What is Acupressure?

Acupressure is an ancient healing art that uses the fingers to press certain pre-ordained points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body’s natural self-healing abilities.  These points are part of a map that runs along meridian energy lines throughout the entire body.

How does Acupressure Work?

When acupressure points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body’s lifeforce (sometimes known as qi or chi) to aid healing. Acupuncture and acupressure use the same points, but acupuncture employs needles, while acupressure uses the gentle, but firm pressure of hands and feet.

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Acupressure continues to be one of the most effective methods  for tension-related ailments by using the power and sensitivity of the human hand. It can be effective in helping relieve headaches, eye strain, sinus problems, neck pain, backaches, arthritis, muscle aches, tension due to stress, ulcer pain, menstrual cramps, lower backaches, constipation, and indigestion. Acupressure can also be used to relieve anxiety and improve sleep.

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There are great advantages to using acupressure as a way to balance the body and maintain good health. The healing touch reduces tension, increases circulation, and enables the body to relax deeply. By relieving stress, acupressure strengthens resistance to disease and promotes wellness.

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In acupressure, local symptoms are considered an expression of the condition of the body as a whole. A tension headache, for instance, may be rooted in the shoulder and neck area. Thus, acupressure focuses on relieving pain and discomfort, as well as responding to tension, before it develops into a disease—before the constrictions and imbalances can do further damage.

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The origins of acupressure are as ancient as the instinctive impulse to hold your forehead or temples when you have a headache. Everyone, at one time or another, has used their hands spontaneously to hold tense or painful places on the body. More than five thousand years ago, the Chinese discovered that pressing certain points on the body relieved pain where it occurred, and also benefited other parts of the body more remote from the pain and the pressure point.