Korean hand acupressure and hand acupuncture are both known as Koryo Sooji Chim. Koryo Sooji Chim was created by Dr. Tae Woo Yoo in the 1970s on the basis of traditional acupuncture theory. The concept of Koryo Sooji Chim is that the hands are microcosms of the entire body, and that problems in the rest of the body can be treated by manipulating the hands.
Theory of Hand Acupressure
In the Korean system of hand acupressure, the acupuncture points or significant spots on the human body are matched by corresponding points on the hands. In addition, the meridians or channels of classical acupuncture theory correspond to so-called "micro-meridians" in the hands. Korean hand acupressure theory holds that there are 345 such points in the hands and 14 of the micro-meridians. The micro-meridians and the acupressure points are supposed to be able to effect the corresponding organs or parts of the body. For instance, the points along the middle finger correspond to the acupuncture points on the human head, so Korean hand acupressure therapists believe they can treat problems related to the head by manipulating these points in the middle finger.
Uses of Hand Acupressure
Practitioners of Korean Hand Acupressure therapy attempt to use the system to treat a wide variety of conditions, including migraine headaches, neck and back problems, issues with anxiety and sleep, emotional disturbances, PMS and ear and throat issues. Some therapists even use it to treat the effects of injuries. However, the validity of Korean hand acupressure depends on the validity of both traditional acupuncture concepts and their application to the hand by Dr. Tae Woo Yoo. Although there has been some experimental support for the claims of this system, its overall validity has not yet been established.
Testing Hand Accupressure
An article in the "British Journal of Anaesthesia" by A. Schlager and other researchers described an experiment in which the Korean hand acupressure point K-K9 was stimulated in order to reduce vomiting in children who had undergone surgery for strabismus. The study concluded that stimulation of the acupressure point was correlated with much lower rates of problems with vomiting in this situation. Sixty-eight percent of the children who received a placebo treatment had problems with vomiting, compared to 20 percent of the children who received the hand acupressure treatment. This study does offer some experimental validation for the theories of Korean hand acupressure, but it was not a comprehensive test of the entire system or all the claims made for it.
Learning Hand Acupressure
Extensive schooling is not required to learn the basics of Korean hand acupressure therapy. A basic course on the topic covers the Korean acupressure diagram, which shows which parts of the body correspond to which points on the hand. Students learn techniques for treating minor problems like neck pain or arthritis, and receive training in finding the spots on the hand in order to apply the therapy. Even though there is some evidence for the usefulness of this type of therapy to treat some problems, it should not be used as a substitute for proper medical treatment.
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