Yoga and Pressure Points for Pain Relief

UNITED STATES, May 5, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — Yoga has the potential to help people with many health related conditions. It can be useful for a variety of musculoskeletal disorders including neck, back, and shoulder pain. Yoga can also be helpful for anxiety, depression, cardiovascular health, vitality, weight reduction, and more.

For musculoskeletal pain yoga may be combined with the use of pressure points. By applying gentle pressure to specific points it can help to alleviate stiffness and pain. Points in the arms and around the wrists can be especially useful for pain in the neck and shoulders. One well known acupressure point called lung 7 (LU 7) is used in Chinese medicine to treat neck pain and lung disorders. This point is located just above the thumb and wrist on a bony protuberance called the styloid process of the radius. Moving up from this point and towards the elbow are a number of other points that are effective for neck, shoulder, and upper back pain.

This group of points is often sensitive to gentle pressure. Tension in the upper shoulders and neck will often move into the arms through the myofascia. When pressure is applied at these points it elicits nerve responses and mechanical signals that help the muscles to relax. To get the most out of using acupressure or pressure points, it is essential to massage the area and points for 3 – 5 minutes. Massage should be done from LU 7, while moving up towards the elbow and about half way up the arm. When sensitive points are found, constant pressure should be applied at each of those points for 30 seconds and up to two minutes. It is also useful to massage up and down the arm in the region where tender areas are located.

Acupressure at these points can be combined with gentle neck movements such as extension, flexion, lateral tilts, and neck rotations. By combining acupressure with gentle movements the results will be greatly increased. Additionally, adding some simple yoga poses for the neck and shoulders will help to improve the results. Yoga poses for the neck, back, and shoulders include cat / cow, crocodile, cobra, triangle, forward bends, and more.

Since neck, shoulder, and upper back pain are so common in modern culture it is important for people to understand some basic things about posture, pressure points, movements, and yoga. The Integrative Healing Society will soon be releasing classes that teach how to include acupressure into a yoga practice. To learn more visit: Online Yoga and Acupressure Classes

James Spears
Integrative Healing Society
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