Acupressure

Acupressure Guide

The Beginner's Guide to Acupressure

Introduction

Acupressure, acupuncture, and related practices Do-in, G-Jo, Shiatsu, and Myotherapy, practiced in Asia for thousands of years, have only gained wider acceptance in the West in recent times. Traditional Asian medicine emphasizes personal responsibility for one's health. This page is designed to put the relief of common and minor discomforts and symptoms into your own hands.

By learning how to stimulate your own pressure points, you can relieve minor or moderate symptoms, and reduce the need for nonprescription drugs. Unlike most drugs, relief is usually immediate.

History

Acupressure is a traditional Chinese medicine bodywork technique based on the same ideas as acupuncture. It involves placing physical pressure, by hand, elbow, or with the aid of various devices, on different pressure points on the surface of the body (which may be far distant from the symptom, related by what is called the meridian system) to bring about relief through greater balance and circulation of energies in the body (qi). It is intended to affect and balance the energetic system of the body in order to treat the human body, mind, emotions, energetic fields, and spirit.

While some practitioners believe that first hints of acupressure or reflexology have been found in ancient Indian texts, the first formally recognized mention of qi is in the Chinese writings of the Shang dynasty oracle bones which were produced between the 16th to 11th centuries B.C.

Possibly the earliest evidence of use of the meridian system for health purposes has been found in Europe, of all places. Ötzi the Iceman, a 5,000 year old mummy found preserved in an Alpine glacier seems to have tattoos, some of which correspond to points that a modern acupuncturist or tui na specialist would use to treat symptoms of diseases that Ötzi seems to have suffered from, including digestive parasites and degenerative bone disease. However, it is difficult to speculate on the meaning of the tattoos as to whether they served a decorative, religious, or a medical function.

Many East Asian martial arts also make extensive study and use of acupressure for self-defense and health purposes (Chin 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. Attacking the acupressure points is one theme in the wuxia genre of movies and novels.

Warnings

Do not use acupressure to replace standard emergency procedures or licensed medical treatment. If you are seriously injured or have persistent symptoms seek urgent medical treatment

Acupressure should not be used:

• As the only treatment for illness; if you are sick, see a doctor
• If you have a heart condition
• Just before or within 20 minutes after heavy exercise, a large meal, or bathing
• If the point in question is under a mole, wart, varicose vein, abrasion, bruise, cut, or any other break in the skin
• If you are pregnant, especially if more than 3 months

Note that symptoms marked (M) indicate that the need for medical attention is likely, and those marked (EM!) indicate that emergency medical attention may be needed if the condition is severe or life-threatening. For these symptoms, only use acupressure to supplement professional medical care, or when no professional medical care is available. Only try acupressure for these symptoms after seeking professional care and after using standard first aid and emergency techniques.

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