Acupressure, A No Needles Natural Pain Killer
March 18, 2011 by Eric
Filed under Natural Pain Relief
One fascinating natural pain killer is acupuncture, a centuries-old healing modality that most people are at least familiar with if they haven’t actually tried it. Over 5,000 years ago, Chinese healing practitioners were able to map out special points throughout the body that, when stimulated, have amazing healing effects. These points are considered by Asian cultures to be where energetic pathways in the body intersect. However, many people are put off by the thought of being stuck with needles, while, for others, it’s simply inconvenient. If you’re in this group, you don’t have to forgo the benefits of acupuncture; you can have them all with acupressure.
It wasn’t until studies were conducted on acupuncture by researchers in the West that medical professionals began to take it seriously. These studies revealed a number of reasons for acupressure’s ability to successfully address a variety of conditions particularly for people looking for natural pain remedies.Using extremely sensitive electrical equipment, scientists have discovered a system of acupressure points throughout the body that easily conduct bio-electrical impulses because of the sensitivity of these points to the impulses. Neurotransmitters called endorphins, known for their ability to create a feeling of euphoria, are released when these points are stimulated with needles, heat, or pressure. Not only is pain blocked, but the flow of blood and oxygen to the affected area is significantly enhanced.
Acupressure works exactly like acupuncture in stimulating the flow of energy, but instead of needles, instruments with blunt edges, fingers, or knuckles are used. Acupressure points, known as meridians, that correspond to the patient’s diagnosis are stimulated by means of expertly applied pressure. Acupressure works just as well when the symptoms, such as joint pain, are easy to identify as it does with more general symptoms such as menstrual complaints. Subtle energy known as “chi” is unblocked and starts to flow as pressure is applied to the appropriate meridians. This pressure can be as light as the weight of a finger or as deep as the pressure applied during a massage.
In addition, individuals suffering from chronically painful conditions don’t have to leave home to receive treatment; they can actually apply acupressure to themselves from the comfort of home. Even if we know nothing about alternative medicine, we’ve all had the experience of banging our knee or finger and holding it until the pain subsides: this almost universal experience makes it easy to understand why acupressure works. Knowledge of the complex workings of meridians or endorphins simply isn’t necessary. Because tension has a tendency to collect around acupressure points, applying acupressure to those points melts tension and brings the body back into a state of balance and equilibrium, in addition to relieving pain.
To illustrate this point, lactic acid is secreted when muscle fibers contract because of chronic tension or spasm resulting from stress, trauma, poor circulation, or chemical imbalances even fatigue. Muscle fibers stretch out and relax and tension dissolves as pressure is applied to the appropriate acupressure point.
Toxins like lactic acid are excreted from the body as blood and oxygen are now able to flush them out. An overall improvement in health and vitality, as well as the body’s ability to better resist disease, occur as vital nutrients and oxygen are able to get to where they’re needed most. So now one can have the benefits of acupuncture with a great no-needle option. This is one of the natural pain killers you should not ignore.
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- Eric
