Fibromyalgia Acupressure Therapy

Middle aged women having pain in areas like neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, legs along with
symptoms such as trouble sleeping, morning stiffness, headaches, and problems with thinking
and memory then you may be a victim of 'fibromyalgia'.

Fibromyalgia makes you feel tired and causes muscle pain and "tender points." Tender points are
places on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms or legs that hurt when touched. People with
fibromyalgia may have other symptoms, such as trouble sleeping, morning stiffness, headaches,
and problems with thinking and memory, sometimes called "fibro fog."

No one knows what causes fibromyalgia. Anyone can get it, but it is most common in middle-
aged women. People with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases are particularly
likely to develop fibromyalgia. There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but medicines can help you
manage it.

If specific tender points are particularly painful, you can use acupressure to help calm them
down. Simply find the spot with your fingertips and press, gradually increasing the pressure. The
spot may initially feel sore, but within a few seconds, the pain should start to ease off, and you
will feel the muscle relax. For hard-to-reach places on your back, you can lie down and roll your
back on a tennis ball.

The following acupressure points are particularly useful in fibromyalgia:
bullet Gallbladder 20, 30, 31, and 34 are instrumental in strengthening and enhancing circulation
to the muscles and tendons.
bullet Liver 3 quiets the nervous system and relaxes muscle cramps and spasms.
bullet Pericardium 6 relaxes the chest and upper digestive tract, and helps relax the mind.
bullet The combination of Spleen 6 and Stomach 36 enhances the absorption and transport of
nutrients.
Acupressure

Acupressure Points for Fibromyalgia
It is important to avoid acupressure points that Enhance Qi.
Here are some valuable acupressure points that are safe
for fibromyalgia and are not tonification points:

The Four Gates is a popular acu-point
combination used for many conditions as it is able to relieve Qi stagnation anywhere in the body.
The Four Gates are acupressure points LV 3 and LI 4.

Apply Even Pressure to Acupressure Point LI 4 (Hegu or Union Valley):
Large Intestine 4 is located

On the dorsum of the hand
between the first and second
metacarpal bones in the
middle of the second metacarpal
bone on the radial side.
Acupressure Directions

Release Acupressure Point LV 3 (Taichong or Great Surge) to Resolve Liver Qi Stagnation:
Liver 3 is located on the
dorsum of the foot, in
the depression just distal
to the junction of the first
and second metatarsal bones.
Acupressure Directions

Causes of fibromyalgia in Chinese medicine...

Widespread pain is defined as having pain in both sides of the body and pain above and below
the waist. In addition, pain must also be present in the cervical spine, anterior chest, thoracic
spine or lower back.
These tender points are located at:
Occiput (2) - at the sub occipital muscle insertions (near the base of the skull)
Low cervical (2) - at the anterior aspects of the intertransverse spaces at C5-C7 (the lower
vertebra of the neck)
Trapezius (2) - at the midpoint of the upper border (the neck, mid back and upper back
muscles between the shoulder blades)
Supraspinatus (2) - at origins, above the scapula spine near the medial border
Second rib (2) - upper lateral to the second costochondral junction (the insertion of the
second rib)
Lateral epicondyle (2) - 2 cm distal to the epicondyles (the side of the elbow)
Gluteal (2) - in upper outer quadrants of buttocks in anterior fold of muscle (the upper
and outer muscles of the buttocks)
Greater trochanter (2) - posterior to the trochanteric prominence (the upper part of the
thigh)
Knee (2) - at the medial fat pad proximal to the joint line (the middle of the knee joint)