Acupressure Massage

What is Acupressure?

A method of maintaining health, treating disease and alleviating pain by applying pressure or massaging certain points on the body surfaces.

Acupressure, meaning “finger pressure,” uses the human touch on special places, or points on the body. The advantages of this type of Chinese Medicine is it is very relaxing and nourishes the recipient, and can be done, with guidance, by individuals at home.

According to history, some 5, 000 years ago the Chinese discovered that soldiers who were wounded with arrows recovered from chronic illness through this procedure. Later on by rubbing pointed stones on various parts of the body they were able to discover the acupuncture acupressure points.

Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that life is the result of Qi, or life energy. This Qi enters person when he or she is born and leaves when he or she dies.

Qi has 2 aspects, the YIN and YANG. YIN is the yielding negative and feminine force while YANG is the dominating, positive and masculine force. When a person is healthy, there is a balance in the YIN and YANG forces.

When there is an imbalance of YIN and YANG forces, there is illness.

Application of Acupressure

Posture

• Lying down or sitting up
• Must be relaxed, comfortable and natural
• Practitioner must be able to utilize fully his or her finger/hands and strength.

Manipulation

• Thumb pressure (1 or 2 thumbs)
• Hypothenar pressure
• Thenar pressure
• Elbow pressure

The pressure must be tolerable, firm but not heavy enough to cause pain. Press on the point using small circular movement, 2-3 cycles per second. Count 60 to 300 (1-5 minutes per point).

Frequency

• As frequent as every 4 hours
• Usually once a day
• 2-3 times a week in chronic disease

Precautions

• Room should be warm and well ventilated.
• Practitioner’s hands should be clean and warm, nails should be trimmed.
• Never massage subject with full stomach.
• Don’t massage pregnant women and cardiac patients.

Foods to avoid during treatment

• Iced food or drink
• Sour food (vinegar, pickle, lemon, etc.)
• Alcohol drink
• Irritating food (pepper, hot sauce, spices)
• Seafoods (lobster, shrimps, crab)
• Peanuts
• Salty foods

Selection of Acupressure Points

1. Use of Prescribed Points – these are given sets of points which could be used for specific diseases.
2. Use of Ahshi Points – These are painful spots or nodes which appear when a person has a illness.

Location of Acupressure Points

1. By the use of Anatomical landmarks – certain parts of the body could be used as guides in locating certain acupressure points.
2. By the use of Tsun measurement – this is a method of locating points in the body using the patient’s own hands or fingers as a basis for measurement.

Common Illness Where Acupressure in Indicated

• Abdominal pain
• Back pain
• Bedwetting
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Lung Disease
• Sinusitis Rhinitis
• Fainting
• Headache
• Hiccups
• Hypertension
• Joint Pains
• Common Cold
• Stiff Neck

Important Note: Acupressure prescriptions given here are only for common and simple ailments. More difficult cases should be properly referred. In most cases, Acupressure will suffice to relieve symptoms. If symptoms persist, seek medical help. Chronic patients are advised to continue taking their medication.

Before Starting Acupressure Massage

A few pointers to help prepare before you give yourself a session.

• Turn off the outside world, i.e., your phone, and t.v.
• Let your family or house-mates know that you do not want to be disrupted for the next 30 – 60 minutes.
• This is your time to replenish yourself.
• Light some candles.
• Put on some soft, calming music.
• Often times I lay down and/or sit on my bed when I work on myself. Make yourself comfortable.
• Have a glass of water nearby.
• Have a blanket handy in case you get cold.
• Before starting, do some deep breathing and/or meditation.
• Letting go of your day and relaxing is the best way to begin doing Acupressure.

How much pressure do you need?

Experiment with this. Some areas of the body like deeper pressure, some areas only need very light pressure, and sometimes it might feel best by not making physical contact with your body. More is not necessarily better, use the amount of pressure which is most comfortable for you. When working a few inches above the body you’re working within the energy body, which holds the physical body.

The last pointer is the “exact location of the point.” Within Jin Shin Jyutsu, which is a style of Japanese bodywork that has many similarities to Acupressure, the philosophy is the point is
a diameter of 3 inches. Touch within this 3 inch area. Wherever it is the tightest or most painful is where you need to be for that moment. You may find if you hold a point for 5 or 10 minutes
that you may be “called” to move several times within that 3 inch diameter. Relax, release, replenish, rebalance, and enjoy yourself!

THE ACUPRESSRE POINTS

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