Acupressure Massage
Chinese Massage for Self Treatment
Acupressure massage uses the same meridian points as acupuncture to stimulate healing. This form of Chinese massage has influenced various other styles of Oriental massage like shiatsu and Thai massage. It is an effective technique used in Traditional Chinese Medicine that can easily be done at home.
Meridians
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TMC), there are 12 meridians that run symmetrically on each side of the body. Each meridian is named for an organ that it runs through.
The 12 meridians are:
Lung Meridian
Heart Meridian
Pericardium Meridian
Large Intestine Meridian
Small Intestine Meridian
Triple Burner Meridian
Spleen Meridian
Kidney Meridian
Liver Meridian
Stomach Meridian
Bladder Meridian
Gall Bladder Meridian
There are 2 additional meridians that run down the middle of the body making 14 meridians in total. All of these meridians act as pathways for the qi (chi) or body's life energy to flow through.
If a meridian is blocked, qi can't flow through it correctly causing imbalance, dysfunction and illness.
A variety of things may cause your qi to become blocked. It could be a result of injury, stress, anxiety, poor diet and nutrition, exposure to pollutants, infections and organ malfunction. Blockage of qi can occur because of physical or mental stresses.
When qi is blocked you will notice illness, pain and general uneasiness. Imagine your meridians as rivers and the qi is the flowing water. If the qi gets blocked in one area it will lead to the build up of excess qi in another area. It is much like what happens to a river when a dam is placed in it. In order to restore health balance to the flow of qi must be restored.
Unblocking the Flow
Both acupressure and acupuncture work to unblock blocked meridians so that qi can flow though them freely. Other styles of Oriental massage also use the theory of meridians and blocked qi in their techniques.
Acupuncture uses very thin needles to unblock meridians, but before the use of needles people were using finger pressure. For some points the fingers are a little to wide though. You can try using something just a bit narrower like the eraser end of a pencil. Normally if a point needs to be worked you will notice that it is a bit tender when you press on it. You may be able to notice a difference right away when you press on a point. You should ideally hold a point for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
You can think of acupoints as valves. When pressed these valves open up allowing the qi to flow through the meridian.
This method of healing has a long tradition in Asian cultures. It is practiced in China, Japan and Korea. During the time I spent in China and Korea, I saw it practiced by everyday people to treat everything from headaches to nausea.
Many massage therapists use these principles in their massage practices. These points are often taught for self healing. Because the practice is relatively safe, it's good to learn how to use it on yourself and others. Just follow the proper precautions. For example, some points shouldn't be used if you're pregnant.
If the needles used in acupuncture are too much for you to handle, you might want to consider seeing a good acupressurist. It can be used to treat a variety of problems. Here is a list of a few:
headaches
nausea
eye strain
indigestion
anxiety
arthritis
sinus problems
back pain
neck pain
menstrual cramps
ulcer pain
constipation
There are a host of other conditions that it treats.
When doing this therapy on yourself be sure to apply pressure to the point slowly. Be careful when working any points in the abdominal region. Avoid areas where the skin is damaged. If your pregnant see a professional acupressurist before using any acupressure on yourself.
Self-Treatment
Here are some acupressure points you can use for common illnesses. If you are pregnant you shouldn't use any acupoints on the stomach.
Congestion
The points used to ease a stuffy nose are located on the face at the outer edge of the nose by the nostrils. Place a finger on either side of you nose right at the base near the edge of each nostril.
Fatigue
There is an acupressure point in the center of the palm of your hand that will help boost your energy when you're feeling most tired. Press the direct center of the palm of both hands several times for a few seconds.
Headaches
Headaches make it difficult for you to do much of anything. When I lived in Korea a friend thought me to squeeze the web between my index finger and thumb to relieve headache pain.
Digestive problems
When you feel indigestion or nausea coming on it's best to head it off before it hits you full force. Press just above your belly button to relieve these digestive problems.
