Acupressure As A Natural Therapy

Acupressure has been around for years, even older than acupuncture. It started in China and dates back over 2,000 years. It has been used not only to heal many health problems naturally, but it has also been effective in preventing problems, especially those associated with aging.

Chinese medical practitioners, acupuncturists, and massage therapists all include acupressure into their treatments. It is an effective way to help your body regain balance, an important aspect of homeostasis the body and always looking for, especially with the fast-paced, high pressured, and stressful lives we all lead.

While acupuncture uses needles, acupressure is completely non-invasive and uses the human hand and its parts, like fingers, thumbs, and knuckles to press key points on the skin. I should point out though, that both procedures are relatively painless. The needles used in acupuncture are so thin, they're hardly felt at all. Acupuncture and acupressure recognize the same key points, but one stimulates with needles and the other uses the hand or some other blunt object.

Pressure bands can also be bought and used when constant, continuous pressure is required, like when treating nausea. Acupressure can be used on children as treatment if they are afraid of the needles used in acupuncture. In adults, acupressure is normally used to decrease stress, with effective results. You can learn how to use acupressure easily, and you can apply this to yourself or your family members, unlike acupuncture, which needs several years of specialized education and experience.

Chinese medicine has named 14 channels, called meridians, which are used to transport the movement of chi or qi (both pronounced as 'chee', which is the 'life energy') inside our body. By applying pressure to key points along each meridian, acupressure helps your circulation, reduce tension, balance the body, increase endorphins, and strengthen resistance to illness. It can also be used to cure everyday pains like headaches, stress, and eye strain.

A study done at Dankook University in Korea showed acupressure to be successful in reducing the pain of labor as well as shortening the length of labor. It's also been found to be an effective way to induce labor, and for this reason, only someone experienced in acupressure should apply it on pregnant women.

In Taiwan, research showed acupressure to be more useful in decreasing lower back pain than traditional physical therapies, with results lasting six months following treatment. One recent study shows that acupressure applied to the P6 (located in the wrist) had significant results in relieving acid reflux.

Acupressure is not there to increase your tolerance for pain. It shouldn't hurt. If you feel pain when pressure is applied, stop the pressure immediately. You may feel a slight numbness from acupressure, but you should never feel pain.

I'm not sure why Western medicine seems so reluctant to embrace techniques from other cultures that have been providing proven results for centuries. Perhaps modern day doctors fear their services might no longer be needed if everyone started using alternative therapies and natural remedies for their health related problems.

Article Source: http://www.articlegoldmine.com

Christian Goodman is a well known natural Health alternatives researcher and the creator of the Natural Health Blog. His newest work is the Vertigo Treatment, which has now helped thousands of people heal their vertigo naturally.

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