous things that make the rest of it easier.

To find the points you are shown

Illustrated acupressure reference book

When I show a patient a point in clinic, half of them cannot find it again at home. A plain illustrated reference helps. Look for one organised by complaint, with photographs or clear drawings, and skip anything promising cures.

From What actually happens at your first acupuncture appointment

For the shoulders

Firm massage ball

One firm ball in the drawer does most of the work. Put it between your upper back and the chair back, or the wall, and lean into the knot inside your shoulder blade for a minute.

For the low back

Adjustable lumbar support cushion

A firm cushion that straps to your chair and sits in the small of your back. It keeps the natural curve there, so the muscles do not have to hold you up all day.

For the legs and back

Adjustable under-desk footrest

If your feet do not rest flat with your thighs level, your low back pays for it. A tilting footrest fixes that, and rocking your feet on it through the day keeps the calves moving.

The reminder

Visual countdown timer for the desk

A small timer you can see from your chair, set for forty-five or fifty minutes. When it runs out, you stand up and do the routine below. It works better than a phone reminder you swipe away.