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Why Do People Use Acupressure?

People use acupressure for the same reasons that they use acupuncture. According to Chinese medical theory, both types of treatment help restore the balance of the patient's mind, body and spirit. Therefore, acupressure can help any ailment, at least for symptomatic relief if nothing else.

  1. Features

    • Acupressure uses manual touch to stimulate points along the acupuncture meridians, pathways for energy in the human body. Pressure may be very light or quite firm. Light touch is better if the patient is weak, firm touch works well on muscle tension. Because it uses meridians, acupressure balances the energy in the body.

    History

    • Acupressure originated in ancient Chinese healing practices, where it spread to other Asian countries who developed their own unique systems. In America, these practices were used in Asian-American communities since the first immigrants arrived, and became more known in the rest of the communities in the 1970s.

    Function

    • Acupressure restores the patient to balance, relieving any dysfunction by imbalance. An imbalance in hormones may cause a woman to have irregular periods. This manifests in excess energy in one area, and a deficiency in another. Acupressure releases the energy in the stagnant area so it flows freely and balances out the system. Acupressure is also used for general relaxation and stress therapy. For people who are nervous about needles, acupressure replaces acupuncture.

    Types

    • There are different types of acupressure. Tui Na is the bodywork done by acupuncturists and is beneficial for musculoskeletal problems. Shiatsu treatments include acupressure and stretching--good for muscle tension, anxiety, insomnia and stress-related symptoms. Jin Shin Do uses light touch, and is great for older people, those who are deficient, or those with emotional issues such as depression.

    Consultation

    • Spa acupressure treatments may only provide a basic session. A practitioner who specializes in acupressure will do a full examination. Your pulse is checked on both wrists and three other places because each place corresponds to different organ systems. The tongue and its coating are checked for shape, color and texture to reveal what is going on inside your body. Hara diagnosis is done by palpating the abdominal area because each part of the abdomen corresponds to a different part of your body.

    Practitioners

    • Many acupuncturists practice a form of acupressure. There are some massage therapists who include it as one of their modalities, Shiatsu probably being the the most common variety. You can also find some therapists who choose to focus their practice only on acupressure.

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