Acupressure

Acupressure is a type of Oriental healing art based on ancient Japanese and Chinese medicine. A practitioner puts pressure on specific points on the body with his or her fingers in order to relieve pain and discomfort, prevent tension-related ailments, and promote good health.


Acupressure should not be used for certain conditions that require medical care, such as serious burns, ulcers, or infections. Caution should be taken with the use of abdominal pressure points, especially when the patient is ill. The abdominal area often is avoided when the patient has a life-threatening illness, such as intestinal cancer, or is pregnant.
Acupressure is similar to acupuncture because it treats blockages of energy at specific points along fourteen meridians, or channels, along the body. While acupuncture uses needles placed at the strategic points along the meridians, acupressure uses pressure usually applied with the fingers. The blockages of energy along these meridians can cause physical discomfort, pain, tension, and stress. The stimulation of points removes blockages by relaxing muscles, and allowing blood to flow more freely. It can also free an emotional block by releasing accumulated tension. The pressure may also release lactic acid that accumulates in muscle tissue. Lactic acid is produced by muscles during vigorous exercise, and it is usually removed from the blood by the liver. It can, however, accumulate in muscles.