Acupressure
Acupressure is a 5000-year-old healing method based on the traditional Chinese medicine practice of acupuncture. In acupressure, fingers, palms, elbows, heels, or various devices are used instead of needles to put pressure on acupoints. This targeted pressure can be used to release muscle tension and promote blood circulation. It can be done in a clinic setting by a trained practitioner, or at home by oneself once the location of the acupoints relevant to specific needs are learned 1.
Women with MS receiving acupressure at acupoints LI4 (He Gu), ST36 (Zu San Li), and SP6 (San Yin Jiao) twice a week for four weeks experienced a significantly greater decrease in fatigue compared to placebo 2. Similar results were attained when another group of MS patients performed self-acupressure at the same acupoints for four weeks3. Self-acupressure was also shown to be effective in improving physical function, cognitive function, and quality of life in RRMS patients when applied at the HT 7 (Shen Men), ST36 (Zu San Li), SP6 (San Yin Jiao), Li4 (He Gu), LV3 (Tai Chong), and DU20 (Bai Hui) acupoints4.
The following are the locations of acupoints accessed in above randomized clinical MS studies:
In the eastern Indian acupressure practice known as “sujok,” there are protocols for common symptom clusters in MS. The following are examples of hand sujok researched by the ASPEUS Institute in Allahabad, India:
Women with MS receiving acupressure at acupoints LI4 (He Gu), ST36 (Zu San Li), and SP6 (San Yin Jiao) twice a week for four weeks experienced a significantly greater decrease in fatigue compared to placebo 2. Similar results were attained when another group of MS patients performed self-acupressure at the same acupoints for four weeks3. Self-acupressure was also shown to be effective in improving physical function, cognitive function, and quality of life in RRMS patients when applied at the HT 7 (Shen Men), ST36 (Zu San Li), SP6 (San Yin Jiao), Li4 (He Gu), LV3 (Tai Chong), and DU20 (Bai Hui) acupoints4.
The following are the locations of acupoints accessed in above randomized clinical MS studies:
- DU20 (Bai Hui): top of the head
- HT 7 (Shen Men): inner wrist fold at the level of the little finger
- Li4 (He Gu): peak of the swollen area in the middle of the area that looks like the line between the index finger and thumb on the palm of the hand
- LV3 (Tai Chong): top of the foot, between the lower bones of the big and second toes
- SP6 (San Yin Jiao): just behind the shin to about 3 cm (just under 1¼ inches) from the tip of the ankle bone facing the inside of the foo
- ST36 (Zu San Li): outer side of the body, four fingers below the knee cap, 1-1.5 fingers away from the shin
- General: C2 G12 GB20,30,41 H1 K3 Lv3,5 Sp6,9,10 S36,43 B54,60
- Ear: Corresponding Body Area – Brainstem (CW 4), Medulla Oblongata (HX 15, PP2), Point Zero (HX 1), Shen Men (TF 2), Thalamus Point (CW 2)
- Acute attack: GB41 Li1 Li3
- Anemia: GB39 B17
- Ataxia (coordination, balance and speech disorder): GB34 K1 Li4 Si3 Si4 Sp6 S36 T23
- Depression: GB19 GB20 Li4 Lv1 Lv3 Lv8 B18
- Digestion: C12 B25 B27
- Energy: P6 Si3 Sp4 S36 B62
- Eye problems: GB19 GB20 Li4 Lv1 Lv3 Lv8 B18
- Fear: K2 K3 K7 K10 B23
- Gynecological problems: Lv3 B18
- Infections: K2 K3 K7 K10 B23
- Insomnia: G4
- Intentional tremors: C24 G26 GB2 H6,8 L5,7 Li10 P3 Sp6 S33,36 T7 B1,15,38
- Lack of joy: H3 B15
- Legs paralyzed: Lv8 B11
- Loss of bladder control: Si3
- Lower extremity problems: K2 K3 K7 K10 B23
- Malabsorption: C4 Li4 B25 B27
- Mental emotional component: G20
- Muscle incoordination: GB39 Li13 Si16
- Muscles: G17 GB34
- Neurological switch: K27 Lv3
- Nystagmus (involuntary rhythmic side-to-side, up and down or circular motion of the eyes): G16 L5 Si18 S3 S36 B2 B38 B60
- Paralysis: GB34 Lv8 B11
- Scanning speech: C23 G15 GB20,21 K1 Li4 S36 B38
- Severe symptoms: Lv2 Lv3
- Sexual problems: G4
- Speech impairment: G15
- Unilateral symptoms: Lv5 (treat opposite side)
- Visual disturbance: (see eye)
- Weakness: C4,6 GB19 Sp21 S36 B17,38,43,60
- Weak legs: GB30,31,43 Sp7,9,14 S31,33 B25,28,58,61
- Weak limbs: C6 GB30 K3, Lv13 P7 Sp21 S36 B20
In the eastern Indian acupressure practice known as “sujok,” there are protocols for common symptom clusters in MS. The following are examples of hand sujok researched by the ASPEUS Institute in Allahabad, India:
- For primary symptoms such as difficulty in walking, tiredness, numbness around the mouth, dizziness, lack of balance, tingling, heaviness in the head, swollen tongue with teeth marks and a sticky coating, weak pulse, and/or numbness, weakness, and heaviness of the legs –
- Acupressure points Sp3, St 36, UB 20, 21, CV 12 tone, Sp6, 9, St 40 UB 22, sedate
- Add Tw 5, Li 10, St 31, 34 T or S for arms and leg
- If there is urinary incontinence, tonify the bladder by adding UB 28 and UB 32.
- For secondary symptoms such as progressive weakness of legs, weak knees, weak back, dizziness, blurred vision, poor memory, and/or hesitancy or urgency of urination –
- K3, CV 4, GV 4, UB 23, Sp 6, tone, Liv 8, UB 18 tone, Si 3, UB 62, tone, GB 20, Liv 3, sedate both. add if there is pain in limbs Liv 3, Sp 9 sedate both
- if there are symptoms of hemiplegia or paralysis, add GV 3, 4, 12, 14, tone all
- If the muscles of the lateral side of the leg are stiff and tight –
- Tone K6 and sedate UB 62
- If the muscles of the medial side of the leg are stiff and tight –
- Tone UB 62 and sedate K 6
- Spine is very important in MS; therefore for strengthening the same –
- For men: tone Si 3 (left side) and sedate UB 62 (right side)
- For women: tone Si 3, sedate K 6, (right side) and sedate Lu 7, UB 62 (left side)
- If there is poor circulation of the blood –
- Paste methi (fenugreek) seeds on meridian points St 36 and UB 23
- For men, add GB 41 (L) and Tw 5 (R)
- For women, add GB 41 (R) and Tw 5 (L)
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