Musculoskeletal Pain
Your changing body
As a woman progresses in her pregnancy, her growing baby and hormone changes can lead to a number of aches and pains. Common complaints that can be effectively treated with acupuncture are: rib pain, pubic symphysis pain, upper back and neck pain, low back pain, sciatica, and leg cramps.
In traditional Chinese medicine, these types of pain are caused by obstruction of qi flow along the meridian running through that area. During a treatment I use points to “open” the channel, allowing qi to move smoothly and alleviating pain. After treatments I typically give patients a few press needles (extremely tiny needles embedded in tape) that can be placed on acupuncture points to continue treatment at home.
If your pain is relatively mild and you feel you are coping well, try acupressure described below for a boost. They can often reduce pain within a matter of minutes. If your pain is severe enough that you are having difficulty sleeping at night or are very uncomfortable during the day, consider scheduling a visit. It usually takes only a few visits to bring the pain under control.
Acupressure for Sciatica/Low Back Pain
The two points pictured below can be very helpful for sciatica and low back pain. Use your fingernails to put pressure on either point. Press for several minutes until the pain lessens. You can use this point throughout the day. For low back pain, use Urinary Bladder 62. If you are suffering from sciatica and the pain runs along the outside of your leg, choose Gall Bladder 41. If the pain runs down the back of your leg, choose Urinary Bladder 62.
Gall Bladder 41
Gall Bladder 41 is located on the foot in the space between the 4th and 5th toes. If you flex your foot you will see a tendon running across this space. GB 41 is located on the side of the tendon closest to the ankle.
Urinary Bladder 62
Urinary Bladder 62 is located in a depression immediately below the bony prominence on the outside of your ankle (lateral malleolus).
Acupressure for Leg Cramps
Before bed make sure to stretch out your calf muscles and rotate your ankles several times. Urinary Bladder 57, the point described below, can be massaged for 5 minutes on each leg before bed. It is also a good pressure point whenever the leg does cramp up.
Urinary Bladder 57
Urinary Bladder 57 is located on the back of the leg, below the knee joint. It is on the midline of the leg, in a slight depression about halfway between the crease behind the knee and the level of the bony prominences of the ankle.