Acupressure

 

Hey reader! Welcome back. In today’s blog, I’d like to share my views about a very interesting topic and that topic is Acupressure. 

Acupressure is an Asian bodywork therapy with roots in traditional Chinese medicine. The traditional Chinese medicine theory describes acupressure points or acupoints, which lie along the meridians of the human body. It is believed that vital energy or a life force called qi (ch’i) flows through these energy meridians and that 12 major meridians connect organ networks to establish an organized system of communication throughout the body. The meridians originate at the fingertips, connect to the brain and then link to their respective organ. The science of acupressure states that illnesses occur when any one of these meridians is blocked or is out of balance.

How does acupressure work?

Both acupressure and acupuncture are therapies that help restore balance. Acupressure works to restore health and balance and also regulates the opposite forces of yin (negative energy) and yang (positive energy). Some believe that acupressure also affects the energy fields of mind, emotion, and spirit. However, opposing fields of thought believe that the benefits of acupressure could be attributed to factors such as improved circulation, reduced muscle tension or stimulation of endorphins (that are natural painkillers). An acupressure practitioner uses his/her fingers, palms, feet or elbows, or special devices to apply pressure at various acupoints of the body’s meridians. Acupressure may also involve acupressure massage or stretching. A typical acupressure session involves the patient lying clothed on a massage table. The practitioner presses acupressure points on the body with special focus on the points that connect to an afflicted organ. One session usually lasts for about an hour, and a person may require regular sessions for best results.

The benefits of acupressure

Along with its ability to help treat variety of ailments, patients experience additional benefits of acupressure massage. It's a deeply relaxing experience and — like other types of massage — can help with:

Relieving stress, tension and anxiety

Improving sleep

Relaxing muscles and joints

Soothing the pain and discomfort of a sports or other injury

Reducing digestive issues

Minimising headaches

Alleviating chronic pain

The therapy stimulates the body's circulatory, lymphatic and hormonal systems. It also helps the function of the immune system and the body's natural ability to heal itself.

 

Basics of Acupressure 

Different types of points

When a therapist is using the acupressure massage technique, they target either local points or trigger points. What is the difference between these two types of points? Local points are the actual spots on the body where the patient is experiencing pain or discomfort. Trigger points are those that are connected to the points of the body experiencing pain or discomfort. These two types of points the practitioner multiple avenues to approach a patient's problem, a benefit of the practice.

The points used in acupressure masssage exist among a network or meridians, which are basically the highways on which chi flows throughout the body. Sometimes the pressure is needed at these points to clear up blockages and help ensure a healthy, balanced and harmonious flow of energy through the meridians.

Commonly used points

The points and meridians constitute an extensive network throughout the body. Therapists use their knowledge of this network to address specific disorders and diseases in patients. One point, for example, called the Gallbladder Channel (GB20, Fengchi) exists at the base of the skull where the neck joins the back. Applying pressure there can help with a variety of ailments, from the common cold to high blood pressure. The Kidney Channel (KI3, Taixi) sits just behind the inner ankle. It is used to treat issues ranging from asthma to lower back pain.

There are 14 main channels. Acupressure may be used alongside other styles of massage therapy or as a complement to another holistic treatment, such as chiropractic care. Try out some acupressure points on your own. This is all for today, I hope you got some meaningful understanding from today’s blog.Thank you for your precious time, See you in the next blog 😊.

By Aryan Veerwani ( Team SYNC)