Neck rubs feel great, but perhaps what you need is an ear massage. AcuBead Acupressure Strips were developed by Dr. Frederick Strobl, known for his Breathe Right nasal strips, and Minnesota physician and acupuncturist George Kramer as a drug-free way to ease head, neck/shoulder or lower back pain, or even help with weight loss. The adhesive strips let you apply acupressure via titanium beads to points on the ear associated with the body part in question. (Those are NeckBeads at left.) AcuBead claims almost no side effects besides possible tenderness on the ear. One package, under $25 at Target and Jewel/Osco, lasts up to a month. An informal test of LowbackBeads proved inconclusive, and though the strip was easy to use, the beads did hurt. The ensuing headache tempted the subject to try the HeadacheBeads, but she reached for the Advil instead.
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