Urban workers are stressed and tense, leading to increasing health issues like insomnia, back pain, and cervical spondylosis. How to relieve these? Start by learning your own acupoints—
Massage, also known as acupressure, is a traditional Chinese external therapy with a long history and significant efficacy. It has benefits such as improving brain function, enhancing vision, relieving chest congestion, regulating liver function, strengthening the heart, aiding digestion, reinforcing kidneys and waist, promoting bowel movements, regulating menstruation, warming the uterus, promoting blood circulation, relaxing muscles, lubricating joints, and reducing bruising.
However, massage has contraindications, so selective treatment is necessary.
Self-massage refers to using one’s own hands to apply simple techniques like push, grab, rub, press, knead, and strike on one’s body’s acupoints and specific areas to achieve health preservation, wellness, and disease treatment. Self-massage can alleviate some symptoms, but if the condition is severe, medical consultation is still required.
Self-massage should be based on individual conditions, accurately selecting the right acupoints and areas, performing carefully, progressing gradually, and maintaining consistency to achieve ideal results.
During self-massage, focus the mind, remain calm, let intention follow the movement, achieving harmony among "intention," "qi," and "action." Below are some simple self-massage methods for common conditions.
Eye Strain
Eye strain often results from improper visual use, such as prolonged close-up viewing or reading in dim light, causing excessive eye fatigue, ciliary muscle spasm, and congestion. Massaging the corresponding areas can relieve eye muscle fatigue.
Specific Methods: (1) Eye warming: Rub both palms together until warm, then place them over the eyes, repeating 10 to 20 times. (2) Press and rub Zanzhu, Jingming, and Sibai points for 1 minute each. (3) Scrape around the eye socket: Place the thumb on the temples, curl the other four fingers into an arch, and use the inner side of the second phalanx of the index finger to scrape from inside out, top to bottom around the eye socket, aiming for a sense of soreness and distension.
Headache
Headaches can occur during various acute and chronic illnesses, with complex causes. Massage is effective for migraines, neuralgia, and hypertension-related headaches.
Specific Methods: (1) Separate and push the forehead: Use the tips of the index, middle, and ring fingers to sweep from the center of the forehead outward to both sides, about 30 times. (2) Press and rub Yintang, Taiyang, Baihui, Fengchi, and Hegu points for 1 minute each. (3) Curl the ten fingers slightly, and comb from the front hairline to the back of the head, 30 times. (4) Spread the ten fingers wide and tap the head 20 times with moderate force.
Insomnia
For insomnia caused by organic diseases, treat the underlying condition actively. For non-organic insomnia, early use of self-massage can help calm the spirit and aid recovery.
Specific Methods: (1) Lie on your back and separate and push the forehead. (2) Press and rub Taiyang, Baihui, Fengchi, and Anmian points. (3) Rub the abdomen using the thenar or hypothenar eminence, to a comfortable degree, for about 5 minutes. (4) Press and rub Zusanli and Sanyinjiao points. (5) Use the lateral side of the left (or right) palm to rub the right (or left) sole of the foot at Yongquan point until warm. (6) Perform deep breathing exercises 20 to 30 times, fully relaxing the body.
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