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Acupressure: |
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Acupressure is an ancient healing art using the fingers to skillfully press key points, which stimulate the body's natural self-curative abilities. When these trigger points are pressed, they release muscular tension, and promote circulation of blood, and the body's life force energy to aid healing. Acupuncture and acupressure use the same pressure points and meridians, but acupuncture employs needles, while acupressure uses gentle to firm pressure and integrates bodywork therapies, therapeutic touch, somatic work, healing imagery, energy psychology, and massage therapy techniques. In Chinese medicine, energy and blood are closely related. The energy channels are pathways for both chi and blood. When a finger touches an acupressure point, the energy flowing in the channel is attracted to the surface. An acupressure practitioner will hold a point until she feels a pulsation under her finger. When energy is attracted to the surface, the flow of blood increases at that location and the pulse is felt. The pulse is a confirmation that the energy is now flowing. A practitioner may use a variety of tools (pulse diagnosis, questioning, looking, listening) to assess the relative strength of the twelve major energy channels. She may find that one channel has an excess of energy and another is deficient in energy. There are different methods for holding points, depending on the relative strength of the energy. By holding points in a specific sequence, energy can be increased where it is lacking or dispersed where it is overabundant. An acupressure practitioner will move one hand along a series of points, waiting for the pulse to arrive. She holds the other hand on a "home-base" point, selected for its ability to assist the other points in releasing. Acupressure and acupuncture use the same theory and assessment tools to select the points used in a session. An acupressure practitioner has some advantages. Because her hands are in contact with the points, she can detect changes in the energy during the session. She can then modify the selection of points to accommodate the body's response. In addition, some points are not easy to needle, since they are located too close to bone or nerves, whereas all points are available to the acupressurist's touch. While some acupuncturists include hands-on massage and hands-on assessment as part of their treatment, most do not. An acupressure session typically begins with Tui Na. This initial massage prepares the body to receive the work with specific points, increasing the effectiveness of the work. For this reason, acupressure produces a deeper level of relaxation than a typical acupuncture treatment. Ultimately, this deeply relaxed state allows us to reduce stress and strengthen the body's natural healing ability. Stimulating specific points on the body can trigger the release of endorphins (chemicals produced by the body that relieve pain). When endorphins are released, pain is blocked, and the flow of blood and oxygen to the affected area is increased. This causes the muscles to relax and promotes healing. In acupressure, as with most traditional Chinese medicine concepts, local symptoms are considered an expression of the whole body's condition. Advantages of Acupressure include relieving pain, balancing the body, and maintaining good health. Acupressure's healing touch reduces tension, increases circulation and enables the body to heal. By relieving stress, acupressure therapy strengthens resistance to disease and promotes wellness.
Frequently Asked Acupressure Questions: How Does Acupressure Work? From studies done by Western scientists we know that the acupressure points can be measured electrically. Scientists have also shown that acupuncture and acupressure produces higher levels of important bio-chemicals. Other studies show that acupressure can increase blood flow in even the deepest body tissues. Some scientists have shown that electrically active fascia, the tissues that wrap and interconnect the whole body, could be the location of a sensitive communications network; the basis for which acupuncture and acupressure work. In terms of using acupressure for the purposes of relaxing muscles, it works by increasing the blood flow to muscle tissue surrounding the acu-point. Increased blood flow naturally warms the muscles between 2 to 3 degrees. Increased muscle temperature allows the muscle to become more relaxed and flexible. |
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Acupressure works in five ways to stimulate your body’s natural self-curative abilities.
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What does acupressure feel like? My back is stiff when I get out of bed in the morning. Will acupressure help? My shoulders are knotted up from sitting at the computer. Will this help? Because the body mechanics involved with working on a computer are what they are, neck and shoulder tension is a common result. Left untreated, tension develops into spasms, spasms into pain and limited range of motion, and then into chronic conditions such as osteo-arthritis, pinched nerves, displaced vertebrae, herniated discs of your spine, and headaches. Is acupressure better than stretching exercises to warm up for physical exercise? Our muscles exhibit the same characteristics. When they are "warmed up" from acupressure, they are less likely to become injured and are more responsive to the demands we place on them. Acupressure techniques increase muscle temperature 2 to 3 degrees and increase flexibility without force or strain. In flexibility, studies conducted at various health clinics and on various age groups, standard flexibility measurements were taken before and after applying acupressure techniques. Results show an impressive increase in flexibility between 9 and 31 percent after applying acupressure techniques for the first time. What can acupressure do for shoulder tendinitis? It may take up to six treatments before you feel completely recovered. In the meantime, acupressure will make day-to-day activities that require you to raise your arm much more comfortable. Is acupressure safe when I am pregnant? How can acupressure be so effective? How fast does acupressure work? |
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