There are many pressure points on the body.
There are a number of types of pressure points on the body. These include gatherings of nerve ends and sensitive points in muscles, blood vessels and tendons. Pressure on different kinds of points can cause pain or pleasure, and it has been argued that working on pressure points may be able to ease medical conditions.
Pain
Some pressure points in the neck, head, torso, arms and legs can be pressed to cause pain. Groups of nerves can be painful simply because of the sensitivity of the area. Pressure points on muscles and tendons can be painful because they occur at a weak point and pressing them momentarily disrupts the muscle or tendon function. A pressure point on a blood vessel hurts because the blood is blocked.
Pressing a pressure point may cause pain along the affected vessel, muscle or tendon. This may be useful in self-defense. However, make sure you have been properly trained in using pressure points for this reason before you attempt to do so, as you may cause more damage and pain than intended. A painful pressure point at a joint usually indicates that pressing that area will cause damage to the joint.
Pleasure
Gentle rubbing of some pressure points can cause feelings of pleasure or relaxation. In pressure points at nerve groupings, this massage stimulates the nerves. Pressure points on tendons and muscles may feel pleasurable because the weakened point is being gently stimulated, much like massage. For instance, gently massaging, in circular motions, the point in the middle of the wrist just below the creases in the skin can feel exceptionally pleasant. The most pleasurable pressure point is located on the lower end of the ball of the foot, at the point between the first and second toes.
Headaches
Some pressure points are useful in ridding yourself of a headache. Place both thumbs on the base of the skull, next to the jutting part of the skull behind the ears, and massage the area with circular motions. Massage the temples, which are the flat sections of bone just behind the start of the ridge of the eye sockets. These are the more pleasurable pressure points that are believed to relieve headaches. Another pressure point for pain relief is the meaty flesh between the thumb and the forefinger. Squeezing this area to the point of feeling some pain is supposed to ease head pain.
Physical Health
Each pressure point is supposed to provide a different health benefit. The practice of acupressure relies on this assumption to provide medical benefits through stimulation of pressure points. For instance, pressure points around the wrist and along the arm can help to free you of grief, clear your mind, relieve spiritual yearning, purge emotions, release anger, increase blood circulation and ease breathing problems, according to the online pressure point guide, Press the Point.
Considerations
Pressure points can cause great pain when pressed and may even cause serious damage. Be sure to use extreme caution when using pressure points for any reason. If you are stimulating pressure points to treat a medical condition, make sure it is not the only treatment that you are using. If you are ill, visit a doctor.
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