The Pleasure Of Pressure Gentle and drug-free, acupressure is attracting more and more adherents. If you've ever rubbed the back of your neck when you were feeling tense, massaged your child's forehead when she had a headache or gently stroked your baby's stomach to soothe colic pains, you've instinctively practised - and probably benefited from-the healing art of acupressure.
This alternative medical treatment is based on the theory that applying pressure to specific points on the body, know as acupoints, can relieve pain and promote wellness.
The Chinese have been using acupressure to treat pain, nausea, colds, headaches and other as well, as a growing amount of evidence suggests that it can help adults and even children.
''Parents are looking for more gentle, drug-free ways to take care of their children'', say doctors. In fact, many doctors now recommend alternative medical treatment including the use of acupressure-based massage instead of strong antibiotics for colic, asthma, stomach pain and migraine headaches.
There are statistics on the number of people who use or have tried acupressure. However, interest in and acceptance of this ancient hands-on therapy is clearly on the rise, even among traditional medical doctors.
How does it work?...
Acupressure : Applying external pressure to the skin is legally and medically classified as a type of massage. It is based on the same principals as acupuncture, in which thin needles are inserted into the skin.
These treatments are rooted in the traditional eastern philosophy that chi, or energy, flows through the body along pathways known as meridians. When energy in the meridians is uneven, physical and emotional problems can result.
Practitioners believe that they can restore the balance of chi by using pressure, needles, heat or electricity to stimulate specific points on a patient's skin.
If this sounds unbelievable, you're not alone. Western researchers are trying to take a more scientific approach to discover why acupressure seems to work on certain aliments.
They haven't completely solved the mystery, but there are some strong theories. Some scientists see a similarity between the body's electromagnetic fields-measurable patterns of electricity and magnetism generated by normal nerve functions- and the idea of energy flowing in medicines.
Other studies have shown that pressing the skin can release hormones and other biochemicals.
''Stimulating specific points triggers the release of endorphins, the neurochemicals that relieve pain, ''says Michael Reed Gach, author of Acupressure's Potent Points : A Guide to Self-Care for common Aliments (Bentam Books, 1990). And research on touch has shown that massaging the skin helps increase blood flow and relieves stress and muscle tension.
So far, there isn't much research on acupressure, but interest in the medical use of chi is growing.
The National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, recently funded a series of studies in the field. Preliminary results of one, conducted by Dr.Neil Snenkler of the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, show that a combination of acupuncture and acupressure may be a useful treatment for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Some studies have shown that acupressure and acupuncture are effective in treating nausea and vomiting.
Because they're so closely linked, much of the current support for acupressure is based upon existing research on acupuncture.The main difference is that the benefits of acupressure are not as intense as the benefits of acupuncture. For instance, research shows that acupuncture can block the pain of surgical procedures, while acupressure is thought to be effective only on less severe pain such as headaches.
Acupressure could be considered the '' over-the-counter version of acupressure'' says Dr.Russell Erickson, a Rchmond, California based paediatrician and acupuncturist. '' Anyone can do it if they know the points, where as acupuncture requires training to use the needles.
One advantage of acupressure is that it is a home remedy that doesn't cost anything.
All you need are your fingers and map of pressure points. And unlike conventional over-the-counter medicines, acupressure doesn't cause side effects,..
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