I purchased this acupressure mat because I was desperate to get some relief from the fibromyalgia pains in my back and neck. I wasn’t hopeful of getting relief but tried to keep an open mind.
The mat and pillow comes with a storage bag that has a drawstring cord. Be careful when taking the items out of the bag as the spikes are a bit sharp on hands/fingers.
The mat and pillow has a padding inside so it’s a little bit like a sponge/foam inside. It’s not a large mat like the size of a yoga mat, it’s a lot more compact which does make it easier for transporting places/taking to work etc. The mat is about the size of my torso so you’d have to focus on certain areas each time rather than as a whole when using the mat.
I will admit when I first opened the package, I recoiled in horror at the spikes, thinking how is that meant to help ease pain when it looks like it’ll inflict serious pain! Well, when I first lay on it, I will be brutally honest and say it wasn’t a pleasant experience at first, it was awful. I lay on it with bare skin but you can try it with a tshirt on. For best optimum use though, don’t wear anything on the areas you are using it on.
The first time I tried it was an experience I wouldn’t forget in a hurry. You need to gently lay down on it and breathe as you lie down. Relaxing and deep slow breathing is key to lying on this thing. The spikes do NOT puncture the skin so it’s not like acupuncture. At first I was very tense which made it more uncomfortable but I started to practice slow deep breathing to relax my body. I put a relaxing song on my phone that I could relax to and ensure I could do slow deep breaths. I found I needed to gently move myself a little into a more comfortable position but once I started to relax, I could feel my body gently relaxing and sinking gently into the acupressure spikes. I set a time of 5mins to start with but once I got to 5mins, I actually lay for another 10mins after while practising slow deep breathing. After the first 5-10mins, you start to feel a lovely warm feeling in your back as your heart rate slows and you relax.
Once my time was up, I felt a lot more relaxed and my back and neck felt a really warm sensation what actually was relieving the horrible intense burning pain I felt from my fibromyalgia. My back did look very red but it was not bleeding or punctured. Anyone who has fragile skin would need to be very careful with using these mats. The redness goes after a short while so it’s not something that last longer than an hour etc.
How I felt after using it-
I didn’t feel as tensed up, nor was the pain as severe as it had been. I’ve actually found something that’s worked for my fibromyalgia pain. Please bear in mind that what works for one, doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll work for the other. I’ve had to try a number of different items and alternate them when my fibromyalgia flare up is bad. I am pleased though that I’ve finally found something what actually helps with both the pain, relaxing and also helps sleep. It’s recommended to lie on it for about 20mins before bed with some relaxing music and/or slow deep breathing. The first night I used it before going to bed, I got into bed with an almost pain free back and felt very tired. I fell asleep and actually had a deep sleep and slept all night without waking up once. This made a change from my usual several times a night with pain. I woke up pain free and felt ok. It’s too early to tell if it was a fluke or its really helping with my sleep as I’ve not used it consistently on a night. However the times I have used it before bed, I’ve had anything from a full nights sleep to waking up just once or twice. This is definitely better than 7-8 times a night that I’ve been previously experiencing. I accept though that I am never going to have full consistent nights sleep every night because fibromyalgia is very unpredictable. I will make do with the good nights though as they do make a difference to my pain and energy levels. I function better with better sleep.
You can use the mat for other areas such as feet, neck, hips/sides, bottom, arms, thighs etc. I just read the ebooklet that is sent to you by Supportiback to help you get the best use out of it but also looked up on YouTube or google for further tips, relaxation tips etc.
Overall, I am very glad of my purchase as I can take it with me if I am at university to use when needed for pain relief or at home. Fibro sufferers will know the difficulties of trying to find a pain relief that works for them and I’m happy to say it works for me. It is good value for money too because you pay once for it, can use it when you want to. Going to see someone for an acupressure, massages or an acupuncturist etc would cost much more than the actual mat itself and you’d be paying for several visits at a time. Very pleased indeed!😊👍
| Product Name | WINNER Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set with Bag - Targets Pressure Points to Relieve Body Pain -- Acupressure Pillow, Acupuncture Mat, Accupressure Body Mat, Accupuncture Massaging Mat, Lotus Mat |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.35 Grams |
| Units | 1 count |
| Brand | Supportiback |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
