Acupressure For Back Pain
Contents
What are the acupressure points for back and hip pain?
GB30 – GB30 or Gallbladder 30 is also known as the Jumping Round point is another local acupressure point for hip pain relief. This is the crossing point of the Gall Bladder and the Urinary Bladder meridians. This point can be located by moving three-quarters into gluteal muscles from the middle of the sacrum.
How do you release tight back and hips?
Stretches for tight hip flexors – Glute bridges, planks, crunches and clamshells can help keep your glutes, core and piriformis strong, which will help improve strength and mobility in the hips. To keep your hip flexors supple, make sure to get up and move more throughout the day.
“I recommend changing position every 30 to 45 minutes—or even sooner if needed—to avoid tightness,” says Kimberly Baptiste-Mbadiwe, a physical therapist at HSS. “Stand up, walk around, or perform a quick stretch, if necessary.” Here are four stretches you can sprinkle into your day to help increase flexibility and mobility in the hip flexors.
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds on each side, and repeat for three sets total, at least twice a day.
How do you relieve pressure in your lower back and hips?
Sometimes lower back occurs alongside hip pain. This may happen on one side or both. Certain health conditions or injuries can affect the nerves in both the hips and the lower back. These pains usually occur as a result of overuse or injury, but they can also be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. Share on Pinterest Possible causes of lower back and hip pain include sprains, strains, and a herniated disk. It is easy to overwork the lower back and hips because they are responsible for lifting, twisting, and moving the legs and trunk. Pains due to overuse and minor injury are common in these areas of the body.
Although these pains are common, people should not ignore them. Rest and early treatment can significantly improve a person’s outlook. The causes are similar in males and females. The following are some of the most common causes of lower back and hip pain. Sprains and strains are a common cause of pain around the back and hips.
A sprain is a torn or overstretched ligament, while a strain is a torn or overstretched tendon or muscle. People with sprains and strains are likely to experience discomfort that worsens with activity and gets better with rest. Common causes of sprains and strains in this area include:
sports injuriesa fall or traumatwisting the body in an awkward waylifting something heavy
Playing a sport or engaging in other physical activity without warming up properly can contribute to muscle strain. Damage to the ligaments, tendons, or muscles in the hip or lower back can cause:
muscle painmuscle weaknesstendernessswellingreduced range of motion
Treatment People will usually find that their symptoms improve with a few days of rest. Gentle stretching can speed up recovery. Applying a cloth-covered ice pack to the affected area for 10 to 15 minutes at a time can also help. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs ), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, can reduce the pain and swelling that these muscle injuries cause.
- If these treatments do not reduce symptoms, the injury may be more serious, for example, a muscle tear.
- In this case, a person should see their doctor.
- The hip flexors are muscles that extend from the hips to the knees.
- They are responsible for the range of motion in the legs and hips.
- If these muscles are stiff and tight, often due to remaining in a seated position for too long, a person may experience back and hip pain.
Hip flexor strains, which are strains in the hip flexor muscles, can also cause sharp pain in the back and hips. Symptoms of tight hip flexor muscles include:
tenderness in the upper legmuscle spasms in the hips or thighssoreness in the hips and thighs
Some people may also experience a sense of weakness when trying to kick the leg or lift the knee toward the chest. Read about 10 stretches for tight hips here, Treatment Physical therapy exercises and stretching can help relieve tight hip flexors and reduce discomfort.
Examples include pulling the knee toward the chest or lunging one leg forward from a kneeling position to create a stretch in the hips. Avoiding activities that can increase hip flexor tightness, such as sitting too long at a desk or wearing high heels for extended periods, can also help. A herniated disk occurs when one of the cushioning disks between the vertebrae slips out of place.
The disk can put pressure on a nearby nerve, which may cause tingling and burning pain in the lower back that extends to the hips and legs. Older adults are prone to herniated disks because of the natural wear and tear of the spine that occurs over time.
improper lifting or twisting while liftinga fall or traumabeing overweightrepetitive strain on the backdriving for long periodssmoking
Symptoms of a herniated disk include:
sciatica, or a sharp, shooting pain from the buttocks down the back of one legnumbness in the leg or footmuscle weakness in the leg or foot
In severe cases, people may experience a loss of bowel and bladder function. If this occurs, they should go to the hospital or call 911 right away. Treatment The treatment for a herniated disk involves relieving pain and discomfort while it heals. Bed rest will usually help relieve the pain too. Other treatment options include:
physical therapy exercisestaking NSAIDs to relieve pain and inflammation epidural steroid injections, which involve injecting corticosteroids into the epidural space containing the inflamed nerves
In severe cases, a doctor may recommend surgery to correct a herniated disk. The sacroiliac (SI) joints connect the lower portion of the spine to the pelvis. If these joints move too much or too little, people may feel pain in the back and hips. The symptoms of SI joint dysfunction include an aching lower back that makes it difficult for a person to find a comfortable position.
NSAIDs to relieve pain and inflammationphysical therapy exercises to strengthen the core and pelvic musclesstretching and applying ice to the affected areasthe injection of a steroid into the SI joint
A doctor may suggest that a person has corticosteroid injections to reduce spinal inflammation. In rare instances, they may recommend surgery to fuse the joints. Osteoarthritis of the back can result in the breakdown of the protective and cushioning cartilage of the spine.
This loss of cushioning can cause the spinal bones to rub together and place greater pressure on the nerves, including the nerves that go to the lower back and hips. Arthritis in the back and hips causes joint stiffness and pain. A person may also experience weakness in the legs and hips, which can interfere with their everyday activities.
Treatment Doctors do not have a cure for arthritis, but people can manage their symptoms using medication and lifestyle methods. These include:
exercises that strengthen the back and hips muscles to improve flexibility and range of motiontrying home remedies for arthritis alternative therapies, such as massage, acupuncture, and nutritional supplementationsurgery, if arthritis causes significant spinal canal narrowingNSAIDs
Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis that primarily affects the spine, causing chronic inflammation in the spinal joints. Lower back and hip pain are often some of the first symptoms that a person with ankylosing spondylitis experiences. Symptoms include muscle pain and stiffness that is usually worse in the morning. Other symptoms may include:
low-grade fever appetite lossmalaise, which is a general feeling of discomfort
Treatment Doctors do not have a cure for ankylosing spondylitis, but, as with other forms of arthritis, people can manage the condition with a range of medical and at-home treatments. Prescription medications, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers and NSAIDs, can help.
Certain lifestyle measures, including doing regular physical activity, icing affected areas, and not smoking, can also be beneficial. Paget’s disease of bone is a rare disorder that affects an estimated 1% of people in the United States, according to the American College of Rheumatology, This condition causes a person’s bones to remodel abnormally, leading to bone softening, which can affect the pelvis, lower back, hips, and arms.
A person with Paget’s disease has a higher risk of bone pain and fractures, The symptoms of Paget’s disease include:
hip pain hearing loss bowed legs, where the knees are wider apart than usual headaches tingling and numbness down the legs
Treatment The treatment for Paget’s disease involves medications to reduce the likelihood of the bones breaking. Doctors usually prescribe these medicines to treat osteoporosis, In rare cases, a doctor may recommend surgery to repair bones and restore alignment. People should seek emergency attention if they experience any of the following symptoms alongside lower back and hip pain:
loss of bowel and bladder functioninability to move one or both legsloss of sensation in one or both legsvisible deformity in the legs or back, such as the inability to stand up straight
If a person experiences less severe symptoms that do not improve with rest and over-the-counter treatments, they should make an appointment with their doctor. A doctor can evaluate their symptoms, make a diagnosis, and recommend the most effective treatments.
When a person experiences lower back and hip pain simultaneously, there may be an underlying injury or medical condition causing both of these symptoms. In other cases, the causes may be distinct. Lower back and hip pain can make performing daily activities difficult. If these symptoms do not resolve or suddenly get worse, a person should seek medical attention.
Regardless of the cause, early treatment helps improve the outlook of a person with back and hip pain. Without treatment, some causes of the pain can get worse and may ultimately affect a person’s mobility and quality of life.
Where is the trigger point for lower back pain?
The Quadratus Lumborum Trigger Points that Cause Low Back Pain – The Quadratus Lumborum muscle group is composed of several small muscles that are located deep within the lower back muscle mass. It attaches to the lowest rib, at several spots along the lower (lumbar) spine, and along the pelvic rim.The Quadratus Lumborum contracts to help stabilize the spine, and to flex the trunk to either side.
This muscle group can contain up to four trigger points that produce low back pain, groin pain, hip pain, and gluteal pain. It is primarily the upper two trigger points under the rib cage that produce the low back pain symptoms. A person with active Quadratus Lumborum trigger points will typically experience severe pain when their trunk is in an upright position.
Often they will instinctively brace and support their upper body with their arms to avoid this severe pain. Referred pain from Quadratus Lumborum trigger points may also activate other trigger points in muscle groups that function to move the hip joint, causing hip joint dysfunction.
Can we do acupressure daily?
What is acupressure, how is it used, and what it can do for you? You have without doubt already practised acupressure on yourself without even knowing it – completely intuitively. In the small recess between the eyebrows, at the nasal root, directly beneath the base of the forehead is the “third eye” pressure point.
We have a tendency to rub or knead this area when our eyes are tired, or if we notice that our concentration is diminishing. When we do this, we are actually doing ourselves some good – with acupressure! Or have you ever massaged your temples when you had a headache? Here too you are practicing acupressure on yourself, which is also referred to as acupoint massage.
Literally translated, acupressure means “needle pressure” (lat. acus = needle, lat. premere = to press). In actual fact, acupressure is very closely related to acupuncture, whereby needles are inserted into acupuncture points. However, because acupressure is performed without any needles or other equipment, and can be performed anywhere, it is incredibly well suited for self-treatment by people of all ages and all states of health.
- With the help of acupressure, you can alleviate pain and other complaints by yourself, reduce stress and even aid slimming – and do something good for your health by supporting its self-healing powers.
- Both acupressure and acupuncture originate from TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine.
- The key term in TCM is Qi (pronounced “Chee”).
It is equivalent to ‘energy’ or ‘life energy’. Imagine it like this: within your body, life energy flows along/in meridians, energy pathways. The 12 main meridians run through the entire body. They form functional circuits with the organs. Along these energy pathways, of differing lengths, lie more than 350 fixed points, in which the Qi is concentrated.
- On the gall bladder meridian along, for instance, there are as many as 44 acupressure points.
- The individual acupressure points are each assigned to various complaints.
- If the energy flow within a meridian is disrupted, this can result in illnesses.
- You encourage this energy blockage by means of various influencing factors, such as an unhealthy lifestyle, injuries, heat and cold.
Depending on which meridian is affected by this blockage, the associated organ may no longer function optimally, and in the worst case scenario will suffer illness. If, for example, you are seeking to alleviate pain, then according to TCM, the top priority is to eradicate this energy blockage.
If you would like to practise acupressure yourself, first make sure that you leave sufficient time between meals. If your stomach is too full, or not full enough, this will have an unfavourable effect. The correct acupressure point What is vital is that you find the correct point for your particular complaint.
Books on acupressure, appropriate online articles, or training on the subject of acupressure can help you with this, or you could ask a therapist of your choice. There is no one correct point for a headache, for example. Because headaches can have the most varied of causes, you will have to try out various possible points in order to find the correct one for your specific individual headache.
Here you don’t have to find the precise pressure point. Experience has shown that the stimulation of the area in which the pressure point is located will also prove effective. In some cases you will find small skin depressions or thickenings at the point where your individual acupressure point is located, which can serve as an additional aid in your search for the suitable acupressure point.
With acupressure there can be a noticeable instant effect, however, it can also take 15 to 20 minutes until an alleviating effect occurs. With a little trial and error, and some practice, you will be start finding the correct acupressure point faster and more accurately.
If you have found the correct point, press it with your thumb or index finger (or sometimes even your fingernail) and maintain the pressure for 30 seconds to three minutes. Specified times can range from just five seconds to as long as 15 minutes. The best option is to test for yourself which duration is comfortable and effective for you.
If using your finger to press the acupressure point is uncomfortable for you, you can alternatively use a small, rounded object, such as the BLACKROLL ® TRIGGER SET TWISTER or the BLACKROLL ® TMX ® TRIGGER PLUS, These tools can also be used for trigger point massage,
- The main differences to acupressure are the points themselves, and how they are located.
- Unlike acupressure points, the trigger points are not located on fixed pathways, and there is no link between the points and the location of the organs.
- Generally speaking, acupressure points do not present in the form of callous nodes in the tissue, as is the case with trigger points.
There are two easy-to-find acupressure points, which you should be able to find with some basic assistance. You may well experience pain when stimulating this acupressure point. Some people experience this as “good pain” – it hurts, but at the same time, it also does you good.
- Perhaps you have already experienced this “good pain” from therapeutic back massage or trigger point massage.
- Many of the established acupressure points react sensitively to pressure in the majority of people.
- However, perhaps there is something else behind this pressure pain that you are not yet aware of.
Your body sometimes reacts to a medical condition long before it presents clinically. This gives you or your therapist the opportunity to take preventative action before the symptoms appear. Generally, it is highly recommended that you favour a precautionary, i.e.
preventative, symptoms-based treatment. Because it is so simple to practice, acupressure is simply wonderfully suited for self-treatment – even for those with no medical training whatsoever. It is also free from side effects – with the exception of bruises, which can sometimes form if the pressure applied is too intense.
However, these side effects can be overlooked, as they are far outweighed by the benefits of acupressure. However, other forms of therapy are better if you are suffering from serious illnesses. In this case it is preferable that acupressure is only performed as a complementary treatment, and only following consultation with the attending therapist.
Likewise, if you suffer from mental illnesses such as depression, acupressure is only suited as a complementary measure. In case of sustained chronic fatigue, which persists under self-treatment with acupressure, other forms of therapy are again preferable. Inflamed parts of the body should not undergo acupressure, and an experienced therapist should perform the acupressure if you are pregnant or if it is being performed on babies.
Depending on how long you decide to apply pressure when performing acupressure, you will also perform the self-treatment at varying intervals throughout the day. If you hold individual acupressure points for a very long time, once a day, or even once every other day will be sufficient.
- If, on the other hand, the duration of the acupressure treatment is relatively short, you can then perform the acupressure three to four times daily.
- In this case you could, for example, incorporate self-treatment with acupressure into your daily routine, in the morning, afternoon and evening.
- Only if you establish a fixed slot for acupressure within your daily routine will you ultimately practice this form of self-treatment with sufficient frequency, over a prolonged period of time.
Incidentally, this rings true for practically all not-strictly-necessary activities that aim to improve our health and prevent illnesses. Experience has shown that acute conditions responds much quicker to acupressure than chronic conditions. These often require more time before the acupressure causes a noticeable alleviation of symptoms.
- As you can imagine, it took some time for these chronic conditions to form.
- This chronic suffering did not appear all of a sudden, so neither can it disappear in an instant.
- Moreover, burdensome circumstances can also delay the rapid alleviation of your condition.
- You can prevent the most diverse of physical conditions using acupressure, and you can treat them if you are already experiencing symptoms such as pain.
Below you will find a list of possible conditions and areas of application that can be positively influenced with acupressure. Physical suffering Muscle tension, back pain, lumbago, neck pain, shoulder pain, knee pain, discomfort, cramps, circulation problems, high blood pressure, tinnitus, headaches, migraines, tooth ache, insomnia, fatigue, menstrual pain, irregular periods, nausea, constipation, respiratory diseases, allergies Psychological suffering Anxiety, exhaustion, restlessness, tension Infectious diseases Colds, sniffles, ear infections Weight loss (as a support) With regards to excess weight, TCM would say that an imbalance in the life energy can result in increased appetite, and consequently to an increased calorie intake, resulting in an increase in body weight.
- The goal is to harmonise the Qi flow and thus curb the sensation of hunger.
- Here acupressure can only be used as a complementary treatment.
- When it comes to loosing weight, other fundamental factors are of greater importance.
- Smoking cessation (as a support) The same also applies for smoking cessation.
Here acupressure can provide a wonderful support. However, what is vital is the desire to give up smoking. Unfortunately there are no truly reliable studies on acupressure itself. Opinions regarding its effect range from “without effect” to “effective”, to “just a placebo effect”.
One study on acupuncture conducted by Charité Berlin provided impressive results: “Three out of four patients with headache or lumbar syndrome (pain in the area of the lumbar spine) reported significant improvement, even six months after the treatment. This rate was even higher in case of osteoarthritis pain (86 percent), asthma/allergic rhinitis (82 percent) and dysmenorrhoea (period pain) (85 percent).
It can be assumed that with regular acupressure treatment, a similarly high level of success to that achieved with acupuncture is possible.
Where is the trigger point for lower back pain?
The Quadratus Lumborum Trigger Points that Cause Low Back Pain – The Quadratus Lumborum muscle group is composed of several small muscles that are located deep within the lower back muscle mass. It attaches to the lowest rib, at several spots along the lower (lumbar) spine, and along the pelvic rim.The Quadratus Lumborum contracts to help stabilize the spine, and to flex the trunk to either side.
- This muscle group can contain up to four trigger points that produce low back pain, groin pain, hip pain, and gluteal pain.
- It is primarily the upper two trigger points under the rib cage that produce the low back pain symptoms.
- A person with active Quadratus Lumborum trigger points will typically experience severe pain when their trunk is in an upright position.
Often they will instinctively brace and support their upper body with their arms to avoid this severe pain. Referred pain from Quadratus Lumborum trigger points may also activate other trigger points in muscle groups that function to move the hip joint, causing hip joint dysfunction.