Posted in Category : Acupressure | September 30, 2009

Acupuncture Therapy For Ears

Acupuncture is an alternative therapy that many swear by, and not only relieves you of temporary stress and pain but helps you achieve general well being and improves over all health while doing so.
It is believed that there is a universal life energy that flows through our bodies. Acupuncture aims to channel this energy and remove blockages so that this energy can flow freely. Our bodies have channels through which this life energy flows and it is these channels that an acupuncture practitioner identifies for each individual before beginning the actual therapy. An acupuncturist inserts needles at specific energy points of the body where the nerves or muscles are depressed and thus blocking the energy channel. The ultimate aim is to start the flow of energy and keep it stimulated.

The origin of acupuncture, just like acupressure, was in China. While acupuncture itself is about two thousand years old, auricular acupuncture is relatively new and originated only about fifty years ago.
Auricular acupuncture, in simpler terms, is the acupuncture of the ear. The Chinese had a belief that all our bodily systems and their functions are somehow mapped. This map, a blueprint of the mechanics of the body can be found, according to the Chinese, at the surface of the human ear. It is believed that by inserting needles in the different pressure points of the ear, the different body parts that correspond to the particular pressure point can be stimulated.

The practitioner is usually a medically competent person and starts by asking your medical history so that exact causes of problems and therefore exact pressure points can be identified. The health of the energy channels is also determined. The practitioner usually does it by probing on the pressure points on your wrists. Once the practitioner feels sure about your ailment, the process of healing begins.
The treatment usually carries on for a period of forty to forty five minutes. If you feel excessive pain during your session, inform the practitioner so that your treatment can be altered. If you do not take kindly to needles, there are simulations that can be used to achieve the desired result without using needles.

Auricular acupressure is usually used to cure headaches, sleep disorders and fatigue. Recently this technique has been successfully used to cure substance abuse and addiction. Its many benefits are making auricular acupressure increasingly popular in both the UK and the USA. In fact right now, there are several studies being carried on to check whether this technique can also be used to cure degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s.

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Posted in Category : Natural Cures |

Preventing Obstructed Bowel

Bowel obstruction occurs when either the small intestine or large intestine is physically blocked because of some reason. Since intestines are responsible for digestive process, their obstruction hampers digestion causing problems like toxic build up. The common signs of bowel obstruction are abdominal pain, vomiting and constipation. Usually, the pain corresponds with the part that is obstructed. In case of the large intestine (colon) getting obstructed, there are spasms that last for a few minutes. There are many reasons for the bowel to be obstructed. The primary reason is eating foods that cannot be digested easily. This causes a buildup of something known as mucoid plaque in the inner walls of the large intestine. This build up leads to bowel malfunction. Smoking and consuming alcohol are also reasons that add up to the obstruction, since both the habits make digestion difficult. If there is too much vomiting because of bowel obstruction, it causes dehydration, making the waste in the colon even more difficult to be got rid of. A very severe case of bowel obstruction causes inflation of the abdomen and may need a surgery or an invasive treatment like enema.

In order to prevent bowel obstruction, one must eat fibrous foods, especially green leafy vegetables and fresh fruits and juices and drink lots of water every day. Working out everyday for about 30 minutes also keeps the bowel clean. Avoid excessive sugar, processed, oily and starchy food. White flour, especially, is bad for the bowel. Also, don’t sleep for at least two hours after dinner. Taking a stroll after eating also helps digest food. If you embark on an all-fruits and juices diet once a week, it will be good for cleansing the colon.

There are many home remedies that will keep your intestines clean and free from obstruction. The easiest one is eating an apple every morning. The bowel obstruction will be cured in a few days. Another effective remedy is drinking a cup of lemon tea with honey added to it. You can also drink a glass of boiled and cooled water with honey in it every night before going to bed. Drinking a glassful orange juice every morning will also ensure that all the accumulated waste will be expelled from the intestines. Mixing one teaspoon of mint juice and lime juice each with a small amount of ginger juice and black salt is a good remedy too.

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Posted in Category : Natural Cures |

Natural Treatments for Esophagus Blockage

The esophagus is the muscular tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. A narrowing or blockage in this tube can cause quite a few problems with swallowing, which lead to a number of other problems being experienced by the sufferer like pain during the swallowing, as well as a regurgitation of food and weight loss. Some people are unfortunately born with an abnormal esophagus, where the organ may have extra tissues, known as esophageal webs that cross through it. Some people also suffer from another birth defect called Schatzki’s ring where a ring of thick muscle surrounds the esophagus. The condition can also be brought on by certain viruses and bacteria which also cause the narrowing of the esophagus. Conditions like gastroesophageal reflux disease can cause stomach acids to come up and into the esophagus and cause a bit if damage. Esophageal cancer could also be the primary cause where the esophagus becomes narrower or blocked. Excessive vomiting such as in sufferers of bulimia and anorexia is a self induced cause of the condition, while damage from chemicals as well as radiation injury can also be responsible. Some of the symptoms experienced when suffering from esophageal obstruction are a high fever, hernia, a burning sensation during swallowing, bleeding – which could either appear as blood in vomit or in stools, acid reflux or heart burn, shortness of breath due to an obstructed throat or even simply a sensation that something was stuck in the throat.

There are a few home remedies that may help ease that pain that you experience as a direct result of this condition. However, more productive than most is a lifestyle and habit change where instead of eating three large meals during the course of the day, try and break that proportionately down to about 6 smaller meals. When eating, always take smaller bites of the food and chew it thoroughly before swallowing, as this will allow the esophagus to allow the food to pass through without any problems. The higher intake of soft foods like puddings, applesauce, custards or soups is highly recommended. The patient should also strictly avoid smoking, consumption of spicy foods, consumption of any amount of alcohol or even acidic foods and beverages like citrus juice and tomato based products. Use the straw whenever you drink beverages as this will ease the strain on the esophagus. While sleeping, always elevate the head of your bed a few inches or sleep on a wedge pillow.

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Posted in Category : Natural Cures |

Natural Remedies for Post Nasal Drip

One of the most irritating experiences to go through is the feeling that there is a constant build up of mucous accumulating or dripping toward the back of your throat. While most of the time, the condition is brought about by a viral flu infection, there is no necessity for there to be some kind of infection to trigger this sensation. The simple activity of going out in the cold or eating some extremely spicy food can also trigger post nasal drip. Some of the other well known causes of the condition include allergic reactions such as hay fever; a deviated septum where the cartilage that divides the nose into two sides has moved; dusty or smoky conditions that can dry out the nose which leads to a deficiency in producing adequate amounts of mucous, which will then make the produced mucous thicker prompting you to clean your throat every few seconds. People who suffer from a sinus problem know the sensation all too well. Some medications can also play an important role in the build up of the condition as drugs like birth control pills and cholesterol lowering medication has been known to have an effect on the outcome.

However, just because some of the simplest actions can lead to a post nasal drip condition, one must not ignore it as it could also be a symptom for a more serious underlying condition within the body. If you notice green or yellow snot persisting for a longer than normal length of time for a cold, this may be an indication of a sinus infection that may need to be examined physically by an expert. There are a few home remedies that could help significantly deal with the condition. Drinking a high amount of water through the course of the day is always beneficial and makes sure the mucous stays thin and does not clog the throat. You could also try mixing a spoonful of salt along with a pinch of baking soda in some warm water and squirt some of the mixture into your nostrils with the help of a nasal syringe, making sure that you close your throat and palate while you do this. Tilt your head in different directions to allow the solution to access all parts of the sinus cavities and then blow your nose. Keeping a humidifier in your bedroom will help significantly as it will keep the air around you well moisturized.

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