How Acupressure Works

Acupressure points (also called potent points) are places on the skin that are especially sensitive to bio-electrical impulses on the body and conduct those impulses readily. Traditionally, Asian cultures conceived of the points as junctures of special pathways that carried the human energy that the Chinese call chi and the Japanese call ki. Western scientists have also mapped out and proven the existence of this system of body points by using sensitive electrical devices.

Stimulating these points with pressure, needles, or heat triggers the release of endorphins, which are the neurochemicals that relieve pain. As a result, pain is blocked and the flow of blood and oxygen to the affected area is increased. This causes the muscles to relax and promotes healing.

Because acupressure inhibits the pain signals sent to the brain through a mild, fairly painless stimulation, it has been described as closing the "gates" of the pain-signalling system, preventing painful sensations from pasing through the spinal cord to the brain.

Besides relieving pain, acupressure can help rebalance the body by dissolving tensions and stresses that keep it from functioning smoothly and that inhibit the immune system. Acupressure enables the body to adapt to environmental changes and resist illness. Tension tends to concentrate around acupressure points. When a muscle is chronically tense or in spasm, the muscle fibres contract due to the secretion oflactic acid caused by fatigue, trauma, stress, chemical imbalances, or poor circulation. For instance, when you are under a great deal of stress you may find you have difficulty breathing. Certain acupressure points relieve chest tension and thus enable you to breathe deeply.

As a point is pressed, the muscle tension yields to the finger pressure, enalbing the fibres to elongate and relax, blood to flow freely, and toxins to be released and eliminated. Increased circulation also brings more oxygen and other nutrients to affected areas. This increases the body's resistance to illness and promotes a longer, healthier, more vital life. When the blood and bioelectrical energy circulate properly, we have a greater sense of harmony, health and wellbeing.

Ways to use Acupressure

Acupressure's potent points can be used to enhance many aspects of life. In addition to managing stress, you can use acupressure to relieve and prevent sports injuries. Sports massage has been widely used by athletes before and after Olympic events. Acupressure complements sports medicine treatments by using points and massage techniques to improve muscle tone and circulation and relieve neuromuscular problems.

The Chinese have also used acupressure as a beauty treatment for thousands of years. You can use potent points to improve skin condition and tone and relax the facial muscles, which can lessen the appearance of wrinkles without drugs.

Although acupressure is not a substitute for medical care, it may be an appropriate complementary treatment. It may, for instance, speed the healing of a broken bone once it has been set, or aid a cancer patient by helping to alleviate some of the associated pain and anxiety of the disease.

Similarily, acupressure can be an effective adjunct to chiropractic treatment. By relaxing and toning the back muscles, acupressure makes the spinal adjustments easier and more effective, and the results last longer. In fact, the two therapies were originally practised together in ancient China.

Psychotherapy patients can derive benefits from acupressure using it to heighten body awareness and deal with stress. When powerful emotions are free and unresolved, the body stores the resulting tension in the muscles. Acupressure can help restore emotional balance by releasing the accumulated tension caused by repressed feelings.

Acupressure Points

An acupressure point actually has two identities and ways of working. When you stimulate a point in the same area where you feel any pain or tension, it's called a "local point". That same point can also relieve pain in a part of the body that is distant from the point, in which case it is called a "trigger point". This triggering mechanism works through a human electrical channel called a "meridian".

How to find an Acupressure Point

You locate an acupressure point by referring to anatomical landmarks. Some acupressure points lie underneath major muscle groups. While points located near a bone structure usually lie within a muscular cord, band, or knot of tension. To stimulate the point, press directly on the cord or into the hollow.

As acupressure evolved, each of the 365 points was named poetically, originally with a Chinese character. The imagery of its name offers insight into either a pont's benefits or location. For instance, the name Hidden Clarity refers to the mental benefit of the points: it clears the mind. Shoulder's Corner refers to the point's location. The Three Mile Point earned its name because it gives a person an extra three miles of energy. Runners and hikers have used this famous point to increase stamina and endurance.

Some of the names of the acupressure points also serve as a powerful meditation tool. By pressing a point and silently repeating its name while you visualise its benefit and breathe deeply, you can realise the full potential power that each point offers. As you holf the Sea of Vitality points in your lower back, breathe deeply and visualise each breath replenishing your deep reservoir of vitality. Use the power of your mind to strengthen and help heal your lower back.

You can create affirmations with the names of the points - powerful action statements that amplify a point's benefits. For example, hold the Letting Go points on the upper, outer chest with your fingertips. Breathe deeply. Imagine yourself letting go of tension, frustration, and stress. As you hold and breathe into these points, repeat to yourself that you are now letting go of all the negativity and irritability.

In addition to its name, each point was assigned an identification number to track its placement along the body. Point location numbers, such as ST 3 or GB 21, are a standard referencing system used by professional acupressurists and acunpuncturists.