Acupressure Massage

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HealthWiki > Where Women Have No Doctor > Health Care Skills > Acupressure Massage

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In this chapter:

 

In this chapter:

Pressing on specific points on the body can help relieve some common health problems. These points come from an ancient and still widely used Chinese way of healing called acupressure. Local healers may know other kinds of massage.

Use your own sense of how long and how often to press on these points (an average amount of time is 3 to 10 minutes). Many people feel tender at these points. If a point is very tender, be careful not to irritate it. If there is an injury, do not use acupressure in that area.

Sometimes there are several points to help the same problem. You can try all these points. If one seems tender or makes you feel better, focus on that point. If not, use all of the points in any order.

IMPORTANT! Pressing on some of these points can cause problems during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, watch for the warnings mentioned below.

General menstrual pain

(For more information, see Menstrual periods.)

1. To help prevent general discomfort during your period, such as sore breasts, feeling tired, and a full feeling in the lower abdomen: press here

2. To lessen pain and cramps during your period, firmly hold and massage the tender place on your hand you will find between your thumb and first finger. Pressing hard on this spot can ease many kinds of pain.

You can also press on these points on the inside of the foot and leg.

But do not press too hard on this point or it will cause injury. Do not press on this point during pregnancy. This point can cause labor to begin.

The following massage is also useful to relieve pain and cramps, as well as signs of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Massage in between the toes, around the ankle bones, and up the ankles on the outside of the feet. Look for areas that are sensitive and massage these places longer.

During pregnancy, do not massage the outside of the big toe, the arch or the middle of the bottom of the foot or above the outside of the ankle. It can make labor start.

Hand, wrist, and ear massage can also help with pain or signs of PMS

Pregnancy and birth

(See the chapter on “Pregnancy and birth.”)

To relieve nausea (morning sickness) press here To help with a difficult or painful birth press here To help stop bleeding after birth press here To bring on labor, or to make a weak labor stronger press here

Menopause

(See the chapter on “Growing Older.”) To help relieve general discomfort, press the following points about once a day for 10 minutes:

press here press here It can also help to press these points on the ear:

This page was updated:17 May 2024