Be Your Own Doctor With Acupressure - Dr. Dhiren Gala

7/29/2019 Be Your Own Doctor With Acupressure - Dr. Dhiren Gala

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INSTITUTE OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE(INDIA)Courses for laymen an d doctors

Diploma in Acupressure/ Acupunture (D. Ac.)Acupressure is a Chinese therapy in which specific points on theskin are methodically pres sed to exert a healthy influence on internalorgans and thereby eradicate diseases. If the same points are stimulatedwith needles, the treatment is called Acupuncture.

Diploma in Magnet Therapy (D. M. T.)Magnet Therapy is an effective method of treatment in which

suitable artificial ma gnet s are applied to the affected parts of the body totreat diseases. Energy em itted by magnets is utilized to rest ore health.

Doctorate in Naturopathy (N. D.)Naturopathy is an excellent therapeutic science in which diseases

are treated using forces of Nature like food, water, exercises/Yogasanas, clay, sun-energy, etc. Since no chemical medicines areused, Side-effects are ruled out.

Certificate in Homoeopathic Medicine (C. H. M.)Among the methods of curative treatment , Homoeopathyenjoys a

place of pride. Extremely diluted medicines are used in micro-doses toenhance the body's immunity. Homoeopathic medicines do not causeany adverse side-effects.

Certificate in Clinical Methods (C. C. M.)The objective of this course is to teach the elements of clinical

methods to practitioners of alternative therapies. The syllabusincludes: (1) Interrogation of the patient (case-taking and recording),(2) Physical examination (pulse, BP,' chest, abdomen, joints),(3) Interpretation of common laboratory-reports.

These courses ca n be undertaken by correspondence too.Enrol today to open th e doors to natural, vibrant health.

For details of these courses an d / or to organiseteaching-cum-trainingprograms in your

city / country, contactDr. Dhiren Gala, B.P.T . D.H.M.S . D.O . D.Ac . C.C.O . C.C.H . A.R.S.H.

Abbas Building 'A', 1st floor, Near Tilak Market,Jalbhai Lane. Grant Road ( E a s ~ . MUMBAI-400 004.

Phone: 2386 7275, Time: 4 to 7 p.m. IE 261. ~

\GALAiBE YOUR OWN DOCTOR WITH

ACUPRESSUREByD.r. Dhiren Gala

B.sc., D.H.M.s., D.O., D.Ac.,CG.a., CCH., A.R.s.H.

Recipient of a gold medal for extraordina.rywork in the field of Alternative TherapeuticsWith

Dr. D. R. Gala Dr. Sanjay GalaN.D., D.N.O., D.C.O. M.B. (BOM.), M.S. (ENT)NAVNEET PUBUCATIONS (INDIA) LIMITEDNavneet House , Gurukul Road,

Memnagar, Ahmadabad-380 052.Phone: 743 6300/743 9200

Navneet Bhavan, B. S. Road,Oadar, Mumbai-400 028.Phone: 5662 6565

DHANlAl BROTHERS DISTRIBUTORSe-mail: dhanla\@vsnl.net

70, Princess Street, Mumbai-400 002.Phone: 2201 7027

Visit us at : www.navneet.com & connect?chooLcom , G. 4502 ) .

. HRall: p i l @ n a v n ~ e t . c o m I' Price : Rs. 30.00


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All rights reserved. No part of this book .abridged or translated sto d.' be copied, adapted,system, photographic o t ~ e m retrieval s ~ s t e m : computeror b an . er sys em or transmitted In any formco h Y means without the prior written permission of thebr::ct i ~ ~ : ; ; ; i lM/;- N ~ v n e e t Publications (India) Ltd. Anynotice. ega actIOn and prosecution without furtherDr. Dhiren Gala1st f 1 ~ o r , Abbas Building lA', Near Tilak Market Jalbhai LaneHarklshandas H 't I R d "Spl a oa, Grant Road (East), Mumbai -400004Phon e: 2386 7275 .~ NAVNEET PUBLICATIONS (INDIA) LIMITEDMurnbai: 1. 8havani Shankar Road, Dadar, Murnbai-400 028(Tel. 5662 6565 Fax: 5662 6470) .

2. Navyog Distribu tors: Road No 8M I'Marol Andheri (East) M b' " . , D. c., Next to Indian Institute of PackagingAhrnadab d N ' , urn a,-400 093. (Tel. 2821 4186 Fax' 2835 2758) ,a : avneet House Guruk I R d M .u oa l, , em nagar, Ahmadabad-380 052.Bangalore : Sri 8alaji's, No. 12, 2 n d : f i 6 6 r : 1 ~ i : . " , ' : L t : < , , (Tel. 743 6300)_;"',;,t'" ; ~ ~ . s \ M ~ 1 I e s w a r a m , Bangalore-560 003.Bhopal: Navneet Sadan E-7/728 A , . ~ . , / ~ , , , + + ; . ; ! ; . ; : : (Tel. 346 57 40)ChenniU .: 30 ,6 "N , : rera 0 any, Shahpura, Bhopal-462 016. (Tel. 527 8544), " '. '" . nfiilm agar North 'Street AI Ch D Ih' ; 2'" 'E"/ '{",;.".:: .. .: , ' .warpet, enna,-600.018; (Tel. 2434 6404,')e ,. - 23, Orion Plaza 2nd & 3 d FI '. . '. . r oor, Jhandewalan Extn., New Delhi-110 055.

H y d e ~ a b a d ' : B l d g ~ N ~ ' . ' 3 ' - 2 - 3 3 ~ ~ ' ; ~ d ~ I ~ ~ r '. . (Tel.,23 ?1 0170). ",;" .. , , Somasundaram Street, Secunderabad-500 025.Kolkata: Newar Bhavanlsal 'N ' . . . (Tel. 5531 7348). .' . . ' oor, o. 87, Chowrmghee Road, Kolkat a-700 020.Nagpur : A g g e A p . ~ r t m e n t s A'd" .' - (Tel. 2223 2497)Patna: 1 t Floor, 36-0, s ~ ~ / : ~ ~ ~ : ~ f V I 7 : S . ' : r - ~ ~ a : c : j Road, Nagpur-440 018. (Tel. 272 4411 )Pune : Sita Park 18 Sh' .. ~ t M a b t o M ~ r g , SnkI!shnapl,l.d,P.iltn.a-800 001. (Tel. 2204921 ), , Iva)1 ~ g a r " N e a r BharatEng/i'sh School, PUhe-411 00Surat : 1, Ground Floor, Sri VcilliibIiColT('l' o '.. . ', . : 5. (Tel. 5536364). , . ;:.;, ' . pex, Kotwal Street, Nanpara, Surat-395 001.Vadodara : F-1, Vaidya Vatika 0, H . . ..., (Tel. 246 3927)V dod ' p p , ~ , anyman WadI, Sardar Bhuvan Khancho. " ' . _ ~ , ~ r a - : J ? O J ~ 0 1 : j T e L ~ ~ ? 2 0 8 7 ) , . ,

pubUshe(i,by . N a v n e ~ t . P U ~ 1 i 9 a ~ i o n s (India) Ltd.; Danta;;, Gujarat.~ ~ : . . l n t e d by ~ ; u r u k n p a O ~ ~ e t , Ahmedabad. .', ". ,.

. " [.5 -8 -200:ld4Yi 7l'

PREFACEAcupressure and Acupuncture therapies have been

recognized in China, Japan and Korea as effective modes oftreatment. These therapies are widely used in the hospitals ofthese countries.

During his visit to China, Richard Ni xon, the President ofthe United States of America had an opportun ityto observe forhimself how these therapies work. He was deeply impressed

.by their efficacy. After returning to America, he sent acommission of leading p h y ~ i c i a n s of America to ' studyAcupressure and Acupuncture. They expressed a favourableopinion about these therapies. Thereafter, these therapiesrapidly gained popularity in the western countries, tOo.

The people of India have come to know abOut thesetherapies only recently. It is, therefore, natural thatwe do' nothave standard and authoritative books on the subject. Wehope that this book on Acupressure will fill that vacuum andmeet the needs of those persons who are interested in thesubject.Though the book has been written keeping the layman inview, i tinc ludes scientific information regarding Acupressure.Everyone has a right to know how a treatment he is takingproduces effects.

We are indebted to Dr. L. J. Dedhia, Dr. Mugat lal Thankiand Shri Manibhai Patel for their valuable suggestions.

Readers' views and constructive suggestions in respect ofthis book are always welcome. -Authors

Note: Acupressure points in both men and women arethe same. For convenience, only male figures find a place inthis book


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CONTENTSPART I

1. Introduction2. History of Acupressure3. The Science of Acupressure4. The Benefits of Acupressure5. Directions for Successful Treatment

PART II6. Locations of Important Acu-points

PART III7. Acupressure Treatment of CommonDiseases

Page No.58

145259

68

128

,PART 11. INTRODUCTION

Ignorance and negligence regarding health that prevailamong people today are really shocking. There are only a fewpersons who make sincere and active efforts to understandthei r body and health. As a matter of fact, we have entrustedthe problems of our health to the care of medical science.

The limitations of the orthodox medical science arebeing gradually revealed. Drugs which were once consideredeffective on bacterial diseases are now proving to De ineffective. After the invention of Chloroquine and Chemoquine itwas thought that malaria could be exterminated from thesurface of the earth. But this hope has turned out to beillusionary as malaria is making a spirited comeback to manyplaces of he world. Chloroquine has now littleor no effect onthe germs causing malaria. Similarly many other drugs arenow proving useless against several diseases. This has made itnecessary to conduct experiments with a view to inventingnew, powerful drugs.Signs of getting out of thisVICIOUS circle arenowhere in sight.

The more powerfu Ithe drugs, the moredangerous thei r sideeffects are. The drugswhich were once considered perfectly safe havenowadays proved to beharmfu I and evendangerous. Thai domideused to be thought of as aharmless sleeping pill and Fig. 1

5


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6 BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSURE

P h e ~ a c e t i . n a safe analgesic; but today it is recognized thatThalidomide, when taken during pregnancy, is responsible fora number of cases of congenital deformities in babies whileP h e n a ~ e t i n in quite a few cases causes severe kidney trouble.There IS the recent case of a laxative widely sold in Japan,whose manufactu rer paid out Rs. 25 crores as compensation 'to those affected by untoward side-effects. There is a similarcase over a slimming drug in America which drew publicattention because of its harmful effects.

Another drawback of modern medical system is that ittends to p r ~ s c r i b e separate drug for each ai Iment or symptom;e.g.,. s e d a t ~ v e s or analgesics for pain, temperature reducing(anti-pyretic) drugs for fever, laxatives for constipation and soon. ThiS sort of management does not consider the patient orhis ailment as one unit. In this sort of management whichcomprises separate treatment for each symptom of a disease,large doses of drugs have to be given. Besides, when thesymptoms of the disease recur, more potent drugs have to be

a d m i n i ~ t e r e d . It should be remembered that the more potenta drug IS, the greater is the risk of its side-effects.Modern medical treatment rei ies on the assumption thatthe human body is composed of separate, independent piecesand not of an indivisible unit. This has led to the steadyincrease in the number of specialists in different diseases. Anophthalmologist wou Id treat only the eyes and an orthopedistwould treat only the bones. Similarly a cardiologist woulddeal with the diseases pertaining to the heart only.On the other hand, traditional therapists of the easterncountries regard the human body as one indivisible unit orentity (-as a whole). In their opinion no individual part of the

hu man body can remai n healthy or unhealthy independent ofthe other parts. Their approach' is to treat the patient and notthe disease. They believe tHat diseases can be preventedprovided the resistance power of the body is s t r e n g t h e ~ e d

INTRODUCTION 7with the help of proper food, proper lifestyle and properphysical exercise. On the other hand, if the patient's body haslost its resistance power, no medicine or surgery will curehim. It was for this reason that some Japanese doctors filed asuit against Dr. Wada, a Japanese surgeon, who performedthe operation of heart transplantation. In their opinion the actof transplanting the heart degraded and dehumanized thehuman body. They looked upon Dr. Wada as a representativeof the western school of medicine. According to them, thehuman body is not a machine like a motor-car, the parts ofwhich can be exchanged for transplantation.Drugs can give a patient some relief from pain or cangive sense of some comfort till the body's power of resistancecompletely alleviates the disease. They are of no more usethan that. It is a matter worth pondering over whether weshould carryon our shoulder, the risk involved in theside-effects of these drugs, which, in turn give onlyinsignificant, temporary benefits.Dr. Friend, the head of the Clinical PharmacologyDepartment at Britham Hospital, Boston and Professor ofMedicine at the Harvard University says that there is no suchmedicine as can be called safe.Illness in fact is not inevitable. It can be prevented orrapidly cured if the resistance power of the body is strong. Byobservi ng the ru les of Natu re one can easi Iy preserve theresistance power of his body. There is one simple but effectivetherapy which is based on the rules of Nature. It is known asAcupressure. If specific points on the body-surface aremethodically pressed, the internal organs of the bodycorresponding to these points are swiftly affected and thediseases or disorders of those organs are eliminated.Acupressure is a science as well as an art. A distinct andanalytical explanation of this interesting subject has beenpresented in the ensu ing -chapters.


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2. HISTORY OF ACUPRESSURE. A c u p ~ e s s u r e is the most ancient' and simplest of theva!lous onental therapies such as acupressure, acupuncture,shiatsu, zone therapy and reflexology * which are prevalent

today. Each of these therapies strives to produce healingeffects on the internal organs of the body through well-definedpoints on the body-surface.

Acupressure is a unique science. It is believed thate ~ s t e r n th.erapists e v ~ l v e ? ~ h i s science several centuries ago

~ I t h a view to maintaining health and curing commonaliments. 'According to one op inion, acupressure and acupuncture

ori?inated in India. They later spread to central Asia, Egypt,China and other countries. It is believed that this therapy wastaken from our country to other countries by Buddhist monks.The Chinese consider acupressure as their own science andbel ieve it to be more than 5000 years old. There arereferences of acupressure and acupuncture in the ancientChinese books. The Chinese, irrespective of the place oforigin of this therapy, must be credited with makingacupressure respected and popular in modern times.

When there is pain in any part of the body, we generallytry to get relief by rubbing or pressing that part. If we take thisnatural reflex into consideration, we should not be surprizedat the evolution of acupressure. Centuries ago the people

n o ~ i c e d that pain could be relieved when they pressedpOinted stones on some specific parts of the body. During abattle, _soldiers sometimes experienced that when they werewou nded by arrows, they recovered from a long-sufferedillness. This led those people, having the power of minuteobservation, to think that certa inpoints on the skin must have* How ~ f l e x o l o g y or zone therapy ~ i f f e r s from acupressure has been explained in

a special note on page no. 47.8

HISTORY OF ACUPRESSURE 9

connections with the internal ,organs of the body. Thesystematic study that followed helped, to discover newacupressure points. There is the description of about 1000acupressure points on the body in the various Chinese and, japanese charts. 669 points are listed in Dr. Chu Lien's 'HsinChen Chiu Hsueth' (Modern Acupuncture), a standardtextbook on acupuncture used in present day China.However, out of these points 90 to 100 points are ofimportance for common ailments.

The science of acupressure and acupuncture was almostshrouded in antiquity until the first half of the 20th century.Mao-tse-tung, the far-sighted and nationalist statesman ofChina revived it in 1949. However, this science awaitedworld-wide recognition long after it came to be widely used inChina. yvhen in 1971 President Nixon came to China on anofficial visit, he was accompanied by a number of personsthat included james Reston, a renowned journalist. Shortlyafter he arrived in China, james Reston began to suffer fromappendicitis. It is a known fact if appendicitis is notcontrolled in time, it would lead to the bursting of theappendix. This would cause grave complications. To avoidthis an emergency operation was performed upon JamesReston. But as it happens in many cases, he did not get relieffrom abdominal pain even after the operation. When noremedy was effective in rei ieving pain, james agreed to tryacupuncture. To the surprise of all, james got immediaterelief. President Nixon was greatly impressed by thistreatment. Thereafter the science of acupressure andacupuncture took no time to spread throughout America. In1973, a group of American doctors led by Dr. Paul DudleyWhite , a renowned cardiologist was sent to China to observeand study acupressure and acupuncture therapies. Afterreturning to Ameri(:a, Dr. White conceded that though hecould not understand how these (acupressure and


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a c ~ p ~ n c t u r e ) methods produced healing effects, he woulddefinitely assert that they were certainly beneficial.Specific points on the ears too can be used to affect the

i n t ~ r n a l organs of the body in the same way as the pressurep O l n t ~ on other parts of the body. 'The Yellow Emperor'sClassIc of Internal Medicine', the ancient Chinese book toorefers to the relation of the ears with other parts of the body.The custom of twisting the ear for the treatment of headacheor hysteria is quite common in China. The treatment ofpiercing the for asthma is well-known in India. In 1957,Dr. Paul Nogler, a neurosurgeon in France deeply studied earacupressure and gave it the form of an authentic science.Dr. Nogier calls it 'auricular therapy'. An extensive study ofthe methqd of ear-acupressure has been made in China tooduring the last ten to fifteen years. As a consequence, about200 points on the ear alone have been discovered. However,?nly a few of them are of real importance for day-to-dayIllnesses. Dr. Rene Buordial, an acupuncture specialist in

F r ~ n c e , states that he would prefer to apply pressure on thepOints on the ears by fingers rather than puncture them withneedles.

Today the popularity of acupressure is increasing byleaps and bounds. It has become a favourite therapy of EvanNagy, a well-known ballet dancer, Marilyn Monroe, acelebrated film actress and several international athletes."Nothing has helped me so much recently as acupressure.

A c u ~ r e s s u r e is of immense help in improving an athlete'sphysical p e ~ f o r m a n c e . " Statements of this kind by the highJumper DWight Stones, and the discus thrower Mac Wilkinsboth world record holders at thei r respective events atMontreal Olympics are worth noting.

The point tsu-san-/i whi,c:h is situated below the knee isalso known in China as 'three villages'. A regular pressure onthis point increases the strength of knees and feet. It is

HISTORY OF ACUPRESSURE 11

believed in China that one who takes the help of his point canwalk much more (the distance between three villages) thanordinary persons. The heart of an athlete is put to considerablestrain. This is prevented by treating the acupressure pointcalled nei-kuan situated near the wrist, which helps to regulateblood ci rculation and breathing. r----...,..----------.Dr. Zier of 'Damp 2000', a wellknown hospital in Germany iscarrying out trials with acupressure. He has measured the performance of athletes on a staticbicycle before and after thestimulation of acupressurepoints. He says that acupressureincreases strength and checks animproper increase in the heartrate after strenuous activities.

A c u p r e s s u r e ~ has a very goodeffect on muscular pain and L . . . . : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : = ~_____ -1Fig. 2.1cramps.Nowadays acupressure is mostly used as a means ofcuring a disease. But the Chinese give more importance to the

'preventive aspect' of this science. In old days an acupressure

Fig. 2.2


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12 BE YOUR DOCTOR WIT:t ACUPRESSURE

or acupuncture specialist used to be paid regularly only solong as the person under his care remained healthy. Thespecialistwas not paid if the person under him fell ill and thespecialist had to treat the patient with medicines purchasedwith his own money. If a patient. in spiteof not being very oldor not suffering from an incurable disease, died while underthe treatmentof an acupressure specialist, the specialist had tohang a lantern outside his house. Even a stranger wou ld knowof the efficiency or inefficiency of the acupressure specialistby counting the number of lanterns hanging outside hishouse (see fig. 2.2).

Like the Chinese we should also accept the maxim'Prevention is better than cure'. Today, about 90 per cent ofall treatments is of a 'curative' nature. But within the next fewyears 90 per cent of treatment will be of a 'preventive' nature.Curative treatment or medicines will be needed in only theremaining 10 per cent of cases. Prevention of illnesswill be ofimmense benefit to mankind. Hospitals and doctors will berelieved of the great rush of patients. As a consequence, thosewho are in genuine need of medical treatment or surgerywillget it without any delay. Personal loss or loss in nationalproduction caused on account of illness will decreaseconsiderably and nation's precious wealth will be saved frombeing wasted.

Today acupressure is being taught scientifically at anumber of reputed universities a!l over the world. This factitself is an evidence that the importance of acupressure hasbeen acknowledged and recognized. The people of ourcountry are still indifferent to health. However, it is certainthat the popularity and importance of acupressure willincrease in our country also with the increase of people'sconsciousness in respe


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3. THE SCIENCE OF ACUPRESSUREFor centuries, in India, China, Japan and other countries,life-has been considered as a bioelectrical phenomenon, that

is, our life relies on the bioelectricity that exists in our body. Itis only because of he existence of his energy in our body thatwe can move, breathe, digest food or think. We call thisbioenergy 'Prana' or 'Chetana'. The Chinese call it 'Chi'. Thisbioenergy is composed of two kinds of forces: 'Yin' and'Yang'. Yi n is a negative force wh e Yang is a positive one. Aperson remains in good health if there is co-ordination,harmony and balance between these two forces. If thebalance is disturbed or 'warped', that is, if the flow of oneforce in the-body is greater than the other, illness arises. Theseforces (bioenergy) flow through definite courses or channelsin the body. We shall calf these courses 'meridians'. TheChinese call them 'Jing'.

It is believed that there are in all 14 meridians in our bodyfor the flow of bioelectricity or bioenergy (Chetana). Out ofthese 14 meridians, 12 meridians are present in pairs, each onthe right side and the left side of the body, while the remainingtwo are single. One is on the vertical midline in front of thebody and the other on the vertically central line on the. backside of the body.

The 12 paired meridians comprise of 6 'Yin' meridiansand 6 'Yang' meridians. 'Yin' meridians start from the toes orfrom the middle part of the body and go to the head or to thefi ngers of he hands. The 'Yang' meridians start from the head,the face or the fingers and go downside or to the middle partof the body (see figures 3.1 and 3.2).

These meridians which maintain the flow ofbioelectricity have connection with the main organs (orsystems) of the body. Each meridian has been given the nameof he organ with which i t is connected. One end of eachmeridian lies in the hand, the leg or the face and the other in

14

THE SCIENCE OF ACUPRESSURE 15

- F i g ~ : ; 3 . 1 : 'Yin'- mer.idians-;


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Fig. 3.2 : 'Yang' meridians


one main organ. That is the reason why pressure applied to aparticular point on the hand or the leg,' affects the remoteorgan connected with this point.The names of the main 14 meridians are as follows :

(1) Large Intestine Meridian(2) Stomach Meridian(3) Small Intestine Meridian(4) Bladder Meridian Yang Meridians(S) Triple Warmer Meridian{f>} Gall Bladder Meridian(7) Lung Meridian(S) Spleen Meridian(9) Kidney Meridian

(10) Heart Meridian(11) Heart Constrictor ORPericardium Meridian(12) Liver Meridian

Yin Meridian

(13) Governing e s s e l M e r i d . i ~ n . } Meri.dians that govern(14) Conception Vessel Meridian other meridians .

The intensity of the flow ofbioenergyJn a particularmeridian is not.the same throughout the day. The flow ofbioenergy in a meridian is maximum only once at a definitetime during twenty-four hours. Twelve hours after that timethe bioenergy flowing in that meridian is t h ~ , minimum. Thishas been explained in the following figure which can betermed I the organ-clock' :The figure 3.3 shows that the l u n g ~ have the maximumflow of bioenergy during 3 to SO'clock in the morning; thekidneys, during 5 t07 in the evening; the gall bladder, during11 to 1 at night and the liver' during 1 to 3 after midnight.Attacks of asthma mostly occur dlJring 3, to SJn thefTlorning,renal colic occurs during,S t0 7 in the evening, the pain in the., IR a Vnllr Own noc.tOf With Acuoressure


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Fig. 3.3 : The organ-clock.gall-bladder Occurs during 11 to 1 at night and the headacheand i n s o ~ n i a which are caused by malfunctioningofthe liveroccur dUring 1 to 3 after midnight. These facts are significantand any doctor wi I confi rm them.

Modern physicians are unable to explain the reason forthe radiation of chest..;pain to the shoulder and the whole arm

Fig. 3.4 : Pain caused on account of heartattack radiating along the. direction of the Heart Meridian


in cases of many patients who have suffered from a heartattack. But an acupressure or acupuncture expert finds nodifficul ty in explainingthe reason for this pain. Even the oldestbooks on acupressure and acupuncture show the location ofthe heart meridian in that very part of the arm in which aperson with heart-attack experiences the radiating pain.

Each of the 14 main meridians has subsidiary meridians.Figure 3.5 shows one subsidiary branch of he Heart Meridian(see the dotted line). One part of this subsidiary meridianpasses through the lungs and blood-vessels of the heart andthen penetrating the diaphragm joins the small intestine Theother part of this meridian passes through the neck andreaches the eye. The figure shows that the arena of theinfluence of the main meridian gets expanded due to itssubsidiary meridians. One of the subsidiary meridians of theHeart Meridian proceeds to the eye. On the basis of this facteye-ailments can be treated through the Heart Merid ian also.

~ , . . . , . - - - - - t _ S u b s i d i a r yMeridian. Main Heart--+-wA

Meridian

.Fig. 3.5 : Subsidiary meridiansof the Heart MeridianThe medical philosophy of the eastern countries gives

sole importance to 'body-meridians. On the other hand, thewestern medical science, foUowingDr. Virchov,approaches


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20 BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSUREto the minute study for finding out the diseased tissue. It eventries to discover which particular cells in the tissue have beendiseased (bone-cells, nerves, muscle-cells, cells of bloodvessels, etc.). Management and medicines to be given change'according to the type of diseased cells. But acupressure

- therapy is different from the above therapy. A particular partof the body may suffer from any disease such as arthritis,wound, odema or skin-disease, but the acupressure treatmentis the same. The reason is simply that the meridian itself is themain controll ing force of the part of the body through which itpasses. This meridian controls all types of cells present in itscorresponding part of the body. This is why the acupressuretherapy is simple and easy to apply.When there is any disorder in an organ of the body; thewhole of its corresponding meridian does not become tenderor painful but only some points lying on that meridianbecome tender. Severe pain is felt when these points arepressed. Ho w does this happen? Why is the whole meridiannot painful? The reason is that acupressure points work asregulators. They regulate and direct the energy flowing in themeridians. A meridian and its acupressure points can becompared to a telephone exchange and operatorsrespectively. In a telephone exchange the operators regulatethe incoming and outgoing telephone calls. In the Same wayacupressure points regulate bioenergy which flows throughthe meridian.If the flow or cir


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malaise (indisposition) for years. All tests as regards herstool, urine and blood had been repeatedly done. But thosetests proved to be of no use in diagnosing the disease.Whenever she gave a sample of her blood from the vein of herhand, an extraordinary thing used to happen. All hercomplaints used to vanish for a few hours. This had actuallymade her to look forward to fresh blood examination.Whenever she brought this matter to her doctor's notice, thelatter paid no attention to it. Once she accidently came intocontact with an acupressure expert. The acupressure expert atonce realized that the temporary relief from pain which thepatient experienced was due to the stimulation of a certainpoint with the injection needle. Thereafter this acupressureexpert method ically treated her with acupressure and she waspermanently relieved of her longstanding troubles.

An acupressure point is a tiny sensitive circle of the Sizeof a ~ i n g e r - t i p . Its diameter is about 1 sq. cm. Therefore greatc a r ~ IS necessary to correctly locate a particular point. I f onlya slight touch or pressure on an acupressure point causessevere pain, it is a symptom of a severe disease. '

There are some acupressure points which enable onetocome to the correct diagnosis of a disease; e.g., the pain on thepoint no. 6 on the Lung Meridian suggests piles, the pain onthe point no. 39 on the Gall Bladder Meridian suggests gallstone and the pain on the point no. 4 on the Large IntestineMeridian suggests constipation.

There are several acupressure points on each meridian. Ifan organ becomes diseased, the quest ion that arises is whichpoints should be pressed to eliminate the disease from theorgan. For the cure of a disease some of the points on ameridian are more important than the others. One or more ofthe following reasons may be responsible for it : ,

(1) Bioenergy is inhibited easily and to a greater extent insome poi nts.


(2) At some points the underlying meridian is quite nearthe skin. '(3) Some points can be fou nd very easi Iy and so

treatment on these poi nts becomes easy.(4) There is hard tissue (e.g., bone) below some points.

Such points can easily be pressed against the hard tissue.(5) Some points are very sensitive. If pressure is applied

, on these points, the disease is eliminated rapidly.Only such important points' as mentioned above have

been indicated in this whole book for the cure of differentdiseases. I

Pain on any point on the b(idy is possibly a symptom ofsome disorder in an organ or in a system of the body. It shouldbe assumed that the point, through pain, pleads for help. Inorder to help the organ or the system concerned,,, pressureshould' be methodically applied on it. Factors such asmethods of applying pressure, timings, etc. have beendiscussed in the fifth chapter. To know which organ isco-related with the painful point is not always important;more important is the application of methodical pressure onthat point.

Accurate and methodical application of pressure onpainful acupressure points gives one or more of the followingbenefits:(1) One gets relief from the symptoms of the disease.

Sometimes this relief is immediate. The disease itself alsogradual ly vanishes.

(2) The strain of that part of the body or sometimes of thewhole body and the mind is alleviated.

(3) Even if the symptoms of a few diseases like asthmareappear, their acuteness is considerably lessened.

(4) In diseases .Iike asthma, the period between twoconsecutive attacks is gradually lel)gthened.


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(5) Sometimes a critical condition (e.g., after a severeheart-attack) can be averted.When treatment is given through other manipulativetherapies such as osteopathy, chiropractic or Swedishmassage, at times acupressure points are unknowingly

pressed. This may be the cause of the benefits, to somedegree, which these therapies give.Special note: Currently, ear-acupressure has been

developed in which the organs of the body are treated bystimulating points on the ear. A reference of the fact that theear is closely related to all parts of the human body has beenfound in some ancient books too. But the credit for thescientific d ~ v e l o p m e n t of ear-acupressure goes to Dr. Paul

. Nogier, a wel l-known French neurosurgeon.

Fig. 3.7 : Comparison of the ear to aninverted human embryo (foetus)

Fig. 3.8 : Anatomyof the ear

Everyone knows that the ear is the organ of hearing; someare aware that it is also the centre for the maintenance of bodybalance; but only a select few know that the ear is a miniaturerepresentation of the hU'1lan embryo.

(1) Lobe: It c o r r e s p o ~ d s to facial region.(2) Anti-tragus: It corresponds to head region.


(3) Helix Limb: It corresponds to diaphragm anddigestive tract.

(4) A n t i ~ h e l i x : It corresponds to trunk.(5) Upper Limb of Anti-helix: It corresponds to legs.(6) Lower Limb of Anti-helix: It corresponds to buttocks.(7) Triangular Fossa: It corresponds to genital organs.(8) Scapha : It corresponds to arms.(9) Tragus: It corresponds chiefly to throat.

(10) Supra-tragic Notch : It corresponds chiefly to mouth.(11) Inter-tragic Notch: It corresponds to internal

secretions.(12) Cymba Concha: It corresponds to abdominal

region.(13) Cavum Concha: It corresponds to chest region.(14) Concha Edge of Anti-helix: It corresponds to spinal

column.(15) Helix: It corresponds chiefly to liver.(16) Back of Ear: It corresponds to back region.


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26 BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSUREMERIDIANS AND ACUPRESSURE POINTS

Fig. 3.9 : Imp ortant Points on Lung MeridianUses of Points

1. cold, cough, asthma5. cough, pain in elbow, breathing difficulty (breathlessness)6. piles7. cold, headache, paralysis of facial musdes9. breathing difficulty, cough, throat troub le

11. throat trouble, cough

THE SCIENCE OF ACUPRESSURE

Fig. 3.10 : Important Points on Large Intestine Meridian

Uses of Points1. fever, diarrhoea4. constipation, diarrhoea, toothache, pain in the body or indisposition

10. bodyache, indisposition11. ailments of arms15. pain in shoulders, stiffness of shoulders20. cold

27


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Uses of Points1 tension of facial muscles, tired eyes3. sinusitis, cold4. toothache6. toothache9. high blood pressure

25. diarrhoea34. stomachache, diarrhoea, painin!knees36. bodyache or indisposition44. stomachache, toothache . Fig. 3.11 : Important Points on Stomach Meridian


Uses of Points6. insomnia, indigestion, menstrualdisorders, pain in ankle joiflts9. knee pains

10. itching, menstrual disorders Fig. 3.12 : I ~ p o r t a n t Points on Spleen Meridian

29


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Fig. 3.13 : impor tant Points on Heart MeridianUses of Points

. 3. palpitations7. unconsciousness (fainting), insomnia,' c ~ n s t i p a t i o n


Fig. 3.14 : Important Points on Small Intestine MeridianUses of Points

3. weakness or paralysis of fingers4. constipatiori9. pain in shoulders

19. ear disorders

31


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BE YOUR OWN DoCToRWITH ACUPRESSURE

1. eye exhaustion or swelling10. headache, cold12. cough, asthma, breathlessness13. breathlessness14. sluggishness of Conception VesselMeridian15. weakness of heart16. sluggishness of Governing VesselMeridian17. Hiccough, vomiting, pain in ribs18. liver disorders19. disorders of gall-bladder20. disorders of spleen or pancreas21. abdomen disorders22. diarrhoea, feeling of tiredness(fatigue) pain in loin23. kidney troubles25. constipation disorders of largeintestine26. loin pains, indigestion27. small intestine troubles32. menstrual disorders36. loin pains, sciatica37. pain in legs, sciat ica' .40. loin pains, sciatica pain in calf (oflegs)41. spinal cord troubles42. asthma, cough, pain in neck andshoulders43. asthma45. cough, fever46. nausea, vomiting, hiccough49. diarrhoea, stomachache52. loin pains, kidney troubles57. sciatica, pain in legs60. sciatica, convulsion, giddiness67. delivery troubles Fig. 3.15 : Important Points on Bladder Merielian


Fig. 3.16 : Important Points on Kidney Meridian,Uses i{)f Points:

1. convulsion, giddiness, painful menstruation3. kidney troubles

33


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34 BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSURE THE SCIENCE OF ACUPRESSURE 35

Fig. 3.17 : Impo rtant Points on Heart Constrictor or Pericardium MeridianFig. 3.18 : Important Point on Triple Warmer Meridian


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Uses of Points1. eye troubles, headache2. ear troubles20. cold, headache, giddiness

21. pain in shoulders, deficiency of mother'smilk (inadequate lactation)

24. disorders of gall bladder25. stomachache, vomiting, digestion troubles30. pain in loin-sciatica31. slow blood-circulation in vessels of legs33; fever, par.alysis of leg muscles'34. pain in ankle joints, headache39. gall bladder stone40. menstruation problems______________ .. 41. menstruation problems, pain in forefoot-_

Fig. 3.19 : Important Points on Gall Bladder Meridian


Uses of Points3. headache, giddiness4. pain in ankle joints

11. painful menses '13. pain in abdomen, vomiting14. pain in ribs, deficiency of mother'smilk (inadequate lactation) Fig. 3.20 : Important Points on Liver Meridian


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Uses of Points4. pain in loin, headache, impotence

11. paralysis12. asthma, cold14. fever, he adache, cold allergy,

asthma15. he adache, cold nose-bleeding16. cold, paralysis20. headache, sun-stroke, piles23. head or nose troubles26. fainting, convulsion

Fig. 3.21 : Import ant Points on Governing Vessel Meridian


Fig. 3.22 : Important Points on Conception Vessel Meridian

Uses of Points4. menstruation disorders, impotence6. stomachache, diarrhoea, constipation, painful menses

12. nausea, vomiting,diarrhoea-. . .17. asthma, high blood pressure, deficiency of mother's milk (madequate lactation)


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Note : The pressure on the ~ i n t s located on GoverningVessel and Conception Vessel meridians produces a localeffect; e.g./ an ulcer in the stomach can be treated bystimulating points two inches above the navel on either ofthese meridians.

At the outset, it is beyond our mental perception how anapplication of pressure on a point on the body causes effecton a remote organ in the body; but that it so happens isundoubtedly a proven fact.

It is a fact that acupressure has cured a numberof patientswho could not be cured by the established method of modernmedical practice. Though the doctors are aware of this fact, itis deplorable that they are not prepared to rec.ognize thisscience. Observation, study, scientific researches and innumerable experiments have helped to accumulate so many~ v i d e n c e s to prove the efficacy of acupressure that it is nighimpossible to disregard this old, traditional therapy. The,doctors who deny the efficacy of acupressure or consider it tobe quackery, in fact, deceive themselves and deprive theirpatients of this simple and effective treatment. Aldous Huxley,a well-known literary person, says that acupressure, is disgarded by those very persons whose prime duty is toscrut inize such therapies. ,

Several principles have been put forward to explain howcurative effects really take place by pressing acupressurepoints. Some of these principles have a support of scientificexperiments, whi le others are based solely on inferences. Twoof theseprinciples are very important. They ?re : (1 ) Dr. KimBong Han's Bioelectric Bong Han Corpuscles Principle and(2) Dr. Felix Mann's Cutaneo-Visceral Reflex Principle. Thesetwo principles will be discussed in detail and a passingreference will be given to other principles.

(1 ) Bong Han Cor'puscles Theory: Prof. Dr. Kim Bong,Han presented two papers on his acupressure research at two


Scientific Symposia held at Pyongyang in Korea on 30thNovember 1963 and on 15th April 1965.

For centuries the Koreans have believed that the bodycontains an independently working system called 'Kyungrak'which regulates the flow of bioenergy in the body. The beliefwas substantiated by Dr. Bong Han's experiments.

Dr. Bong Han succeeded in discovering inconspicuous,specific kind of Bong Han corpuscles lying beneath the skin,exactly at the site of acupressure or acu pu nctu re points on theskin. These corpuscles are ltnked with tiny ducts, which, ifdrawn o.n paper, resemble meridians. Superficial Bong Hancorpuscles and Deep Bong Han corpuscles are found to beslightly different in view of their composition. It can be saidthat the composition of these Bong Han corpuscles is quite'different from any other corpuscles known so far. The same isthe case with the ducts that link these corpuscles.

According to Dr. Kim Bong Han, 12 paired meridians and2 single meridians are formed by Bong Han corpuscleslocated in the body and the ducts. 12 meridians which are inpairs are connected with twelve important organs or systems.This research greatly corresponds with the Chinese ancientconcepts.Dr. Bong Han states that Bong Han corpuscles are theregulators of bioenergy which flows through the ducts. If thefree movement of bioenergy is obstructed Bong Hancorpuscles, the balance between 'Yin' and 'Yang" forces in thebody is disrupted and as a result diseases are caused.Systematic application of pressure on acupressure pointsdirectly affects Bong Han corpuscles. This leads to thereestabl ishment of the balance between 'Yi n' and ''Yang'forces which ultimately results in the cure of the disease.

(2) Cutaneo-visceral Reflex and Viscero-cutaneousReflex Theory: Most of our actions are controlled and regulated by the brain. These actions are called 'voluntary


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actions'. But there are some actions which occur of heir own,independent of the control of the brain or the will; e.g., if ourhand, through mistake, happens to touch a very hot object, itis immediately withdrawn by itself. It is only after the hand iswithdrawn that we come to realize what has happened. Thissort of action is known as 'reflex action'. It is a natural physicaldevice for self-protection. Dr. Felix Mann believes thatacupressure effect is a similar reflex. Dr. Mann says that adisease of an organ has an immediate reflex on specificpoints, which become painful to pressure. Electricwaves areproduced when the painful points are pressed or pricked witha needle. These waves immediately reach the correspondingorgan and start the process of curing a disease.

. . . . . . - - 9 ~ ~ ~ _ ~ ___ pinal cord

. sympathetic chain

Fig. 3.23 : The course of electric waves produced by acupressure'In short, Dr. Mann considers autonomous nervous sys-

tem responsible for the efficacy of acupressure. To support hisclaim Dr. Mann states that a pinpr ick applied to the foot hasan immediate effect on headache. Su(:h a rapid flow ofbioenergy is not possible through any other system except thenervous system. Other western researchers are also of theopinion that bioenergy is in fact n ~ r v e - e n e r g y which flows

THE SCIENCE OF ACUPRESSURE 43through sympathetic and parasympathetic channels of theautonomous nervous system.Dr. Han Chi-sheng's experiments: Dr. Han C h i - S h e n ~of the Peki ng Medical College has c ~ n d u c t e d some e ~ p e r l ments on thirty rabbits. These experiments are t e c ~ n l c a l l yknown as 'raising the threshold of pain'. In one expenment a

s t r ~ n g beam of heat producing n ~ r a - r e d r a y ~ directed tothe nostrils oft en blindfolded rabbits. To avoid pain caused bythe heat the rabbits moved thei r heads to one side. Theresearcher measured the length of time before the rabbitsmoved thei r heads to one side after the commencement ofthe experiment. This experiment was repeated on a n o t h ~ rgroup of ten rabbits after a c u p u n ~ t u r e treatment of theirtsu-san-Ii poi nt. Agai n the length of l me was measu red beforethe rabbits moved thei r heads to one side. The sameexperi ment was repeated on another group of.ten rabbits f t ~ racupressure treatment of thei r q u e n - I u ~ pOInt. ThE? expenment proved that those rabbits whose pOints were s t l ~ u l a t e dcould bear heat for a longer time and moved their headsaway after a long time. The statistics of this experiment areindicated in the following figure: .

150-0l-5 100c'n;c..:I 50v.:'J?

Acupressure orAcupuncture.

o 10 20 30 40 50MinutesFig. 3.24 : Comparison between acupressure and acupuncture


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44 BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSUREFigure 3.24 (Page 43) clearly indicates that acupressurewas more successful than acupuncture in decreasing thesensiti'vity to pain.Dr. Han Chi-sheng says that acupressure or acupuncturebrings about a change in a substan'ce called neuro.;-:transmitter

in the brain. This causes relief in pain. This neuro-transmittermay be serotonin, noradrenalin or PHT. Professor Birkmayerof Botsmann Institute for N e u r o c h e m i ~ t r y has carried outresearch into the effect of acupuncture "oh the neu(o-transmitter in humans and his findings also confirm those ofDr. Han Chi-sheng.

According to some researchers, pain is relieved byacupressure or acupuncture because of the secretion ofendorphins and encephalins in the body. This theory also isvery substantial.Some researchers are of the opinion that when disease

causing bacteria or viruses enter the body, the body producesantibodies and phagocytes. Mental strain decreases the effici-ency of hese phagocytes. Mental strai nor negative thoughts'also disturb the functioning of the autonomous nervoussystem with the result that the' efficiency of phagocytesdecreases, so the body fails to resist hostile bacteria or virusesand disease is caused. Acupressure definitely removes orallays mental strain and consequently the resistance power ofthe body increases.

Some of the Japanese researchers are of the opinion thatphysical activities stimulate metabolism in muscles whichresults in the accumulation of lactic acid. This lactic acidproduces fatigue and strain. Acupressure treatment transformslactic acid into glycogen and as a consequence fatigue andstrai n are alleviated.

Thus a number of theories have been presented above toexplain how acupressure works. It is possible that a readermay be confused by the presentation of multifarious theories.He is, therefore,. advised not to bother about whether a

THE SCIENCE OF ACUPRfSSU'RE 45

particular theory is convincingor not. It s suffici1entfor him toknow that though aU the secrets of c u ~ ' f e s s ~ r e have not beenrevealed yet, there is no doubt about Its 'efflcacy.. , . ,Some medicine men or readers may wonder h e t h e r l ~ ISreasonable to apply a therapy, the b a s i ~ k n o w l e ~ g e of whl,chis not ful ly acquired. The solution of this u n c e r t a J n t ' ~ ? f doubt. . I The doctor knows the effect of an asplnn tabl'etIS simp e. . " h' "taken orally. That is why he preSCribes aspirin to is patientwhen necessary. In the same way the acupressure e x p e ~know:s the ,effect of acupressure or a c u p ~ n c t u r e hl Spatient's body and gives treatment accordingly. It IS .notin'evitablefora doctor to know the reasons for the effectiveness of aspirin . As a matter of fact, it is not yet k n ~ w n howaspirin, though widely used, acts in the body: Electnc shocksare giyeri on the head of some patients s u f f ~ n ng mentalperversions. Nobody knows what happens In the bral n of thepatient during this treatment." 'Those who are doubtfuI of physiological effects ofacupressure argue that acupressure is nothing but a placeboi.e. a psychological pep. But this is not true :.

(1) Even after making a patient n c o n ~ c l o u s by ~ e n e r a lanesthesia, the treatment given by stimulating the pOints onhis body becomes effective. . ' . ,(2) Stimulation of irrelevant pOints without the patient sknowledge has no effect on a disease; e.g. there are somespecific points to remove headache. If points o t ~ e r than, these specific points on the body of a patient suffen ng fromheadache are pressed, the headache remains unaffected.

(3) An experienced patient taki ng c u p r e s s u r ~ treatmentfor some time, at once realizes whether nght pOints for thecure of a particular disease are being stimulated or not.

(4) Acupressure treatment proves successful in c a s ~ ofanimals even though they lack thinking power. In China,when delivery becomes difficult in animals, thousands of


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operations have been performed on such animals by makingthem unconscious with the help of acupressure or acupuncture.The essence of this chapter is that pressure on the pointson the ear or the body produces effects which restore health

and cure disease. These effects are as follows:(1) Anesthetic effect: The most apparent effect ofacupressure is its anesthetic effect. The benefit of this effect isof value in the cases of joint-pain, headache, toothache,backpai n, sprai n and other ailments.

(2) Sedative effect: While giving treatment on certainpoints, if an E.E.G. (electroencephalograph) is taken, it is' :.found that delta and theta waves have been depressed. It .means that the brain has been tranqui"ized.

(3) Homeostatic and immunity enhancing effect: Asacupressure treatment is based on Natural Laws, it strengthensthe body' s natural resistance power. Consequently the respiratory system, heartbeats, metabolism, blood-pressure andbody-temperature, etc. become normal. There is a considerable increase in the number of red blood-corpuscles that ofwhite blood-corpuscles, and the amount of gamma globulin,etc. The levels of cholesterol and triglyceride in blooddecrease.

It has often been found that an application of pressure onthe point tsu-san-/i below the knee-cap has been often foundto reduce the blood-pressure, if high.. (4) Psychological effect: A considerable improvementIn mental health is noted in a person who takes acupressuretreatment regularly. This improvement s due to the effect on apart of the midbrain called reticular formation.

(5 ) Effect on musculo-skeleton system: Acupressure~ t i m u lates and s t r e n g t h e n s ~ t h e muscles. The advantage of this!effect is taken in the cases of paralysis, polio and -otherailments. .


Special Note: A growing interest in another therapyknown as Reflexology or Zone therapy in which pressure isapplied on points located only on palms and soles to cure adisease is well under way in India. A brief mention of it herewi I not be out of place.

This therapy, discovered centuries ago, was developedby Dr. Fitzgerald of the U.S.A. According to the principleofthis therapy, the soles of the feet and the palms of the handsare like mirrors in which the internal organs of the body arereflected. In other words, the organs of the body are directlyconnected with the palms of the hands and the soles of thefeet. Disorder in any organ produces pain in its correspondingpoint on the palms or the soles. Methodical pressure onpainful points produces electrica.1 ~ a v e s . Thes.e waves reachthe corresponding organs and eliminate the disease.It is obvious that reflexology is different from acupressure. In acupressure, the points are supposed to be located allover the body (on definite meridians), while in reflexology,points are supposed to be located only on the palms and thesoles. Thus acupressure treatment is direct, while reflexologytreatment is indirect.

As stated above,. even the World Health Organizationgives due recognitio'ntb acupressure. Controlled experimentsrelated to acupressure are being carried out all overthe w o ~ l d .With the help of these experiments, conducted by SCientistsand doctors a numberof o n v i n c h ~ g e f f o r t s have been made'to explain ;he scientific basis of acupressure. No. scientificbase of reflexology has been discovered so far. In spite of that,the fact tha t reflexology treatment has brought.-sood results incertain cases cannot be denied.Today the reflexology therapy is followed only in America, India and one or two other countries, while acupressureand acupuncture therapies are used all over the world. In the

. countries like China, Japan and Korea, acupressure and


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acupuncture have neen given the status of authorized thera-pies.Figures 3.25, 3.26, 3.27, 3.28, 3.29 and 3.30 show the

sites on the palms and the sales where reflex points (zones)connected with different organs are located.Experts adviseto press each of these points for two orthree minutes everyday for maintaining good health. Pressure

can be applied with the tip of a finger or the thumb, a bluntend of a pencil or with a special device called jimmy.DIAGRAMS OF REFLEXOLOGY

Eye

Shoulderlung -?-I,....., .liverGall bladder 4 - ~ ~ " " J +Elbow

Appendix

Fig. 3.25 : The sales of the feet

EarShoulder

lungSpleenElbow


Fig. 3.26 : Dorsum of the feet

l:JterusProstateandSpermatocele.a . . . . . ._ Anus

Gall bladder

Fig. 3.27 : The inner aspects of the feet (Inside of the feet)

Knee + - - - t J l i l l ~Hip joint ..Appendix

49

Gall bladder

Fig. 3.28 : The outer aspects of the feet


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BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSURE

Ear

Liver - + 4 ~ " " ' - ' ; : ~Gallbladder

UrethraUrinary bladder,

Uterus, SpermatoceleFig. 3.29 : The palms of the hands

Fig.,.3.30: Backside of the hands

THE SCI'ENCE OF ACUPRESSURE

Reflexology experts also advise that instead of pressingeach point separately, all the points could be pressed simulta-neousry with special types of acupressure rollers. As this takesonly five minutes, much time can be" saved.

Fig. 3.31 ; Various types of Reflexology rollers


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4. THE BENEFITS OF ACUPRESSUREAcupressure can be called ' a c u p u ~ c t u r e without

needles' . In acupuncture, the points are stimulated withneed!es; In acupressure, the same points are stimulated by

p ~ e s s l n g them with fingers or thumbs. Pressure can also begiven on acupressure points by a pointer or a speCial devicecalled jimmy.. . If pressure is applied proper ly, acupressure gives benefitsSimilar to those obtained by acupuncture.

Very often patients, particularly children, are scared ofneedles which are used during the acupuncture treatment.The.muscles become tense and hard on account of this fright.At t . l ~ e s , acupuncture ,treatment fails if the muscles are not. suffiCiently relaxed and calm. This problem does not arise inacupressure as needles are not used in it.. The greatest inconvenienceof he acupuncture treatmentIS that the patient, every time, has to go to an acupunctureexpert. B.ut a ~ u p r e s s u r e treatment can be applied by any

p e r s ~ n With own hands. For this, no special knowledge orlearning (training) is necessary.. V ~ r ~ often the use of a needle is redundant and some-

t l ~ e s It IS undesirable. In such circumstances ~ c u p r e s s u r ewins the race.. In. acup.uncture treatment, if proper care is not taken

w h l l ~ Inserting a n ~ e d l e , dust particles or bacteria maypossibly enter the skin. In such cases the patient has to take

. t r e a t ~ e n t for skin-infection in addition to that for his. onglnal disease. Sometimes a needle may cause an injury to anerve or a blood-vessel. The words of Dr. Rene Bourdial, a

w e l l ~ k n o w n , leading acupuncture expert in France are worthconsidering: "Presently, I hardly make use of acupuncture;I mostly rely upon a c u p ~ , e s s u r e . "

52

THE' BENEFITS OF ACUPRESSURE 53

Apparent advantages of acupressure(1) Though easy and simple, acupressure is an effectivetreatment.(2) Anybody can take this treatment by himself in the

privacy of his own home.(3) This treatment can be taken as often as needed.No money needs to be spent to get the benefits of this

treatment.(4) Acupressure treatment is completely free from side

effects. We know that most medicines have si,'e-effects.Very often it happen"s that while eliminating a particulardisease with the help of modern medicines, their side-effectscause another disease. There is no danger or risk of this sort inacupressu re treatment.

The second amongst the advantages of acupressurementioned above needs elaboration. Acupressure is a selftreatment. In this treatment you are your own doctor. Thisadvantage is of greater value than what it seems at first sight.Our attitude towards the problem of our own health is

d ~ p l o r a b l e in as much as we consider it someone else'sresponsibility. Acupressure compels every person to take interestin his own health. It is the need of the present time that eachperson should take active interest in the field of his ownhealth. It is a proven fact that if a patient takes active part inthe treatment of his disease, the disease is cured rapidly. Mr.Norman Cousins, a well-known journalist of America, is aliving evidence of this fact. When Mr. Cousins suffered fromankylosing spondylitis, a disease supposed to be incurable,the doctors in New York washed thei r hands of f he treatmentand predicted that Mr. Cousins would in a short time sufferfrom total paralysis. Mr. Cousins made up his mind to treat hisdisease by himself and to show he would accomplish whatthe doctors could nqt. To the surprise of all, he was indeedrelieved of the disease by his own active efforts.

54


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Maintenance of health through acupressure: Healthcan, be m ~ i n t a i n e d easily by taking a regular treatment onp a r t ! c u l ~ r acupressure points everyday. A short acupressure-session In the morning helps to maintain the balance of

e ~ e r g i e s f l o ~ ~ n g in the body. This leads to prevention ofdiseases. This IS the most important and precious advantageofacupressure. Prevention is not only better than cure but alsocheaper. It should be noted that such an advantage cannot begained out of acupuncture.

Acupressure helps to increase vitality and strength. Asstated b ~ f o r e , a regular app licaii onof pressure on the acupres-sure pOints tsu-san-Ii and yang-ling-chuan gives strength tothe m u s ~ l e s . of the legs. The heart and the respiratory system, work with Increased efficiency by pressing the point neikuan.

Dr, Zier of Germany carried out a trial with acupressureon some athletes and wrestlers. He asked them to l if t as muchweight as they cou ld before and after pressing some acupres-sure points. This trial showed that the athletes and wrestlerscould lif t much more weight after acupressure treatment.

Fig. 4.1 Fig. 4.2Diagnosis of di,sease through acupressure : When any

organ of he body IS diseased, the points correspondingto thatorgan become tender o'r "morbidly sensitive. If some point~ u r t s on pressing, it can be said that there is somethingwrong.

THE BENEFITS OF ACUPRESSURE 55

with the organ connected with that point. Sometimes in theinitial stage of a disease, any outward symptoms are notvisible; only some weakness or indisposition is experienced.Nothing uncommon is found even after getting stool, urineand blood tested. In such cases doctors fail to diagnose thedisease. As a matter of fact, doctors can diagnose the diseasethrough various tests only after its symptoms arise. But inacupressure, even in the initial stage of a disease, thediagnosis of the disease is possible with the help of painfulpoints. By pressing the points connected wi th various systemsof the body or organs, one can know the part of the bodywhich suffers from an ailment. It also helps to diagnose a diseasewhich is likely to occur in near future. This leads to takingsteps (acupressure treatment) instantly. Thus, a disease can qecured even before its obvious symptoms erupt. Instant t r e . P , t ~ment for a disease in its initial stage helps to cure the disease. easily. Sometimes detection of the cause of an abdominalpain is complicated and hence becomes a challenge. In suchcases a number of doctors try to reach to a differentialdiagnosis with the help of acupressure.

Though it is true that early and differential diagnosisof adisease is possible with the help of acupressure, the patient isadvised not to attempt to diagnose his disease on his own.The work of diagnosis should be left to an experiencedphysician.Cure through acupressure: Acupressure is a simple buteffective treatment for a disease. The approach of acupressure

for the cure of a disease is unique. According to the science ofacupressure, the human body is an indivisible unit. Theunderlying principle of acupressure is 'Treat the patient andnot the disease alone'.

Modern medicine does not regard the human body as anindivisible unit. It tends to treat each organ or ailmentseparately. In headache a doctor prescribes aspirin or such


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S6 " BE YQUR OWN DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSURE

sort of other medicine; in constipation he gives purgative; ininsomnia he gives tranquilli zers or sleeping pills to a patient.Thus modern medical science treats the human body as ifconsidering one part of the body different from another.

Since Acupressure sees the human body as an indivisibleunit, it endeavours to regulate and balance yin and yang(Ida and Pingala, according to the Indian tradition) bioenergies flowing in the human body.

Theoretically acupressure can relieve or cure most of thediseases. There are certain diseases however, for which it isquite unsuitable. Acupressure is of no use in the cases of largegall-stones, kidney-stones or mature cataract, which requiresurgery. Acupressure has a completely curative effect onsome diseases, while in other specific diseases it yieldsbenefits to some patients and not the others. The success ofacupressure depends on various factors such as the durationof the disease, the damage it has caused to the body and the'general condition of a patient. However, even in the cases ofincurable or hard-to-cure diseases, it has been noted thatacupressu re treatment prevents the disease from getting worseor gives rei ieffrom its pai nfu I symptoms so that the patient canlive an active and useful life.

Usefulness of acupressure:(1) Acupressure gives relief from the symptoms of a

disease.(2) In some cases acupressure can be used as a means of

first aid till a doctor arrives or a patient is admitted to ahospital.

(3) Acupressure can prevent relapses of a disease.(4) Acupressure helps to make relief procured by other

kind of treatment prompt and perfect. Thus acupressure canbeneficially be used along with other therapies.

(5) Acupressure helps'to increase the efficiency of theorgans and the systems of the body; it strengthens the . oi nts

THE BENEFITS OF ACUPRESSURE 57and the muscles and helps to maintain the capacity forplaying games like cricket, h o c ~ e y , . f o o ~ b a l l , kabaddi,khokho, golf, tennis, etc. and for sWimming ttillater years oflife. (6) In emergency (e.g., a heart-attack) acupressure canbe used as a means of first aid. In such circumstancesacupressure many a time helps to avert a catastrophe. In thisregard a separate chapter enti tled 'Acupressure in emergencyconditions' has been included in this book. This 'emergency'treatment of acupressure is of much essence. In factinvaluable. In cases of cardiac pain or an attack of asthma, It ISnot advisable to do nothingtill a doctor arrives. In such crit icalconditions, acupressure treatment s h ~ u l d be undertaken tostart getting relief. What will you If you s u ~ d e n l y s u f f ~ rfrom a bad toothache during the mght time which makes Itimpossible for you to sleep ? A d e ~ t ~ s t be a p p r o a c ~ e ~only the next morning. In such CriSIS, promptly effectiveacupressure treatment is useful. .As mentioned previously, acupressure does not givebenefit in kidney-stone or mature cataract. B e s i ~ e s , the.re arecertain other illnesses for which acupressure IS unsuitable,such as certain hereditary diseases, cancer, mental diseaseslike schizophrenia, or conditions requiring s u r g ~ r y such as afracture, rupture of an organ or intestinal obstruction. But suchcases are rare. Even in such conditions acupressure c a ~ ,however, give relief from painful symptoms p ~ e v e n t ~ ~ e l raggravation. Thus, acupressure can save a patient s conditionfrom getting worse.Another benefit of acupressure (particularly for acupres-sure practitioners) is that it r e - ~ $ t a ~ l i s h e s the convention oftouch communication or touch healing. Today warm-heartedrelation between the patient and the doctor has disappeared.Formerly the doctors developed and mai ntai ned individual aswell as family relations (rapport) with their ~ t i e n t s . But o ~ . a yJliJman relations experience suffocation amidst complexities


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58 BE YOUR OW N DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSUREof multifarious medical equipment and devices. It is anirrefutable fact that the cure of a disease is hastened if therelations between the doctor and the patient are cordial andfriendly.

There is a Chinese folk-tale which is interesting andinstructive. A young woman approached a physician in orderto procure pois0n which she needed to kill her cruel motherin-law. This physician gave her some medicinal herbs andtold her to give the decoct ion of these medicinal herbs to hermother-in- law for three months and press some acupressurepoints on her (mother-in-Iaw's) body. The physician furthertold her that the poisonous medicinal herbs would be moreeffective on account of acupressure and the people wouldthink that the mother-in-law died a natural death. The youngwoman strictly followed the physician's instructions. But atthe end of two and a half months there was a remarkablechange in the circumstances: The young woman could now'know more of her mother-in-law with the belp of acupressure.On the other hand, there was a significant improvementin thehealth of the mother-in-law because of the regular acupressure treatment given to her by the young woman. Consequently the attitude of the mother-in-law towards the youngwoman was softened. The young woman began to repent forwhat she had done. She rushed back to the physician andrequested him to give antidote of the poison of the medicinalherbs. Consoling her the physician saidthat the medicinalherbs contained no poison but only curative substances.

As a conclusion of this chapter it can be said thatacupressure is a simple and easy treatment of pressing specificpoints on the body. Somebody may doubt whether such asimple treatment can be effective or ~ e l p to maintain health.The answer is that it is possible for one to preserve health withacupressure provided he. applies it with regularity, sincerityand full faith. Many a time the simplest treatment proves to bemost efficacious.

5. DIRECTIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL TREATMENTIn the preceding chapters it has been poi-nted out that:(1) when there is something wrong in any organ or part

of the body, some of the points on the skin begin to hurt,(2) the pressure on these points helps the bioenergy,toregain its normal harmonious f low. It helps ,to re-establish

envi ron mental balance between yang and yl n forces. As aconsequence, the disorder or ailment is eliminated, ,

(3) to get the maximum and rapid benefits from thistreatment, it is necessary to accurately locate the concernedacupressure points and give treatment on them.

The question is how to accurately locate the acupressurepoint. To make acupressure treatment successful and to getoptimum benefit thereof, it is essential that the acupressurepoint be correctly found out. Unless this is done, e x p e ~ t e dbenefits are not gained.

The pictures and supplementary drawings given !n thisbook clearly explain and indicate the ~ x a c t locatl?n of

a c u p r ~ s s u r e points. Look carefully at the pictures and flgu.resand try to understand them. Then estimate exact locationof the point in question on your body. You will need to amirror to locate the points on those parts of your body whichyou cannot directly see (e.g. ear).

Nevertheless it should be remembered that each individual body differs. You may be taller or shorter than the normalstandard or the constitution of you r body may be broad ornarrow or of some different kind. So if the distance of anypoint from a known, or apparent part of the body to be foundor indicated, units of measurement like centimetres andinches are of no use, and so special units of taking measure-ments have to be applied for this purpose.

59



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Figure 5.1 : explains such special units of measuringdistance:

The breadth of the thumb = 1 Tsun

1'\ \ -- - ---r-: ,::' ~ 0 4 finger-breaths = 3 Tsuns-------___, __ ____1_

I, '- - - - - -r-3 finger-breadths = 2 Tsuns

- - -= : : - - - . . . . ;= ; ? : - - __ _ J __

. Fig 5.1 : The points nei-kuan is situated threefinger-breadths (2 Tsun) below the base of the palm

If you want to find the point nei-kuan (or any other point)on another person, you must remember to use his hand orthumb to measure on his body. The width of the hand the~ h u ~ ? or the fingers is in keeping with the constitution anIndividual. Your hand may be too large- say, for a child- ortoo small for a h ~ g e mao,Jor accurate measuring.However, It IS not advisable to rely solely on figures andcharts.

DIRECTIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT 61

Pain or sensitivity to pressure is the surest index ofaccurately finding the point. I f there is something wrong withany organ or part of the body, its corresponding pointbecomes very sensitive and tender. The pressu re on the areaaround the exact po int giyes less pain. If the disease is a minorone or is insignificant, a bit vigorous and continuous pressuremay have to be applied on the point. B.ut the area arou.nd thepressure-point is not sensitive or less sensitive to that muchpressure.

There are other signs also which are often helpful infinding the exact pressure-point:

(1) The colour of the point in question appears differentfrom that of the area around i t - it appears yellowish, wh ite orred.

(2) The skin on that point looks swollen or rough. Tinyarea.(3) The poin t in question is warmer than its surrounding

area.(4) Some specialists use a special kind of electric device

to locate the correct pressure-point. According to them, anacupressure-point shows very little e s i ~ t a n c e against electri city. In other words, an acupressure-point,can be stimulatedeven by a weak electric current; but the response of the areaaround the point is quite different.

Acupressure-where and when? : As acupressure needsno equipment , you can apply this treatment anywhere- in thedesert.or on the sea-shore, on the top of the mountain, in theoffice, bus or train or in the privacy of your home. It isneedless to say that your house is the best place for acupressu re treatment.

For acupressure treatment one should prefer a room inthe house which is airy, lighted, peaceful and clean.

As previously mentioned, there are different timings forthe maximum flow of bioenergy (chi) in the meridians of

'

62


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different organs; e.g. the maximum flow of bioenergy in thelung Meridian is duri ng 3 o'clock to 5 o'clock in the morn ing.That is why most of the people get asthma attacks during thattime. In the case of a lung illness, acupressuri!treatmenttakendu ring 3 o'clock to 5 o'clock in the early hours ofthe morni ngwill give maximum benefit. However, place and conditionsdo have importance in the acupressure treatment. The treat-ment for the diseases of the kidneys is effective during3 o'clock to 5 o'clock in the afternoon. But the time may notbe convenient for those who go to offices or factories. Suchpersons can take the acupressure treatment at any timeconvenient for them.

The method of using thumbs or fingers: Usually it isconvenient and also proper to give pressure to acupressurepoints with t he tips of the thumbs. In this method sufficientpressure can be exer ted with least efforts and difficulty. Manypersons favour to give pressure with the help of the index orthe middle finger. If need be, more pressu re can be appl iedbyputting the tip of the index finger on nail of the middlefinger. If pressure is to be applied on three or four pointslocated close to one another, four fingers can be usedsi mu Itaneously. B u nt devices called jimmy are also availablefor applying pressure.

DIRECTIONS FOR SUCCESSFULTREATMENT 63

F' 5 2 ' The use of the thumbs or fingers to exert pressureg . ,

The nails of the thumbs and the- f i n g e r ~ s h o u ~ d . beJroperly clipped and smoothened order to ~ O I d any injury)r abrasion on the skin while pressing the pOints.

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BE ybUR' OWN DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSURE

~ A Aails should Nails should Nails should be'notbe long not be excessively dippedclipped proportionately

Fig,5.3It will not be out of place to mention the exercises whichstrengthen the thumbs and fingers. Strong thumbs and fingerscan exert proper pressu reo

Fig. 5.4 : Exercises to strengthen the thumbs and the fingersExercises:(1) Give pressure on one palm with the other.(2) Keep the position of the fingers and the thumbs asshown in the figure and exert pressure on the fingers ofhand with those of the other.(3) With the help of one hand bend forcefully the fingers

of the other hand backwards.Practise each of these exercises for 2 to 3 minutes., The position of the body during the treatment : Acupres

su re treatment can be taken in any position of he body. Sitti ngposture, however, is very convenient for acupressure treat-,m-ent. If you are giving treatment to someone else, make him'

DIRECfIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT 65

sit or lie in such a position that he feels comfortable and atease and enables you to press the acupressure points easily.

How much pressure should be applied l : The degree ofpressure to be exerted depends upon the following factors:(1) The location (site) of the point,(2) The patient's disease,(3) The patient's age,(4) The patient's physical condition,(5) The patient's physique.In the following circumstances, light or moderate press-ure is considered proper :(1) If the patient is taking the treatment for the first time,(2) When there is acute pain in the point,(3) When there is swelling around the point,(4) Whe'n the underlying muscles are weak or flabby,(5) When the correspondi ng organ is seriously diseased.When light pressure is to be'

applied, the pad of the finder may beused instead of the finger-tip, asshown in Fig. 5.5.

Fig. 5.5Hard pressure is applied in the follo\'I ing circumstances:(1) If the disease is chronic,(2) If the patient is not sufferingfrom other complications of the dis

ease,(3) If he patient is not very tired.Skin

Fig. 5.6Experience says that in most of diseases steady,

contin'uous and moderate (or deep) pressure brings goodresults.If your skin is very thin and sensitive, you can apply

talcum powder or oil on it at the time of applying p r e s s u r e ' ~ ,5/Be


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66 . BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSURE

Duration of the treatment: A leading researcher Dr. ChuLien of China f irmly believes that if any organ of the body ismalfunctioning or diseased, short and weak stimulationshould be given. But when the purpose is only to relieve thepain, vigorous pressure Is necessary.

Each of the required points should be stimulated in apumping (press-release-press-release) manner for about aminute.What should be the total duration of the acupressure

treatment for each day? TheCh inese recommend that the totaltime for each day's acupressure treatment should be :Age

Newborn babiesBabies of 3 - 6 monthsBabies of 6 - 12 monthsChildren aged 1 - 3 yearsChildren aged 3 - 12 yearsAdults

Duration1- 3 minutes1-4 minutes1 - 5 minutes3 -7 minutes5 - 10 minutes5 - 15 minutes or longer

Usually the acupressure treatment once to three times aday is sufficient. After there is a considerable improvement,the acupressure treatment on alternate days will serve thepurpose.

Important instructions :(1) Under conditions such as fatigue, profuse, perspiration, rapid heartbeats, one should postpone taking acupressure treatment till one regains normal condition. .(2) If hungry, one should better take some food before

taki ng the treatment.(3) Acupressure treatment should not be taken immedi

ately aftermeals'or on full stomach. The treatment should betaken two hours after meals.(4) One should not t ~ l < e acupressure treatment within

two hours of taking any-drug. .

DIRECTIONS FOR SUCCESSFu"l TREATMENT 67

(5) One should not take acupressure treatment withinhalf an hour after bathing in hot water.

(6) In ordinary circumstances acupressure treatment isnot recommended du ri ng pregnancy.

(7) Acupressu re treatment shou Id not be taken on thepoint which lies beneath a scar or an injured part on the skin.(8) One should not take acupressure treatment on thepart beneath which a bone is fractured on account of someinjury. . . . .(9) If one's vertebrae are seriously Injured or If one ISsuffering from sciatica, one should not take acupressuretreatment on that part of the spi nee. Discomforts (temporary ailments) during the acupres-sure treatment: During the ini tial stages of the acupressuretreatment, patient sometimes suffers from some d i s c ~ m -forts. These discomforts Include headache, cold-catarrh, dIarrhoea and mental disorders like irritation. These discomfortsdisappear on their own ina few days. The i m p o r t ~ n t point tonote is that dur ing the period ofthesL temporary aliments, th.epatient does not have the feeling of illness. He fee.'s that hisbody is being cleaned. Acupressure experts consider thesediscomforts as good signs and indications of improvement:However, the process of t ' ~ r i f i c a t i o n which goes on Inthe body of most of the patients is inconspicuous. It ~ e . a n sthat these discomforts do not bother them. Only a negligiblenumber of patients are seen to suffer from these discomforts.Every patient, however, should have the knowledge of and'preparedness for them.

LOCATIONS OF IMPORTANT ACU-POINTS . 69


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PART IILOCATIONS OF IMPORTANT ACU-POINTS

. Thumb-widths

Fig. 1 : Front of forearm68

How to locate?Point 1 (Lu-5) :

Observe the faint crease that represents the elbow joint.Now bend the elbow by about 45.You will find a rope-like structure at the centre of the

front surface of elbow. This is the tendon of the biceps muscleof the arm'.Poi nt 1 ties on the elbow-crease, just near th s tendon(on the outer I.e., thumb side).Point 2 (Lu-6) :

JOin points 1 and 3 with a straight l i n e ~Point 2 lies on this line, five thumb-widths below the


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How to locate?Point 5 (LI-4) :This point lies in the flesh between the thumb and theindex finger.Presence of sharp pain on deep pressure confirms the fact/____ l that you have hit the right point.Point 6 (LI-S) :Fully draw back (extend) your thumb. You will find a bigdeep hollow at the outer aspect of the wrist joint.

Point 6 lies at the centre of this hollow.Point 7 (LI-7) :Join points 6 and 8 with a straight line. Point 7 lies on thisline, five thumb-widths above the point 6.Point 8 (LI-l1 ) :This point lies at the outer end of the elbow crease, when.elbow is bent at a right angle.Point 9 (LI-1S) :Raise the arm forward. A vertical groove can be seen andfett at the front of the shou Ider.

Point 9 lies at the centre of this groove.

Fig. 2 : Forearm and front of shoulder"

72 BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSURE LOCATIONS OF IMPORTANT ACU-POINTS 73


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~]@ . ( ~ ) . @

4 finger-width

Fig. 3 : F a c ~ front of neck\

How to locate?Point 10 (L1-18) :Observe and feel a prominent, pointed structure on thefront of the neck. This structure, popularly called the Adam'sapple, moves up and down when we talk or swallow.Point 10 lies four finger-widths away from the tip of theAdam's apple.Point 11 (L1-20) :

This point lies just near the broad part of the nose.

74 BE YOUR OWN DOCrORWITHACUPRESSURE LOCATIONS OF IMPORTANT ACU-POINTS 75


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'---...._-

, Fig. 4 : Face

How to locate lPoint 12 (5t-1 ) :This point lies at the centre of a sharp bony margin justbeneath the eye.

Pressure should be applied on the bone and not on theeye.Point 13 (5t-2) :This point lies one finger-width below the point 12.Point 14 (5t-3) :This point lies vertically below the point 13, in line withthe broad part of the nose.Point 15 (5t-4) :

This point lies vertically below the point 14, in line withthe corner (angle) of the mouth.Point 16 (5t-6) :

Clench your teeth.You will be able to see and feel a band-like obliquemuscle on the lower part of cheek.Point 16 lies on the most prominent part of this-n1uscle.

BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR WITH' ACUPRESSURE LOCATIONS OF IMPORTANT ACU-?OINTS 77


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~ / / ; " J - " ' "!11 t@ JoS J"II:t JNavelIIIII1@

Fig. 5 ': Chest and abdomen

How to locate?Point 17 (5t-l 7) :

This poin t is located at the centre of the nipple.Point 18 (5t-21) :Move four thumb-widths above the navel. Now move twothumb-widths either to the right or the left. This is point 18.Point 19 (5t-29):

Move four thumb-widths below the navel. Now movetwo thumb-widths either to the right or the left. This is point19

78 BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSURE LOCATIONS OF IMPORTANT ACU-POINTS 79


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Fig: 6 : Front o,f leg

How to locate?Point 20 (5t-34) :

Draw a vertical line passing through the outer border ofthe knee-cap and a horizontal line passing through, the upperborder of the knee-cap.

Point 20 lies two thumb-widths above the intersection ofthese lines.Point 21 (5t-35) :

At the front of the knee, just below the knee-cap, canbe seen two depressions (on either side of a rope-I ikestructu re).

Point 21 lies at the centre of the outer depression.Point 22 (5t-36) :

Bend the knee joint by 900 Now from the lower border of the knee-cap, move three

thumb-widths downwards. You will be able to feel a pointedbone at this level (marked V in the adjoining figure).

Point 22 is located one finger-widthtotheouterside of hispoi nted bone.

80 BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSURE LOCATIONS OF IMPORTANT Acu-poiNTS 81


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. Fig. 7 : Top of foot

How to locate?Point 23 (St-41) :

This point is located at the centre of the front surface ofankle joint.Point 24 (St-42) :

This point is located on the top of the foot, twothumb-widths in front of the point 23./Point 25 (St-44) :

This point is located in the skin (web) between thesecond and the third toes. A mere pinching of skin betweenthe second and the third toe results into stimulation of thispoint. .

6/Be Your Own Doctor With Acupressure

82 BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSURE LOCATIONS OF IMPORTANTACU-POINTS 83


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3 thumb-widths

pointed bone

e@Fig. 8 : Inner side of leg

':! . f . . . " .

How to locate?Point 26 (Sp-3) :

On the inner border o f the foot, just after the base of thebig toe is a rounded b o n y ~ p r o m i n e n c e (the ball of the foot).Point 26 is located just behind this prominent bone.

Point 27 (Sp-4) :This point is located almost at the centre of the innerborder of the foot, in a notch between two bones.

Point 28 (Sp-6) :At the inner aspect of the ankle joint is a prominentbone. Feel this' bone and determine its tip. From this tip,move four finger-widths u p w ~ r d s . Mark this level.Point 28 lies at this I ~ v e l , ,just behind the verticalleg-bone.

Point 29 (Sp-9) :Bend the knee. by 90." . .From the lower border'of k ' n e e - c ~ p move four fingerwidths downwards. You will be able to 'feel a pointed bone

at this level. \From this pointed bone move backward along the innersurface of leg till, you can f e ~ 1 the back-border of the

leg-bone. Point 29 lies just b e h i n ~ this back-border.

84 BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR WITH ACUPRESSURE LOCATIONS OF IMPORT ANT ACU-POINTS 85


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4 thumb-widths

,NavelrIIIIII

Fig. 9 : F r o n ~ of body and legs

How to locate?Point 30 (Sp-l0) :

Draw a horizontal line passing through upper border ofknee-cap. Draw a vertical line passing through the inAerborder of knee-cap.From the junction (crossing) of these two lines movetwo thumb-widths upward to reach point 30.Point 31 (Sp-15) :

Documents

Be Your Own Doctor With Acupressure - Dr. Dhiren Gala