Acupressure For Irritable Bowel Syndrome Emergencies

Whether you have actually been diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) or you just had one too many cups of coffee on a road trip, most of us have been in the dire situation of needing a restroom fast! Acupressure applied to an acupuncture point on the arm will give you the fifteen minutes you may need to get you there.

Acupuncture theory has evolved over thousands of years of documented experience and remains an effective and integral part of Chinese Medicine today. Chinese Medicine believes that the human body is an energetic field where energy flows over the surface on very specific pathways called meridians. There are twelve meridians that connect with specific organs in the body. For example, the Stomach meridian connects with the stomach. Yet the pathway of the Stomach meridian starts below the eyeball, runs down the face and along the jaw to the hairline, and then travels all the way down the front of the body and leg to the corner of the second toe. Acupuncture points on the Stomach meridian address not only digestive issues, but also pain along the entire path of the Stomach meridian. There are eight "extra" meridians that serve as a reservoir to handle either congested energy or deficient energy in the regular meridians. All of the meridians are connected in a number of ways to serve as a communication network to regulate the physical and emotional functioning of the body.

Hundreds of acupuncture points are located on these meridians. Each of these points has an effect on the physiological functioning of the human body. Some points are more powerful and more commonly used than others. They can be stimulated in a number of ways. Historically and most commonly, acupuncture points have been stimulated with a very fine needle. Sometimes an herb called moxa is burned over an acupuncture point. More recently, laser has been used to stimulate acupuncture points. There are several points that are quite famous for being effective by just applying firm finger pressure, or acupressure.

Intestine Gate is one such acupuncture point. This is a point that is located on the Small Intestine meridian. The Small Intestine meridian is located on the ulnar, or little finger, side of the arm. This acupuncture point was documented by Master Tung. Master Tung was a Taiwanese acupuncturist who identified hundreds of acupuncture points both on and slightly off the regular meridians. I have personally found his points and theories of selecting them for treatment to be very powerful.

If you look at your arm, palm down, Intestine Gate is located on the little finger side of the arm, about three inches above the wrist for the average adult. The point is located in the groove between the ulnar bone and the muscle below it. If you are looking at your left arm, use the index finger of your right hand to locate this point and apply firm pressure against the bone. This will have an immediate effect on the rectum and take away the sensation that you cannot make it to the restroom. You can even do this while driving a car and trying to get to the next exit on the freeway! If the point gets sore on one arm from the firm pressure, you can switch to the other arm. Try it. This is one acupuncture point you will remember!