Hot flashes in summer
If you are a peri- or menopausal woman, you may be dreading the summer months. 75% of American women are reported to suffer from hot flashes. Bad enough on their own, combine them with the heat of summer and hot flashes can become unbearable. Acupuncture treatments are a good way to reduce the severity of hot flashes, and even prevent them by bringing the body back into balance on a hormonal level. But if you can’t get to your acupuncturist, then the following easy acupressure techniques can help. Practice all, or any one of them, one to four times daily. Press each point firmly but gently for one minute, while taking slow, deep breaths.
- Use your thumb to press K 1 on the ball of each foot.
- With your middle finger, press K 27 in the hollow below the collarbone, either side of the breastbone.
- Grasp LI 4 at the highest point of the muscle of the hand in the webbing where thumb and index finger meet. Hold and repeat on the other hand.
- Use your thumbs to find GB 20 in the hollow spots underneath the base of the skull. Tilt your head back slightly to apply more pressure to the points.
- Gently press CV 20 on the crown of the head, in the ”soft spot” indentation. At the same time, touch GV 24.5, the third eye, between the eyebrows. Close your eyes and breathe gently for two minutes.
- Place all fingertips of one hand on CV 17 on the center of the breastbone at heart level.
See http://www.acupuncture.com/education/points/ for exact location of all acupoints.