Hop to the local dollar store to find some plastic or wooden pegs, and try these six specific spots for some all-over relief.
Feeling some pain and want to clip some clothes pegs on your ears? Sounds like a good idea.
Phil Mutz writes on his blog, LittleThings.com, that applying pressure to certain points on the ear can relieve pain in other parts of the body, in line with the beliefs of reflexology.
Reflexology is the application of appropriate pressure to specific areas on the ears, feet, or hands, to relieve pain, and while clinical reviews don’t seem to find evidence of the effectiveness of this alternative medicine, practices resembling reflexology may have existed in cultures as far back as ancient Egypt and China, so maybe it’s worth a try.
Some believe it can stimulate the body’s energy to improve physical and psychological well-being, by targeting imbalance in the body. Acupressure is used to both treat existing pains, and to find lurking problems. Reflexology is particularly recommended for the relief of disorders arising from stress, including insomnia, headaches and anxiety.
According to the practice, at times, exerting pressure on the area corresponding to an afflicted organ can result in pain or tenderness, which is believed to reveal when things are working properly or when there’s an energy blockage equaling problem of some sort.
An entry in Wikipedia says that reflexology was introduced to the United States in 1913 by William H. Fitzgerald, M.D. (1872–1942), an ear, nose, and throat specialist, and Dr. Edwin Bowers.
Certified reflexologist Helen Chin Lui writes, “Each ear contains a complete reflex map of the body, rich with nerve endings and multiple connectors to the central nervous system.”
Hop to the local dollar store to find some plastic or wooden pegs, and try these six specific spots for some all-over relief.
Of course, don’t just use clothes pegs and not see a doctor if you are experiencing irregular and abnormal pain-please, go see the doctor, first.
This spot is connected with the back and shoulder area. Mutz recommends trying this spot multiple times a day to reduce back and shoulder pain. Apply a clothes peg for about a minute.
Okay – definitely see a doctor if you are experiencing pain in your abdomen. But for slight discomfort, try this second pressure point for relief.
Hit up the upper middle part of the edge of the ear to target light joint pain.
Suffering from a cold, and want to avoid liquid medication or pills? Try applying pressure to this lower ear spot to reduce the sinus tension you may be suffering from.
If you regularly have slight digestive problems, Mutz recommends targeting this area just above the ear lobe regularly as a preventive measure.
And, last but not least, the bottom of the ear right on the lobe is said to target the head and heart. Try applying pressure as an alternative to taking a pill for headache relief, and to promote heart health. Of course, don’t stop going to the gym and just use clothes pegs on your ears for a cardio workout, but maybe try this as an add-on.
Photo credit: BARON ILYA/Shutterstock
