Western conventional medicine regularly introduces new drugs and procedures to help patients deal with back pain. Many of these come with side effects potentially much worse than the condition being treated.
Just as disturbing, many of the treatments are less effective than safer methods which have been used for literally thousands of years to eliminate pain and disease. One of those methods is acupressure.
What is acupressure?
Acupressure is based on the same Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles as acupuncture, but uses gentle to firm pressure on pressure points in place of needles. It aims to promote well being by instantly relieving pain, increasing circulation, and promoting relaxation. Practitioners believe it can help eliminate certain disease states and other health conditions in addition to various types of back, neck and sciatic pain.
How does acupressure work?
Acupressure treatment is based on freeing energy flow along lines of energy called meridian channels by manipulating energy points along those lines. It is thought that pain results from either a blockage in energy flow and/or a deficiency of energy in an area. Pressure is used to increase energy in areas affected by the pressure point. Blockages in the energy flow are reduced with a counterclockwise motion over the affected pressure point.
What evidence shows acupressure works?
Acupressure is a system of medicine which predates modern science and is treated with skepticism by some conventional medicine practitioners. Yet millions of people around the world continue to get pain relief and experience improvement in health conditions through acupressure every year.
One recent review of acupuncture’s effects on the brain using MRIs and PET scans show pressure on these energy points affect areas of the brain associated with the symptom being treated. Yet modern medicine remains mystified as to exactly how TCM like acupuncture and acupressure works.
Where can I get acupressure treatment?
Acupressurists can be found in most mid-size or larger cities. Costs typically range from $50-$75 per session. Alternatively, self treatment may be an option for some. A trigger point therapy self treatment kit can be a useful for placing pressure on hard to reach pressure points as well as eliminating painful trigger points.
