Acupressure Points for Gas Relief and Prevention:
We lead a healthy life by what we eat. Also, for many of us, our modern way of eating packaged, ready-to-eat meals has led to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and the well-known gas, a disrupted digestive system.
Many of us have, at some point, experienced stomach discomfort, heartburn, diarrhea, or gas caused by our food. The best way to address these issues is by modifying your diet. Other effective methods, such as acupressure points for gas relief, can be used in combination with a healthier diet.
With these techniques, one can help alleviate the painful effects that often accompany an upset digestive system.
Check this Also: Acupressure Points to Induce Labor
How to apply acupressure for gas relief:
One finds different pressure points in the body to help with gas relief; however, before we provide you with the acupressure points, one needs to know how to apply pressure to them:
- One always needs to remember to apply light pressure on all the provided acupressure points for gas
- Remember to make sure to apply four levels of pressure and press deeper with every application
- Once reaching the deepest point, one needs to massage this region with circular movements
- One can also use essential oils while doing acupressure, as the oil helps to massage right on the point for gas, or one can apply it after the acupressure treatments are done
- Place yourself in a relaxing and comfortable position while taking deep breaths with your eyes closed when applying pressure to these points
- If you cannot apply pressure by yourself, ask someone to assist you and repeat the acupressure therapy as often as it helps to comfort and relax the body
Acupressure Points for Gas Relief Infographic:
Pressure Points for treating gas:
Several pressure points in the hands, feet, and stomach system that treat gas need to be stimulated regularly. These points address most stomach problems caused by improper food choices, irregular eating times, and rapid eating. These points are known as stomach points, underneath knee points, lower back points, hand points, and foot points.
The Three Mile Point:
The Three Mile Point, also known as Stomach 36 or Zu San Li, refers to acupressure points that help reinforce energy, allowing individuals to walk for miles without feeling exhausted. One can locate this point by bending one’s leg slightly and placing four fingers below the kneecap. Start with your index finger at the base of your kneecap and end where your little finger rests on the outer side of the shinbone.
More information about Acupressure Points for Constipation
Here, one finds a soft spot known as The Three Mile Point. Following the steps mentioned above, applying pressure can help alleviate overall energy, boost the immune system, and enhance the digestive system when experiencing symptoms such as vomiting, bloating, constipation, nausea, and gas.
Center of Power and Sea of Energy or Stomach points:
The stomach acupressure points mentioned above are easily located and positioned along the midline of the body. The Center for Energy is situated above your navel, while the Sea of Energy is about 2 cm below the navel. Applying pressure to these reflexology points can help reduce stomach pain, constipation, abdominal contractions, and lower back pain, while also alleviating emotional stress, heartburn, gas, and frustration.
The Grandfather-Grandson foot point:
The grandfather-grandson foot point is situated about 1.25 cm away from your ankle on the curve. You need to apply pressure directly to the end of every day to relieve stomachaches, anxiety, abdominal pains, diarrhea, and nausea, and to harmonize energy flow in the stomach to relieve gas.
Check out this: Acupressure Points for Weight Loss – Works in 1-2 Weeks
The Great Rushing and Three-Yin Crossing pressure point:
When stimulated, these two pressure points, the Great Rushing and Three Yin Crossing points, help relieve various ailments associated with the stomach. The Great Rushing point is the webbing between your big and second toes. Stimulating this reflexology point helps ease nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting and improves gallbladder health. The Three Yin Crossing points are located three finger widths above your inner ankle, used to relieve abdominal distension, colitis, flatulence, and gas.
Sea of Vitality, also known as the Lower Back Pressure Points:
The Sea of Vitality acupressure points, located on the lower side of your waistline, consist of four points. Applying pressure to these lower back points can relieve indigestion (gas) and reduce abdominal and stomach pain. If one suffers from low back pain, it is best to avoid applying pressure to these points.
Hand Pressure Points:
Union Valley – this pressure point can be found between your thumb and index finger. Applying pressure to this reflexology point helps with overall intestinal function and relieves constipation, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
Outer Gate – locate this point by placing a 3-finger width above your wrist crease, on the outer side of your hand, which is excellent for relieving vomiting and nausea associated with gas.
Crooked Pond – this pain-reducing point is found at the top of your elbow crease, at the edge of the joint. Applying pressure to this point helps to relieve abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation.
Inner Gate – located by placing a 3-finger width above your wrist crease, in the center of your arm, on the palm side of the hand. This point is excellent for relieving indigestion, anxiety, vomiting, and stomachaches.
Live Healthy and Eat Healthy with These Acupressure Points:
As mentioned above, acupressure points are effective for relieving gas and addressing digestive problems. They can help gradually reduce gas in your stomach and some of the most common indigestion problems. Therefore, if you are bloated from being too full or have eaten too quickly, avoid reaching for those harmful antacids. Instead, stretch your hand out and massage these points, which will provide excellent gas relief.
Home Remedies for Intestinal Gas
Flatulence, or gas in the intestinal tract, is a common problem that affects everyone. The gas passes through the body out of the anus or mouth and is ordinary. There is nothing to be shy about; it is a natural occurrence. A fact is that the gas released depends on the food you eat, and for some, it causes problems.
You may experience more flatulence if you swallow a lot of air when eating or drinking. You should visit the doctor if you experience excessive gas and other digestive issues. The physician will conduct blood tests, X-rays, stool cultures, or an endoscopy to determine the cause of the symptoms.
However, other methods exist to alleviate symptoms if you do not experience severe flatulence.
How Do You Relieve Gas Pain
Gas trapped inside the body is uncomfortable. Sometimes, it causes sharp pain, bloating, cramping, and swelling. Most people pass gas throughout the day, but constipation or diarrhea is the primary cause of gas blockage. Sometimes, the pain can become unbearable, and it is best to let it go.
Never hold it back, as it can cause discomfort, pain, and bloating. Here are some valuable tips to prevent gas pain.
- Pass Stool – bowel movement helps relieve gas pain by releasing the trapped gas in your intestines.
- Eat Slowly – do not gobble your food down, as this can lead to a massive air intake, causing discomfort. Chewing food slowly aids digestion as it is broken down into smaller particles.
- Prevent Using Straws – A straw causes you to swallow air, and it is best to sip from the glass.
- Drink Non-carbonated Drinks – gassy drinks cause a lot of gas in your tummy and make you feel bloated.
- Eliminate Certain Foods— Consider the foods that cause more flatulence and try to limit or avoid eating them. Some foods that cause gas are artificial sweeteners, fried foods, dairy products, cabbage, garlic, and spicy foods.
- Drink Herbal Tea— You can replace your regular tea with chamomile, ginger, anise, and peppermint, which aid digestion and reduce gas. Further, anise offers a mild laxative and helps with constipation. However, do not drink it if you have diarrhea.
- Eat Fennel Seeds— this age-old solution helps release trapped wind. You can chew on a teaspoon of the seed. However, if you are breastfeeding or pregnant, avoid using it.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – to alleviate gas pain quickly, add a tablespoon of ACV to a glass of water and drink it before sitting down for a meal. After drinking, rinse your mouth with water to prevent tooth enamel damage. erosion
How Do You Relieve Gas in Babies
Nothing is more heartwarming than watching a baby cry because of the wind and gas. Infants swallow air while growing as they suck a pacifier, breast, or bottle feed, and cry a lot to get attention.
The latter causes trapped air in the belly, making them bloated and uncomfortable. Sometimes, the flatulence becomes so severe that it causes constant discomfort.
As your child’s digestive tract develops, gas becomes less of a problem. So, what can you do to relieve gas in babies? Try the following steps:
- While breast or bottle-feeding, keep your child’s head higher than their stomach. The milk will sink to the bottom of their stomach while the air moves to the top. Doing this helps them burp the gas out. Ensure you tip the bottle to prevent air bubbles from forming in the nipple.
- Make sure to burp your baby between and after drinking to prevent gas pains. If the baby does not eject, you can lie them down on their back for a few minutes and try again.
- If you find your baby is swallowing a lot of air, try switching the nipple out with one that has a slower flow.
- Alternatively, you can gently massage the wind out by pumping your legs back and forth, as if you are riding a bike. You do this by lying them on their back. You can also give them tummy time or a warm bath to help eliminate trapped gas.
How to Relieve Gas Pain in the Back
Bloating and gas pain in the back occur when your abdomen fills with air. The gas can make your belly feel larger and cause it to feel stiff or tight. Further, it causes discomfort in your back area. As your back is your stabilizing system and support of the body, you can feel pain with abdominal bloating.
Some possible causes for these symptoms are:
- Menstruation
- Premenstrual Syndrome
- Pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Gallstones
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Kidney Stones
- Urinary Tract Infection and the list goes on
That is why it is essential to check if home remedies or over-the-counter medicines are not working. However, if you do not experience pain regularly, some treatments can still be beneficial.
- Drink a lot of water and avoid carbonated drinks
- Reduce drinking through straws as it allows more air into the stomach
- Prevent eating foods that cause gas, and balance your food intake with a combination of soluble and insoluble fiber, such as beans, oats, wheat bran, and green vegetables.
- For back pain caused by gas, you can use ice or heat packs for 10 minutes to relieve the discomfort.
- Alternatively, you can massage the area for extra relief.
- Exercising helps with bloating and reduces back pain.
- Another fantastic home remedy is to drink a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with a glass of water.
How Do You Relieve Gas after a Laparoscopic Surgery?
Having Laparoscopic surgery can leave you uncomfortable after the procedure. The reason is that you are pumped full of CO2 gas in the abdomen. The gas inflates the stomach, making it visible to the surgeon. Furthermore, CO2 protects your intestines during surgery by maintaining pressure on the organs.
Once the surgeries are completed, the CO2 is released from the body, but some gas becomes trapped inside, causing discomfort. You can use heating pads to provide relief, but be aware that they may cause swelling; therefore, it is best not to apply them directly to bare skin. Alternatively, you can drink hot tea, which is one of the best remedies for relieving gas pain and promoting gastrointestinal motility. You can take some Smooth Move tea with you.
On the other hand, you can take Colace or Simethicone medication, as it allows the gas bubbles to move through the body quickly. Furthermore, gently massage the abdomen to help reduce the shock to your body.
What Relieves Gas?
Whether you have flatulence in the chest or intestines, there are different home remedies to help relieve gas. The important thing is to drink plenty of fluids, not the bubbly ones. Alternatively, you can obtain over-the-counter medications, such as antacids or Gas-X.
On the other hand, you can follow some natural home remedies instead:
- Drink Some Peppermint Tea
Drinking peppermint tea or taking peppermint supplements can help alleviate various ailments, including nausea and gas. It is best to consult your doctor, as some medications can interfere with iron absorption—some people have found that it also gives them heartburn. For optimal results, drink the tea before a meal.
- Chamomile Tea
The tea can help reduce trapped gas, bloating, and indigestion problems. Drink the tea before meals and bedtime.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
You can dilute a tablespoon of the vinegar in water and drink it up to three times a day before meals.
- Take part in physical activity
Take a walk, run, or jump rope, as it helps release trapped gas.
- Cloves
The herbs are generally used for cooking, but you can replace them with clove oil, which helps to reduce bloating and gas. After meals, you can drink up to five drops of the oil in a glass of water. The fantastic thing is that the oil also helps with toothaches.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to flatulence, it is healthy and vital to release it. You do not want to end up with discomfort. The best way to prevent it from happening is to sit down for a meal and eat slowly. Try to avoid drinking soda drinks and work some exercise into your routine. Examine what you are eating and eliminate those foods that are causing the problem. It is usually not dangerous, but if it persists and causes discomfort for several days, consult your doctor.