2/1/2016

AcupressurePoints,Techniques&SelfCareforRelievingColds&Flu

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AcupressurePointsfor
ColdsandFlu

Onthesepackages:

Coldsarecausedbyvirusesthat
thriveinyournoseandthroatwhenthe
temperature,acidity,andmoisturesuit
them.Whenyouarerundownandyour
resistanceislow,yourabilitytoadaptto
environmentalchangesweakens,makingit
easiertocatchacold,andthemucous
membranesbecomeaperfectbreeding
groundforviruses.Coldsymptomsarethe
body'sattempttoprotectitselffromthese
intruders.Whenavirusentersyournose,
forinstance,thebodysecretesmoremucus
toflushitaway.
Becauseacupressurestimulatesyour
bodytoexpelthevirusmorequickly,it
mayseematfirstthatyourcoldis
worsening.Butyourbodyissimply
progressingthroughthesymptomsfaster
thanusual.Althoughacupressurecannot
cureacold,workingoncertainpointscan
helpyougetbetterquickerandincrease
yourresistancetofuturecolds.

AcupressurePoints
forSeasonalChanges

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AbouttheAuthor

PotentpointB36,calledBearingSupport,isespeciallygoodforstimulating
thebody'snaturalresistancetocoldsandflus.It'slocatednearthespine,offthe
tipsoftheshoulderblades.AccordingtotraditionalChinesemedicine,windand
coldentertheporesoftheskinatthispoint.1Themusclesinthisupperbackarea
tendtogettensejustbeforeacoldorflutakeshold.2
Recently,oneofmybestfriends,arealtor,wassufferingfromabadcoldwith
astuffynose,ahackingcough,puffinessaroundhiseyes,andapallid
complexion.Hehadn'tsleptwelltheprevioustwonightsbecauseofthese
discomfortsandwasverytired.AfterIbrieflymassagedhisupperback,
shoulders,neck,andchest,Ishowedhimhowtopressthedecongestionpoints
underneaththebaseofhisskullandonhisface.Ialsotoldhimtodrinkgingertea
atleasttwiceaday.WhenIsawJohnthenextday,hetoldmehehadslept
soundlyandfeltmuchmorerefreshed.Hiseyeslookedmuchclearer,andalready
hewasnolongercoughingandblowinghisnose.

PotentPointsforRelievingColdsandFlu
DrillingBamboo(B2)

Location:Intheindentationsoftheeyesockets,oneithersideofwherethe
bridgeofthenosemeetstheridgeoftheeyebrows.
Benefits:Relievescolds,sinuscongestion,frontalheadaches,andtiredeyes.

FacialBeauty(St3)

Location:Atthebottomofthe
cheekbone,directlybelowthepupil.
Benefits:Relievesstuffynose,head
congestion,burningeyes,eyefatigue,and
eyepressure.

WelcomingPerfume(LI20)

Location:Oneithercheek,just
outsideeachnostril.
Benefits:Relievesnasalcongestion,
sinuspain,facialparalysis,andfacialswelling.
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sinuspain,facialparalysis,andfacialswelling.

CrookedPond(LI11)

Location:Attheouterendoftheelbowcrease.
Benefits:Relievescoldsymptoms,fever,constipation,andelbowpain
strengthenstheimmunesystem.

JoiningtheValley(Hoku)(LI4)

Caution:Thispointisforbiddenforpregnantwomenbecauseitsstimulation
cancauseprematurecontractionsintheuterus.
Location:Atthehighestspotofthemuscleonthebackofthehandthat
protrudeswhenthethumbandindexfingerareclosetogether.
Benefits:Relievescolds,flu,headcongestion,constipation,andheadaches.

GatesofConsciousness(GB20)

Location:Belowthebaseoftheskull,inthehollowsonbothsides,twoto
threeinchesapartdependingonthesizeofthehead.
Benefits:Relievesheadaches,headcongestion,arthritis,neckpain,and
irritability.

WindMansion(GV16)

Location:Inthecenterofthebackofthehead,inthelargehollowunderthe
baseoftheskull.
Benefits:Relievesheadcongestion,redeyes,mentalstress,headaches,and
stiffneck.

ThirdEyePoint(GV24.5)

Location:Directlybetweentheeyebrows,intheindentationwherethebridge
ofthenosemeetsthecenterofyourforehead.
Benefits:Relievesheadcongestion,stuffy
nose,andheadaches.

ElegantMansion(K27)

Location:Inthehollowbelowthecollarbone
nexttothebreastbone.
Benefits:Relieveschestcongestion,
breathingdifficulties,coughing,andsorethroats.

PotentPointExercises

Youdonothavetouseallofthesepoints.Usingjustoneortwoof
themwheneveryouhaveafreehandcanbeeffective.
Liedownonyourbackorsitcomfortably.
Step1
PressintoB2:Useyourthumbsonthe
upperridgeofyoureyesockettopressintothe
slighthollownearthebridgeofyournosefor
oneminute.Closeyoureyesandtakeafewdeep
breaths,lettingtheweightofyourheadrelax
forwardontoyourthumbs.

Step2
PressSt3andLI20:Placebothofyour
middlefingersbesideyournostrilsandyour
indexfingersnexttothemgraduallypressup
andunderneaththecheekbonesforoneminute.
Youcaneasilyteachthissteptoyourchildto
helprelievenasalcongestion.

Step3
PressbothLI11:Bendyourarmandplaceyourthumbattheendofthe
elbowcreaseontheoutsideofyourforearm.Curveyourfingerstopressfirmly
intotheelbowjointforoneminute.Repeatonyouroppositearm.

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Step4
PressLI4firmly:Spreadyourleftthumb
andindexfingerapart.Placeyourrightthumb
inthewebbingonthebackofyourlefthand
andyourfingertipsonthepalmdirectlybehind
yourthumb.Firmlysqueezeyourthumband
indexfingerofyourrighthandtogethertopress
intothewebbing.Anglethepressuretowardthe
bonethatconnectswithyourleftindexfinger,andholdforoneminute.Then
switchhands.

Step5
FirmlypressGB20:Nowcloseyoureyes
andplaceyourthumbsunderneaththebaseof
yourskull,twotothreeinchesapart.Slowlytilt
yourheadbackandapplypressuregradually,
holdingthepositionforoneminutetofully
releasetheseimportantcoldreliefpoints.

Step6
FirmlypressGV16:Placethetipsofyour
middlefingersintothehollowinthecenterof
thebaseofyourskull.Keepingyourfingerson
thepoint,inhaleasyoutiltyourheadbackand
exhaleasyourelaxyourheadforward.Continue
toslowlyrockyourheadbackandforward,and
breathedeeplywhileyouholdthisimportant
pointforrelievingheadcongestion.

Step7
TouchtheGV24.5:Bringyourpalmstogether
anduseyourmiddleandindexfingerstolightly
touchtheThirdEyePointlocatedbetweenyour
eyebrows.Breathedeeplyasyouholdthispointfor
balancingyourendocrinesystem.

Step8
FirmlypressK27:Placeyourfingertipson
theprotrusionsofyourcollarbone,thenslideyour
fingersdownandoutwardintothefirstindentation
inbetweenthebones.Pressintothishollowas
youbreathedeeplyandvisualizethecongestion
clearing.

PotentPointsforRelievingCoughing

Asevere,repeated,oruncontrolledcoughcanbeharmfulandyoushould
alwaysconsultaphysician.Manyillnessessuchasinfluenza,pneumonia,and
chronicbronchitiscanbecomeseriousiftheconditioncontinuesunattended.
Sometimes,yourphysicianwillfinditadvisabletoattempttosuppressa
coughtopreventfurtherirritationofthebronchialtubes.Coughmedicationsmay
beused,butacupressurecanbeaneffectiveadjuncttherapy.Duringacoughing
fit,manyofthelargemusclegroupsintheupperbackareacangointoaspasm.
Specificpointsonthechest,throat,neck,andupperbackbenefittherespiratory
system,relaxyourbody,andrelievecoughs.

VitalDiaphragm(B38)

Location:Betweentheshoulderbladeand
thespineattheleveloftheheart.
Benefits:Relievescoughing,breathing
difficulties,andrespiratoryproblems.This
calmingpointalsohelpsbalancetheemotions.

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DingChuan(ExtraPoint17)

Location:Tothesideandalittleabovethevertebrathatprotrudesatthetop
ofthespinewhentheheadistilteddownward.
Benefits:Relievesthroatproblems,coughing,shoulderandneckpain,and
thyroidimbalances.

HeavenlyPillar(1310)

Location:Onehalfinchbelowthebaseoftheskullontheropymusclesone
halfinchoutfromeithersideofthespine.
Benefits:Relievessorethroat,stress,burnout,overexertion,andheavinessin
thehead.

HeavenRushingOut(CV22)

Location:Atthebaseofthethroatinthelargehollowdirectlybelowthe
Adam'sapple.
Benefits:Relievesdrycough,bronchitis,sorethroat,chestcongestion,and
heartburn.

ElegantMansion(K27)

Location:Inthehollowbelowthecollarbonenexttothebreastbone.
Benefits:Relieveschestcongestion,breathingdifficulties,asthma,coughing,
andanxiety.
(Youdonothavetouseallofthesepoints.Usingjustoneortwoofthem
wheneveryouhaveacoughcanbeeffective.)

PotentPointExercises

Althoughmanyofthefollowingpointscan
beheldwhileyouaresitting,itispreferableto
liedowncomfortablyonyourback.
Step1
HoldbothK27points:Placeyour
fingertipsonyourchestandfirmlypressintothe
indentationsdirectlybelowtheprotrusionsof
thecollarbone.Thisisanotherpointthatyou
caneasilyteachachild.

Step2
Usetennisballs3onB38:Placetwosmall
rubberballsortennisballstogetheronacleancarpet.Liedown,placingtheballs
betweenyourshoulderbladesatthelevelofyourheart.Closeyoureyesandtake
threelong,deepbreathsasyoucontinuetopresstheK27pointsonyourupper
chest.

Step3
Firmlypressextrapoint17:Slowlyroll
thetennisballsafewincheshighertowardthe
baseofyourneck.Ifthetennisballstendtoslip,
oryouaren'tusingthem,Simlyusebothmiddle
fingerstopressthisimportantacupressurepoint
atthebaseoftheneck.

Step4
HoldbothB10pointsandCV22:PressB10ontheupperneckwithone
hand,usingthefingertips.UseyourotherhandtolightlyholdCV22,aninch
belowthebaseoftheAdam'sapple,pressinglightlyatadownwardangle.Close
youreyesandbreathedeeplyasyouvisualizehealingenergysoothingyour
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throat.

ForSoreThroatsandCoughing

Asmallpieceoffreshgingercanbeoneofthemostnaturalandeffective
waysforsoothingasorethroat.Simplyplaceaverythinsliceoffreshgingeron
thebackofyourtongue.Ifyourthroatissensitiveandthegingerfeelshot,usea
smaller,thinnerpieceandplaceitfartherbacktowardyourthroat.Keepthe
gingerinthebackofyourthroatfortenminutes.Repeatwithafreshpieceseveral
timesadayasneeded.Aquartercupofchoppedgingercanalsobesimmeredina
fewcupsofwaterandusedasateaforsoothingcoughsandsorethroats.

AdditionalPointsforRelievingColdsandFlu
1FelixMann,TreatmentofDiseasebyAcupuncture(London:William

HeinemannMedicalBooks,Ltd.,1976),32,37.
2Formoreinformationandselfhelptechniquesforcoldsandflusee
MichaelReedGach,AcuYoga(Tokyo:JapanPublications,1981)pp.138142.
3Thisstepisoptional.Ifyoudon'thavetennisballsorapairofsmallrubber
balls,feelfreetoskipthispoint.
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