Alternative Medicine: Chronic Pain Relief with Acupressure

Acupressure is a method of maintaining health, treating disease and alleviating pain by applying pressure or massaging certain points on the body surfaces. It is based on the same concept and principles of acupuncture and relies on the use of finger pressure instead of needles.

According to history, some 5,000 years ago the Chinese discovered that soldiers who were wounded with arrows recovered from chronic illnesses through this procedure.
Later on, by rubbing pointed stones on various parts of the body they were able to discover the acupressure points.

Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that life is the result of Qi, or life energy. This qi enters a person when he or she is born and leaves when he or she dies. Qi has two aspects, the Yin and Yang. Yin is the yielding negative and feminine force while Yang is the dominating, positive, masculine force. When a person is healthy, there is a balance in the Yin and Yang forces. When there is an imbalance of Yin and Yang forces, there is illness.

When applying Acupressure, the person should be in a lying or sitting position. He must be relaxed, comfortable and natural while a practitioner utilizes fully his finger, hands and strength.

The pressure must be tolerable, firm but not heavy enough to cause pain. Press on the point using small circular movement, 2-3 cycles per second. It can be done as frequent as every 4 hours. It is usually done once a day and 2-3 times a week in chronic disease. The room to be used should be warm and well ventilated.

There are two categories in selection of acupressure points; one is by using of prescribed points. These are given sets of points, which could be used for specific diseases. The second is by use of Ashi points; these are painful spots or nodes, which appear when a person has an illness.

The common illnesses indicated for acupressure are abdominal pain, back pain, bedwetting, diarrhea, dizziness, lung diseases, sinusitis rhinitis, toothache, fainting, headache, hiccups, hypertension, joint pains, common cold, and stiff neck. Acupressure prescription is only given for common and simple ailments. Difficult or serious cases should be properly referred. In most cases, Acupressure will suffice to relieve the symptoms. If symptoms persist, seek medical help. Chronic patients are advised to continue taking their medication.

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