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Acupressure Points for Reproductive Problems
By Michela | June 2, 2009
According to the book Meridian Exercise for Self-Healing by Ilchi Lee, “Adherents to Eastern Medicine believe that cramps accompanying menstruation are the result of coldness and stagnant blood in the area of the pelvis. This weakens the uterus, ovaries, and muscles near the pelvis, causing fatigue, headache, anxiety, hypersensitivity, abdominal cramps, and excessive menstruation. You might even experience spasms caused by the intestines twisting. Menstrual cramping can also occur if there is blockage in the Conception Vessel, low ki energy in the kidneys, or overall body fragility.”In addition to various meridian exercises, although cautioning to avoid excessive meridian exercise at this time, it recommends a few acupressure points that you can press to help relieve symptoms.
The first is called Sp6 (Sam-eum-gyo in Korean) and is located about three fingers’ width above the inner ankle. When you press it, sit with your right leg extended and your left knee bent, the sole of your left foot against your right knee. Press on Sp6 with both thumbs. Inhale as you press down using your upper body weight. Exhale as you release your thumbs.
Sp6 also helps to relieve knee pain, uterine bleeding, and excessive bleeding during menstruation. It helps with reproductive problems in both women and men, but you don’t want to press too hard if you’re pregnant.
The other points are on both sides of your spine where your kidneys are located–by the second lumbar vertebrae. Called BI52 (Ji-shil) and BE23 (Shin-yu), they help relieve lumbago pain, improve kidney function, and treat reproductive disorders in men and women. BI23 is found right next to the spine, but BI 52 is about one and one half inches to the outside of the BI23 points.
Start with the BI23 points while standing with your feed shoulder-width apart. Inhale as you press in with your thumbs, and then gently tilt your upper body backward. Focus on your waist. Release the pressure as you exhale. Repeat twice with BI23 and then perform the same exercise with the BI52 points.
Try pressing these points the next time you experience menstrual cramps. If you can, comment on this post afterwards and let us all know about your experience.
Topics: Body, Brain Education, Exercise |