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Revision as of 13:52, 30 September 2004


Acupressure is a traditional Chinese medicine technique based on the same ideas as acupuncture. It involves placing physical pressure, by hand, elbow, or with the aid of various devices, on different pressure points on the surface of the body (which may be far distant from the symptom, related by what is called the meridian system) to bring about relief through greater balance and circulation of energies in the body (qi).

Acupressure
This article is part of the branches of CAM series.
CAM Classifications
NCCAM:Component of Traditional Chinese medicine that uses a form of body manipulation.
Modality:Professionalized
Culture:Eastern Chinese

An acupressure wristband that is claimed to relieve the symptoms of motion sickness and other forms of nausea is available.

While some practitioners believe that first hints of acupressure or reflexology have been found in ancient Indian texts (the first mention of qi in Chinese writings dates back to approx. 1200 B.C. in the Shang dynasty oracle bones), possibly the earliest evidence of use of the meridian system for health purposes has been found in Europe, of all places. Ötzi the Iceman, a 5,000 year old mummy found preserved in an Alpine glacier, seems to have tattoos on points which correspond to points that a modern acupuncturist or tui na specialist would use to treat symptoms of diseases that Ötzi seems to have suffered from, including digestive parasites and degenerative bone disease.

Many East Asian martial arts also make extensive study and use of acupressure for self-defense and health purposes (chin na). The points or combinations of points are said to be used to manipulate or incapacitate an opponent. Also, martial artists regularly massage their own acupressure points in routines to remove blockages from their own meridians, claiming to enhance thereby their circulation and flexibility and keeping the points "soft," or less vulnerable to an attack. Attacking the acupressure points is one theme in the wuxia genre of movies and novels.

See also