The benefits of acupressure are thought to be due to the improved movement of life-force energy, or qi, throughout the channels, or meridians, of the body. Chinese medicine modalities, like acupressure, acupuncture and shiatsu massage, attempt to encourage the flow of qi to remain constant and uninhibited, a state which ensures that you will remain relatively balanced and pain free. The meridians begin at your fingertips and are attached energetically to your brain and a related organ, like the liver or kidneys, for example. Acupressure practitioners treat discomfort and disease by stimulating and releasing energy that is blocked along any of the 14 meridian channels in the body.
Mechanism
The relief experienced by an acupressure session stems, in part, from the stimulation of the production of endorphins, which are often described as the body's natural painkillers. Dr. David Schlundt of the Psychology Department of Vanderbilt University reports that patients who are treated with acupressure claim that they use significantly fewer prescription and over-the-counter pain medications, a phenomenon that can be attributed to increased endorphin activity.
Dr. Schlundt also reports that acupressure technique is thought to be able to elevate the level of nutrients that flow to muscles, helping them to metabolize and remove wastes, like lactic acid, more effectively. Other mechanisms of action are not fully understood and require more research.
Specific Conditions
Conditions that have met success with acupressure techniques, range from the relatively benign, like motion sickness and infantile colic-- as reported by Steven Ehrlich writing for the University of Maryland Medical Center -- to more serious diseases like cancer, seizure disorders and Chron's disease, as noted by Dr Schlundt. The Harvard Medical School family guide website notes mood disorders, like depression, are receptive to acupressure treatment.
Expectations
Acupressure sessions often feel like a regular massage in that practitioners use their fingers, thumbs and sometimes other body parts or blunt objects to manipulate soft tissue. Rubbing, kneading and sometimes vibration are used to stimulate the acupressure points implicated in your condition and its associated discomfort. Acupressure techniques normally involve circular motions that are quick and applied with medium pressure. A typical session lasts no more than 15 minutes. Treatment plans can involve one session or a series of sessions, like once a week, for example. Chronic painful conditions, like arthritis, may need to be treated on an ongoing basis, whereas some conditions, like a phobia, may respond to a single session.
Safety
Acupressure is considered safe for the majority of the population. Check with your doctor before pursuing acupressure treatment, however, because some chronic conditions may be exacerbated by long sessions.
References
- University of Michigan: Acupressure
- Vanderbilt University; Acupressure and Shiatsu; David Schlundt Ph. D.
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Motion Sickness; Steven D. Ehrlich; 2008
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Infantile Colic; Steven D. Ehrlich; 2010
- Harvard Medical School: Alternative Medicine for Depression
- Pacific College of Oriental Medicine; Using Acupressure to Relieve Pain and Anxiety; Alex A. Kecskes
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