Acupressure – Perfect Alternative Massage Treatment

Acupressure is a alternative medicine massage therapy technique similar in principle to acupuncture which promotes relaxation & wellness. It is based on the concept of life energy (*also called chi) which flows through “meridians” in the body. Application of physical pressure to acupressure points help in clearing blockages of these meridians. These acupressure points are physical locations where chi can be accessed to release blocked or congested energy centers in the body, promoting unobstructed life energy flow for health and well-being. Hand, elbow & various other devices are used to apply pressure to relieve energy. 

How does Acupressure work?

Acu-therapy stimulates and activates the body’s own healing energies to prevent illness. Acupressure practitioners will press on specific points to promote energy flow to a part of the body that is experiencing disease or discomfort, enabling it to heal more quickly.

Acu-massage therapy training and massage therapy schools cover the two ways acupressure points work in treatment.

• Local Points: Target the area where patient is experiencing pain or tension, which the therapist stimulates to relieve the discomfort.
• Trigger Points: Target the area to relieve pain, tension or other problems in another part of the body, which is sometimes far from the area the practitioner is touching.

Training for massage therapists explores the triggering mechanism of acupoints. It also covers on how the mechanism works through human energy channels called meridians. The meridians are pathways that connect the acupressure points to each other as well as to internal organs. A comprehensive acupressure program will cover massage training in the meridian system as well as the location of acupressure points.

Use as an Alternative Treatment

Acupressure massage therapy is often used as an alternative medical healthcare treatment along with other health care modalities. It can also be an effective adjunct to chiropractic treatment, which is why many chiropractors also offer massage therapy in their offices & clinics. This therapy technique benefits a wide range of health conditions, including pain, headaches, insomnia, poor circulation, sinus problems, arthritis, shoulder and neck tension. It is also effective in preventative health care maintenance.

Acu-Devices

There are several different devices & acu-massagers for applying nonspecific pressure by rubbing, rolling, or applying pressure on the reflex zones of the body. The acuball is a small heatable rubber ball with protuberances. It helps apply pressure and relieve muscle and joint pain. The energy roller is a small cylinder with protuberances which is rolled back & forth to apply acupressure. The foot roller is a round, cylindrical roller with protuberances & applied in the same manual way.  The Acupressure Thermal Roller Beds is a automatic massage bed with inbuilt jade rollers to press on the various acupressure points all along the spine along with infrared massage. Small acu-pointers helps manual press on these acu-points.