Another interesting case, successfully treated with clothespins, was that of a young man suffering from hand tremors, insomnia, and nervous exhaustion.
He had his finger tips clamped daily for a week. Then three times more, at intervals of three days. After the eighth treatment he had no further trouble with tremor, slept like a baby, and was apparently relieved of all nervous symptoms.
Fig. 18.—Showing a method of treating rheumatism or sciatica by treating all five zones on the back of the leg and body.
We have found it helpful, if the patient has a good set of teeth, to have him clinch the teeth, and also the hands, for several minutes at a time, three or four times daily. This produces an exaggerated degree of relaxation, which is most helpful in overcoming nervous conditions.
Most of our patients are also instructed to “yawn prodigiously,” and stretch. This stimulates a healthy action of the sympathetic nerves in all the zones, and cannot fail but be most beneficial. Sometimes the insomnia of neurasthenia may be effectively overcome by tightly clasping the hands—interlocking the fingers as shown in Fig. [19], or pressing the finger tips firmly together, and holding this position for ten or fifteen minutes—unless sleep should come before this and relax the clasp.
Also, the clinching or wriggling of the toes is of benefit to a neurasthenic. In fact, I am convinced that the method of relieving fatigue in marching troops, discovered by Drs. DeFleury and Jacques—of the French army, is largely an application of the principles of zone therapy.
The French surgeon’s idea is temporarily to expel the blood from the legs by raising them. The soldiers remove their shoes and lie prone on the ground, close to a tree or wall, with heads slightly elevated. They then raise their legs against the wall, stretching upwards as far as limb limitations permit.