Acupressure simple guide

The Beginner's Guide to Acupressure

This guide will help you to do the acupressure
very easly

Introduction

Acupressure, acupuncture, and related practices
Do-in, G-Jo, Shiatsu, and Myotherapy, practiced in Asia for
thousands of years, have only gained wider acceptance in the
West in recent times. Traditional Asian medicine emphasizes
personal responsibility for one's health. This page is designed
to put the relief of common and minor discomforts and symptoms
into your own hands.

By learning how to stimulate your own pressure
points, you can relieve minor or moderate symptoms, and reduce
the need for nonprescription drugs. Unlike most drugs, relief is
usually immediate.

History

Acupressure is a traditional Chinese medicine
bodywork technique based on the same ideas as acupuncture. It
involves placing physical pressure, by hand, elbow, or with the
aid of various devices, on different pressure points on the
surface of the body (which may be far distant from the symptom,
related by what is called the meridian system) to bring about
relief through greater balance and circulation of energies in
the body (qi). It is intended to affect and balance the
energetic system of the body in order to treat the human body,
mind, emotions, energetic fields, and spirit.

While some practitioners believe that first
hints of acupressure or reflexology have been found in ancient
Indian texts, the first formally recognized mention of qi
is in the Chinese writings of the Shang dynasty oracle bones
which were produced between the 16th to 11th century B.C.

Possibly the earliest evidence of use of the
meridian system for health purposes has been found in Europe, of
all places. Ötzi the Iceman, a 5,000 year old mummy found
preserved in an Alpine glacier, seems to have tattoos, some of
which correspond to points that a modern acupuncturist or tui na
specialist would use to treat symptoms of diseases that Ötzi
seems to have suffered from, including digestive parasites and
degenerative bone disease. However, it is difficult to speculate
on the meaning of the tattoos as to whether they served a
decorative, religious, or a medical function.

Many East Asian martial arts also make extensive
study and use of acupressure for self-defense and health
purposes (chin na). The points or combinations of points are
said to be used to manipulate or incapacitate an opponent. Also,
martial artists regularly massage their own acupressure points
in routines to remove blockages from their own meridians,
claiming to thereby enhance their circulation and flexibility
and keeping the points "soft," or less vulnerable to an attack.
Attacking the acupressure points is one theme in the wuxia genre
of movies and novels.

Warnings

Do not use acupressure to replace standard
emergency procedures or licensed medical treatment. If you are
seriously injured or have persistent symptoms seek urgent
medical treatment

Acupressure should not be used:

• As the only treatment for illness; if you are sick, see
  a doctor
  


• If you have a heart condition
  


• Just before or within 20 minutes after heavy exercise, a
  large meal, or bathing
  


• If the point in question is under a mole, wart, varicose
  vein, abrasion, bruise, cut, or any other break in the skin
  


• If you are pregnant, especially if more than 3 months
  

Note that symptoms marked (M) indicate that the
need for medical attention is likely, and those marked (EM!)
indicate that emergency medical attention may be needed if the
condition is severe or life-threatening. For these symptoms,
only use acupressure to supplement professional medical care, or
when no professional medical care is available. Only try
acupressure for these symptoms after seeking professional care
and after using standard first aid and emergency techniques.

How Does It Work?

The concepts of internal and external
environment are very important to the philosophy of traditional
Asian medicine. The human body, it is believed, encloses a
perpetual flow of bioenergy, or life-force, called "chi, "ki" or
"qi". This energy flows into the body and along specific
pathways called "meridians", influencing the functioning of all
the organs. In healthy individuals, this flow maintains a
constant balance with both itself and the external environment.
When external or internal events occur which disturb this
balance, disease ensues. Along the meridians are a large number
of pressure points that act as "valves" for the flow of chi. The
stimulation of these points, when properly performed, acts to
restore balance to the internal environment, thereby relieving
symptoms.

Directions for Using
Acupressure

To stimulate an acupoint properly, you must
apply deep probing pressure. Therefore, only apply pressure
with:

Finger Tip	Knuckle	Pencil Eraser

Before beginning, try to accuratley classify
your problem. For example, if you have a backache brought on by
stress, you might be better off treating the stress rather than
the backache itself.

You can browse the

alphabetical list of symptoms, or use one of the pull-down
menus to get a list of acupoints to try. The figures and text
give the approximate location of a point. Explore the area with
a deep probing pressure, until the exact point announces itself
to you with a sharp twinge. It starts as a jolt, and after a
moment becomes a numbing sensation, or a tingling radiating from
the point. It can be quite a shock the first time, but
sensitivity decreases with experience.

When you have found the point, apply pressure
for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat using the same point on the other
side of your body. You should feel immediate relief. You may
feel a release of tension, sinus drainage or perspiration.
Sometimes points on opposite sides of the body will have
different effects. If symptoms increase, do not use that side or
point.

If the first point doesn't work, try the next
point or points until you find one that does. There may be more
than one approach to your symptoms, such as "kidneys" vs.
"backache." When you find a point that helps, use that point. If
the relief is temporary, re-stimulate the point. Sometimes a
pain will go away and return three or four times, lesser each
time.

REMEMBER: IF YOU HAVE A SEVERE OR
PERSISTENT

PROBLEM, SEE YOUR DOCTOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

You are trying to harmonize your inner
environment, so isolate yourself from the external environment
as much as possible. Find a quiet place, sit down, and try to
relax. Avoid loud music, exercise, food, and any drugs,
including alcohol, while stimulating your acupoints.

Once you are familiar with using acupressure on
yourself you can try it on others, but be cautious. Most states
have laws against the practice of remedial massage, or medicine
of any kind, without a license. I suggest that you only attempt
to use it on your family and friends.

When you do use it on others, be cautious of the
warnings listed. Also, be sure to explain
what you are doing and what they can expect. Remember that thumb
widths and hand widths shown on the diagrams refer to the width
of the thumb or hand of the person being treated. Ask for
feed-back from them to be sure you've located the right spot, as
exact locations of points vary from person to person.

Finding Acupoints

Choose your symptom or pain location from the
pull-down menu for the body area where you are experiencing the
symptom. A new window will pop up with the appropriate points to
try. If you experience relief with the first point, go no
further. If not, make sure you are using the correct technique
and try the subsequent points in sequence, until you experience
relief. Clicking on the statue will take you to an alphabetical
list of symptoms.

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