Acupressure
What is Acupressure?Acupressure (a portmanteau of "acupuncture" and "pressure") is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) technique based on the same ideas as acupuncture. Acupressure involves placing physical pressure by hand, elbow, or with the aid of various devices on different acupuncture points on the surface of the body. Acupressure is an ancient healing art developed in Asia over 5,000 years ago, using the fingers to press key points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body's natural self-curative abilities. When these points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body's life force energy to aid healing. Acupuncture and acupressure use the same points and meridians, but acupuncture employs needles, while acupressure uses gentle but firm pressure and integrates bodywork therapies, therapeutic touch, somatic work, healing imagery, energy psychology, and massage therapy techniques.
Advantages of Acupressure?
Advantages of Using Acupressure include relieving pain, balancing the body, and maintaining good health. Acupressure's healing touch reduces tension, increases circulation, and enables the body to relax deeply. By relieving stress, acupressure therapy strengthens resistance to disease and promotes wellness. The most potent form of energy work uses acupressure points. Energy (know as Chi or Qi) flows most freely when you touch, press, or hold the acupressure points in bodywork.
These healing pressure points are the gateways to the body's life energy force, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This universal energy source is also the basis of traditional Martial Arts self-defense techniques and traditional healing art practices. The flow of this vital healing energy governs blood circulation and the function and balance of the human body. Studying the location and how to touch these acupuncture points is key to transformational energy work, therapeutic touch, and massage therapy.
There are many Pressure Point Massage Methods, all using the same ancient trigger points. Varying rhythms, pressures, and techniques create different styles of acupressure. Shiatsu, for instance, the most well-known style of acupressure, can be quite vigorous, with firm pressure applied to each point for three to five seconds, while the Jin Shin style of acupressure gently holds at least two points at once for a minute or more.
Acupressure Points
The ancient art of Acupressure point therapy releases tension, increases the circulation of blood, and heightens the body's vital life energy to aid healing. Acupuncture point and Acupressure points are identical; however Acupuncture employs needles, while Acupressure points use gentle but firm finger pressure. Acupressure points relieve pain, trauma, burnout, and maintains good health through self-care. By relaxing the body and relieving stress, acupressure strengthens resistance to disease and promotes wellness. Tension tends to concentrate around acupressure points (also referred to as acupoints or acu-points).
When a muscle is chronically tense or in spasm, the muscle fibers contract due to the secretion of lactic acid caused by fatigue, trauma, stress, chemical imbalances, or poor circulation. As an Acupressure point is held, the muscle tension yields to the finger pressure, enabling the fibers to elongate and relax, blood to flow freely, and toxins to be released and eliminated. Increased circulation also brings more oxygen and other nutrients to affected areas.
This increases the body's resistance to illness and promotes a longer, healthier, more vital life. When the blood and bioelectrical energy circulate properly, there is a greater sense of harmony, health, and well-being. Use prolonged finger pressure directly on an Acupressure point; gradual, steady, penetrating pressure for approximately three minutes is ideal. Each acu-point will feel somewhat different when you press it; some points feel tense, while others are often sore or ache when pressed. How much pressure to apply to any point depends on the body’s condition.
Background
Acupoints used in treatment may or may not be in the same area of the body as the targeted symptom. The TCM theory for the selection of such points and their effectiveness is that they work by stimulating the meridian system to bring about relief by rebalancing yin, yang and qi (also spelled "chi"). This theory is based on the paradigm of TCM, not that of science. Many East Asian martial arts also make extensive study and use of acupressure for self-defense and health purposes (chin na, tui na).
The points or combinations of points are said to be used to manipulate or incapacitate an opponent. Also, martial artists regularly massage their own acupressure points in routines to remove blockages from their own meridians, claiming to thereby enhance their circulation and flexibility and keeping the points "soft" or less vulnerable to an attack. Acupressure is considered to be a safe form of therapy and side effects are rare.
