CHAPTER IV.

FINGER SQUEEZING FOR EYE TROUBLES.

If your eyes pain, close them lightly--or leave them open, if you prefer--and squeeze tightly the knuckles of the first (or index) fingers of both hands. Occasionally, if the eyes are set far apart and extend over into the third zone, the second (or middle) finger must be included in this digital embrace. But as a general rule pressure on the upper and lower surfaces, as well as on the sides of the first and second fingers will, within five minutes, relieve the pain of eye strain. Understand, I say “relieve”, not “cure”. For if the eye strain is the result of a too constant attendance at “movie” shows, and due to the fact that the little eye muscles are expanding and contracting hundreds of times a minute in an attempt to “focus” upon the flickering screen, the only cure for this strain is to “cut out” these entertainments, or else patronize a movie house where the flicker has been “cut out.” Of course, if the eye strain is the result of imbalance of the muscles of the eye it will be necessary to properly adjust this faulty focus by reinforcing the lens of the eye with a supplementary one made of glass.

But for temporary relief firm pressure over the joints of the first and second fingers, continued for several minutes, will usually give results.

Eye strain and muscle tire are largely under the control of the nervous system. If the nerves are fatigued, the muscles function imperfectly. If the muscles are wearied the nerves sympathize, and make the fact known by raising a wail of distress.

And so it follows that a skeptic is legitimately entitled to say “Yes, you zone therapists cure eye strain by squeezing fingers or toes, but as the condition is primarily a nervous one, you really cure it by suggestion.”

This, notwithstanding the fact that frequently the patient has no idea as to what is being attempted, and doesn’t, until his pain is relieved, know why any one should want to squeeze his fingers.

Also, I would urgently recommend any believer in the “suggestion” or “mental” response of eye pains to omit pressures over the first and second fingers to try and help this condition by squeezing the thumb and little finger, and see what they accomplish.

However, accepting the extreme position of some of our friends, and admitting that all eye strain is imagination--or an error of the mind--I would ask them to consider the pert, prominent, and resolutely determined stye--which is certainly not imaginary, nor merely suggested. Also inflammatory conditions of the conjunctiva--the membrane of the eye and lids--and that irritating and extremely annoying affliction known as granulated lids.

It might be considered a crucial test of imagination to dissipate and clear up these conditions, yet zone therapy does just this. For sties and such eye conditions as conjunctivitis and granulated lids are completely relieved by pressure exerted upon the joints of the first and second finger of the hand corresponding to the eye involved. In sties the relief is frequently complete in one or two treatments. In other inflammatory conditions of the mucous membranes of the eye it may be necessary to give treatments three times a week for several weeks. Also, a bandage fastened around the index fingers, and soaked with camphor water, frequently relieves itching and congestion of the eyes.

Favorable results are almost routine in these troubles, and usually without employing any other measures. For facilitating treatment, however--unless the results of the exclusive use of zone therapy are desired for experimental reasons,--it might be well to use hot boric acid compresses, or other indicated measures, in addition to the pressures.

To go still farther I might state a fact that every doctor will immediately admit. And this is, that inflammation of the optic nerve--optic neuritis--is most decidedly not imaginary, nor is it, so far as I know, cured by telling the patient that there is nothing the matter with him. As a usual thing, whether treated or not, one afflicted with optic neuritis goes on to complete blindness.

Yet we have cured optic neuritis by making pressures over the first and second fingers, and over the inferior dental nerve--where it enters the lower jaw bone.

One patient I have in mind, who had been treated without benefit by several competent medical men, using conventional and accepted methods, received no other form of treatment--no local applications, no antiseptics. Yet relief followed almost immediately after the pressures were made. The woman was treated twice the first day. That night she slept without taking an opiate--something she had not done before in several weeks.

A complete cure of her condition was brought about within a week, and now, after the expiration of six months, there has been no return of her symptoms.

For the benefit of physician readers I should like to add that in treating eye strain, conjunctivitis, sties, granulated lids, and eye conditions generally, pressures made with a blunt probe, (see E Fig. 11) on the muco-cutaneous margins (where the skin joins the mucous membrane in the nostrils) affects the second division of the ophthalmic nerve, and assists materially in bringing about a favorable influence in eye troubles.

I would also emphasize the importance of seeing that the condition of the eye teeth was perfect, as frequently some chronic inflammatory eye trouble may be caused by an infection from the roots of the canine teeth.

In order permanently to cure anything its cause must be removed. And it stands to reason that if a patient persists in poisoning himself with coffee, tobacco, or alcohol; or suffers from an impoverished condition of the blood, or from a brain tumor, lead poisoning, or an injury, or has some constitutional or organic disease or some spinal lesion, which is the basis for his eye trouble, permanent relief will not follow unless these causes are removed or corrected.

But if he has a condition due to an excess of nerve or muscle tension, or if he has trouble produced by faulty circulation from any cause, squeezing his fingers will come nearer to curing him--and more expeditiously and satisfactorily--than any other treatment. If you don’t believe it, try it. It costs nothing but a few minutes’ intelligent effort.