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Acupressure-A Natural Therapy

By: Christian Goodman

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.

Treatments used by Chinese medical practitioners, acupuncturists, and massage therapists all include acupressure. It's been proven to help your body regain balance, an important aspect of the homeostasis the body is constantly looking for, especially in the fast-paced, high pressured, stressful lives most of us 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.

It's also possible to buy pressure bands, when constant, continuous pressure is required, such as with relief from nausea. Acupressure can be very useful for treating children who might be frightened by acupuncture needles. In adults, acupressure is often used to decrease stress, with amazing results. You can learn how to use acupressure in a short time and be able to apply to yourself or your family members, unlike acupuncture, which requires many 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.

Acupressure can also reduce labor pains as well as shorten the length of labor, results show in a study done at Dankook University in Korea. It's also been found to be an effective way to induce labor, and for this reason, only someone experienced in acupressure can apply it on pregnant women.

In Taiwan, research showed acupressure to be more effective in decreasing lower back pain than traditional physical therapies, and results lasting longer after 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 don't know why western medicine seems to refuse the techniques from other cultures that have been providing good results for centuries. Maybe because modern day doctors feel that they will no longer be needed if everyone starts using alternative therapies and natural remedies for their health related problems.

Article Source: Main Articles

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

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