Using acupressure and ice
When I have back pain, its usually due to strain and injury due to lifting. This often results in pain hours later, due to the inflammation. In addition to using acupressure points, locally as well as above and below the painful area, I apply ice packs every two hours (for about 15 minutes) to reduce the inflammation and pain.
Holistic Medical Advice: I rarely see my Western medical doctor, but he taught me something valuable. As a preventive medical care physician, he taught me that icing your lower back 30 nights, before retiring to bed, can be remarkably healing. It also works for injuries and pain in your ankles, including sprained ankles and for knee pain, and sciatica.
How Ice Works to Heal an Injury: Simply ice the area for 15 to 20 minutes before you go to sleep, 30 nights in a row. When you’re asleep, your body weight is supported, and thus there’s no pressure on your spine. As ice reduces the inflammation, blood and energy can freely flow to heal your injury during the time you’re asleep. Give yourself gentle acupressure for 5 to 10 minutes to increase the energy flow is especially healing.
Using acupressure for lower back pains: There is a special point on the arm for relieving aches and pain in the lower back. This point requires strong, firm stimulation. In order to effectively relieve an ache or pain in the lower back this point should be pressed hard enough to be momentarily painful.
This point is located four finger widths below the elbow crease of the forearm. Place all four fingers together (as a measure) with your index finger against the elbow crease. The point will be on the middle of your forearm, just outside your little finger. You will feel a muscular band or cord. The point is directly under this muscle.
To make sure you have the muscle, wiggle the middle finger of the arm on which you are searching. Press directly onto the muscle that “pops out” and hold firmly for five seconds; it will be momentarily painful. Stimulate this special point on both arms to relieve pain in the lower back.
For more acupressure back care, visit www.acupressure.com/acupressure_books.htm.
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Michael Reed Gach, Ph.D., Acupressure Institute founder, is a foremost acupressure expert. Gach’s seven acupressure books and instructional self-healing programs have sold one-half million copies on how to relieve stress, headaches, backaches, chronic fatigue, and sleep better. Gach’s best selling book Acupressure’s Potent Points book contains 400 illustrations showing how to relieve 40 common complaints from A to Z.
Kathleen Kawaihao, 62
Veronica Edwards, 72
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