At-home acupressure: fast relief for pain, fatigue and nausea is right at your fingertips

If an aversion to needles is keeping you from enjoying the benefits of acupuncture, there's a less prickly alternative. "For some conditions, acupressure is just as effective as acupuncture, or even more effective," says James N. Dillard, M.D., assistant professor of clinical rehabilitation medicine at Columbia University in New York City, and author of The Chronic Pain Solution.

The original theory behind acupressure is that it helps the body's energy, or chi, run more smoothly. The Western viewpoint attributes its success to the stimulation of blood flow, which warms and relaxes muscles, and possibly to the release of pain-relieving endorphins.

To try these easy remedies, apply enough pressure to reach what's called a "good ache," that edge between pleasure and pain. If there's muscular pain, push slowly into the muscle. If there's joint pain, press into the indentation between the bones. Do not press hard enough to damage joint or muscle tissue. Relief can be immediate or it may take intermittent applications for a day or two to get results. Relax and breathe deeply.

for mental fatigue

With the tip of your index finger, press firmly into the groove between your nose and upper lip and hold for 30 seconds. Then press gently into the indentations above the outside edge of your eyebrows.

for mild nausea:

Use your middle and index fingers to press on the groove between the two tendons on the inside of your wrist, one inch above the wrist crease. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

for everyday headaches and muscle or joint pain:

Squeeze the fleshy webbing on your hand between your thumb and index finger. Hold for 1 minute, then repeat on the other hand.

for physical fatigue:

Make a fist, and rub the sole of your foot with your knuckles. Continue for 30 seconds, then repeat with the other foot.

for knee pain:

Place a tennis ball on a pillow, then place your leg over it so the ball is pushing into the crease behind your knee. Find the sensitive spot just below your kneecap and slightly to the outside of the shinbone. Press into it lightly with your forefinger for about 1 minute.

for low-back pain:

Lie on your back, with your feet on a sofa or chair. Put two tennis balls under your lower back on either side of your spine. Stay this way for 1 minute or until it becomes uncomfortable.

NOTE: Discuss any alternative therapies with your physician before you try them, especially if you're pregnant.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group