Acupressure massage is a technique in traditional Chinese medicine that focuses on relieving pain, tension and providing relief of other symptoms through strategic pressure placed on different points on the body. Acupressure uses theories and practices similar to those used in acupuncture, but acupressure does not involve needles. Talk to your doctor before seeking acupressure treatment.
Technique
Acupressure aims to restore the flow of energy throughout the body, thereby promoting health and well-being. Traditional Chinese medicine supports a theory that energy, called qi or ch’i, travels along 12 invisible meridians in the human body, which connect organs and other body systems.
Acupressurists claim that they can restore the flow of energy along these meridians to improve a person’s health. Some Western health-care professionals claim that benefits of acupressure stem from endorphins that are released when an individual receives an acupressure massage, according to the American Cancer Society.
Types
Shiatsu acupressure techniques focus on touching or pressing certain points on the body along the energy meridians described in ancient Chinese medicine, called acupoints. Some subtypes of shiatsu focus on breathing exercises, stretching and meditation techniques in conjunction with acupressure.
Ohashiatsu is similar to shiatsu, but it focuses on an overall experience of healing and growth. Ohashiatsu sessions often give great importance to the connection between the practitioner and the patient. Feelings of empathy and compassion from the practitioner are said to be important for the patient to receive the maximum benefits from this type of acupressure.
Watsu is a form of shiatsu acupressure that takes place in warm water. Watsu practitioners often support their patients to create a floating sensation in the water during the massage.
Tui na uses 13 different hand massage techniques to push, pull, roll and knead the skin, muscles and soft tissue at different points in the body to help break up energy blockages along the body’s meridians. Practitioners of tui na often focus on points on either side of the spine.
History
Though it is unknown when acupressure massage officially came into use, there is evidence that the Chinese were using the technique as early as 2000 B.C., explains the American Cancer Society. Tui na is the oldest and most common form of acupressure in Chinese-American communities.
Shiatsu originated in Japan from traditional Chinese techniques. Ohashiatsu and watsu are relatively new forms of acupressure. Ohashiatsu was developed in 1974 by a man who studied shiatsu named Ohashi. Watsu also began in the 1970s when a Zen shiatsu practitioner named Harold Dull found that acupressure patients in warm water were better able to relax.
Benefits
Proponents of acupressure massage claim the practice helps to reduce pain and tension and helps increase circulation and relaxation. Scientific evidence on the benefits of acupressure is limited to individual reports of feelings of stress and pain relief, explains the American Cancer Society. Acupressure can help relieve nausea and vomiting, particularly in chemotherapy patients, according to a 2005 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Warnings
Acupressure is safe for most people and there are no inherent side effects to the procedure, explains the University of California, San Diego Medical Center. Some people may be susceptible to injury or problems from the amount of pressure placed on the body during acupressure sessions.
Patients with spinal problems or other bone diseases or injuries should avoid acupressure. Steroid therapy can make patients more likely to bruise or incur injury from acupressure because it makes their internal tissues more fragile. Acupressure should not be used on areas with sores, wounds, bruises or varicose veins.
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