Spleen and Acupressure

The spleen is among the most important organs in today's practice of traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, since the high demands of modern society tend to deplete spleen qi or energy. The spleen is the organ most impacted by chronic worry, overwork and physical fatigue. Acupressure can help to rehabilitate your exhausted spleen and get you back on your feet again. Acupressure is not a replacement for conventional medical therapies.

Key Concepts

TCM works according to the idea that qi---life energy---flows throughout the universe. In the human body, as in all living things, abundant, freely flowing qi creates optimal health. Unfortunately, stress, injury and negative habits such as poor diet or emotional excess can cause qi to stagnate or falter. When an organ system doesn't receive the qi it needs to function well, symptoms of illness arise, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine World online.

Function

Like the other organs, the spleen in Chinese medicine has a particular set of energetic or qi-related functions. TCM usually describes these tasks in terms of a "to-do" list. The spleen---along with its partner organ the stomach---distributes energy for physical and mental tasks, according to Iona Teeguarden, Jin Shin Do acupressure practitioner and co-author of "A Complete Guide to Acupressure." As the stomach digests, the spleen draws off the qi carried by food and distributes it to the rest of the body. Because it passes energy directly to the lungs, the governing organ of the immune system, the spleen has an important role to play in immune function, as well.

Symptoms

Symptoms of spleen qi deficiency include digestive issues---nausea, gas, bloating, diarrhea and poor appetite. You might experience fluid retention and weight gain, as well as shortness of breath. Chronic bleeding, like nosebleeds and hemorrhoids, are other symptoms of deficient spleen qi, according to Doc Misha's Chicken Soup Chinese Medicine, website of Misha Cohen, doctor of Oriental medicine and licensed acupuncturist in San Francisco. Acupressure can help with the symptoms of spleen qi deficiency, but to confirm a diagnosis, you should consult a TCM practitioner such as an acupuncturist or acupressure practitioner.

How Acupressure Works

Acupressure points sit on energy lines, called "meridians," along which qi flows. These pressure points are like valves for the flow of qi, according to Stanford School of Medicine's PointFinder website. Centuries ago, the earliest TCM practitioners mapped the precise location of these points on the human body. When you locate a point, you'll know you've got the right spot because it will feel more tender or tingly when you press it. Stimulate points by applying steady, firm pressure, or combine pressure with massage. These techniques free blocked or stagnant qi on the meridian, and draw more qi into the point.

Try This

To refresh yourself when you feel fatigued, massage the two spleen points called SP15---spleen point 15---which sit to the left and right of your navel. Locate these points by tracing a vertical line down from one of your nipples. Trace a line horizontally through your belly button. The intersections of these lines on both the right and left sides mark the two locations of SP15, according to Acupressure Online. Deep, firm pressure applied to this point on both the left and the right sides will stimulate the free flow of spleen energy.