Acupressure

Acupressure is a gentle and safe alternative therapy that helps to treat common disorders. This therapy involves the use of the fingers, thumbs and even the elbow on specific body parts with the right amount of pressure. This form of Chinese medicine works on the similar concept of shiatsu and acupuncture. Even in this form of alternative medicine, the belief is based on the flow of energy also known as qi or chee. These energies change on a daily basis due to the impact of the natural changes like the weather and so on that impacts our lives spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Understanding the meaning qi?

Qi, also known as the vital energy, is the energy flow that moves in our body. A person’s health is determined by the flow of energy. When there is a blockage in this energy the person develops some kind of health issue. With the help of acupressure, the blockages are unblocked which helps in body balance restoration. The pressure points are located on meridians or channels.

How does the body respond during an energy block?

In order to sustain life, blood circulation plays an important role in terms of Qi. When there is an interruption or blockage, the nutrients and oxygen levels go low making your body to starve as well. The symptoms that we notice are the warning signals that the body sends in such a case. The symptoms can include tingling sensations, muscle spasm, inflammation, and pain.

Understanding the working ways of acupressure

Acupressure is a method where in pressure is used to release the qi on specific points. The intensity of the pressure depends on various factors like the area being massaged, your ability to handle pressure, and so on. The total number of individual pressure points is more than 650 out of which one is the major channel where we have 365 points. Just like the vessels of the circulatory system’s network, there is a network of connections for each channel.

To open the blockages, the specialist uses various techniques like calm, disperse, and tonify to unblock the blockages in the medians or channels. These techniques come handy in many ways. For example, they can help to calm overactive qi, disperse blocked qi and tonify weak qi. In order to achieve this, the pressure will be held for a few seconds to few minutes in a circular motion. Sometimes during the massage, you will notice a combination of two or more techniques in one session.

Conditions that are not suitable for acupressure

Although acupressure is beneficial for all, it is not advisable that pregnant women and high blood pressure patients should opt for this therapy. Acupressure can cause miscarriage because of certain pressure points across the body. This therapy cannot be used to treat swollen or inflamed areas, varicose veins, scar tissues or open wounds. If you want to treat such issues it would be advisable to opt for TCM therapies that use various kinds of oils and herbs.
Different conditions that can be treated with acupressure
Studies have linked that people who suffer from worry and anxiety is because of certain types of pain. One of the best things about this form of therapy is that it there is no age restriction. Acupressure can treat conditions like

  • Back pain
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Anxiety
  • Tension and stress and tension
  • Feelings of melancholy
  • Immune system deficiencies.

Poor posture can cause joint pain and back pains. Many people face neck pain issues because of the constant stress and strain of sitting for long hours, lack of physical exercise, poor posture and various other reasons. Sometimes the soft tissues can be damaged due to some kind of trauma or weak muscles. Acupressure helps to release the blood flow and flush away the toxins to provide healing nutrients and oxygen to the affected area. This also helps to treat chronic pain, tired muscles, swollen veins, and other such physical problems.
It also helps on our overall wellbeing by reducing our stress levels, tensions, anxiety, and other such emotional conditions. During the massage the specialist ensures the right level of pressure is applied to ease and relax the body and the mind.

Benefits of Acupressure

Acupressure is considered to be one of the safest and most effective ways to treat various conditions. The pressure applied to various pressure points across the body helps to release the flow of energy that is vital for a balanced body and healthy living. Depending on your medical treatment or condition you may start to see results within a few weeks to a couple of months. Benefits of Acupressure include:

  • Helps to treat chronic pain.
  • Addresses sleeping issues like insomnia.
  • Treating migraines and headaches.
  • Easing muscle pain and tension.
  • Reducing vomiting and nausea especially after chemotherapy or surgery.