Did you know there is a place on your body that, when iced for twenty minutes, can relieve many ailments including headaches, dizziness, and head colds? This magic spot, known as Feng Fu, is found on your neck and is a special point highly regarded in the practice of acupuncture. To understand how it works and how you can treat yourself, you need a basic idea of the theory behind the magic.
Acupuncture is a component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), one of the oldest medical systems in the world. Today, TCM and acupuncture are considered safe alternatives to modern medicine and are commonly used in conjunction with modern treatments. It is a practice based on the idea that the body is full of energy. In much the same way that we have circulatory systems with veins and arteries, the body has a life force system with energy pathways (meridians) that run throughout the body. These pathways can experience blockages and imbalance just like other systems in our body. According to TCM, these blockages and imbalances are the root cause of our ailments. Points on the body that run along the meridians are manipulated using pressure, needles, heat, or cold to change the way the energy flows internally. With repeated treatments, a blockage or imbalance can be completely eradicated.
Acupuncture with needles is something that is best left to professionals, but you can treat yourself for small ailments by applying pressure, heat, or ice to certain meridian points. One of the easiest points to treat, and one of the most beneficial, is the magical Feng Fu (GV16) point mentioned earlier.
Feng Fu is part of the “Governing Vessel” meridian pathway, a very fiery and energetic pathway, and is one of the most powerful points on the body. The point is found on the back of the neck, just under the occipital protuberance of the skull, in the indent where the spine and skull meet. It is a point that is associated with headaches, head colds, low energy, dizziness, and earaches, amongst other ailments. Placing pressure, heat, or ice on the point stimulates the flow of energy through the meridian and starts the healing process. Ice however, is the best treatment because it helps to regulate the fiery, energetic nature of Feng Fu.
Take an ice cube and place it directly on Feng Fu for twenty minutes every day for a week. Try to do it in the morning or at night, on an empty stomach. The cold of the ice helps to balance the yang energy that flows through the point. Regulating and balancing the energy flow through Feng Fu will not only aid in reducing headaches but also help improve mood, sleep, energy, and digestion. It really is magic.
