Benefits of Massage using Acupressure Points on Yourself

By Suzanne G.

What is acupressure? Acupressure has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 5,000 years. It is a really cool form of healing developed to relieve pain, improve circulation, and in general, balance the body's energy flow.  The body is composed of 12 major channels, each corresponding with internal organs and externally with limbs and joints. Most massage therapists learn the various principles of acupressure techniques and incorporate it into their practice.

There are many simple, effective techniques you can do on your own to stimulate, harmonize, and revitalize your body's energy. For example Stomach 36 is a major point that has multiple functions such as constipation, knee pain, and even fatigue as story has it.

"Specifically, a site on the pelvic limb called “Zusanli” (also known as Stomach 36, or ST-36) is one of the most frequently used of all acupuncture points. The Chinese name Zusanli means “Leg Three Miles”. Oral tradition has it that in ancient times, most individuals traveled on foot, and stimulation of Zusanli would relieve fatigue dramatically enough that the effects would allow one to travel another three miles. It was indeed common for people who were about to embark on a long journey to needle or moxa this point (which involves warming the area with a medicinal herb such as mugwort), in order to build the necessary
strength and endurance for the trip." 

Robinson, Narda. "The “Leg-Three-Miles” Acupuncture Point for Internal Medicine Problems." 2007. Web. 31 May 2013.

So next time you feel a little constipated, are tired, or have achy knees try stimulating this point. You can locate this point by taking 3 body inches below the knee on the lateral edge of the shin point and one finger width lateral to the edge of the tibia. Sometimes it can be a little tricky to find, but play around with it.

This link below gives a good thorough explanation and guide on how to gauge the right amount of pressure for yourself.

http://www.acupressure.com/articles/Applying_pressure_to_acupressure_points.htm

Massage Therapy For Seniors

From the Senior Point of View

I’m 65 and I love massage! 5 years ago I had a lot of misconceptions about it, but today it’s my favorite part of health care. Let me share a few things I learned:

• It’s very modest. My body is always covered with a sheet and blanket. I dress and undress in a private room.

• Many years ago massage was associated with “the red-light district”. This has changed immensely! Today massage therapists are educated, highly skilled in pain relief, and are licensed in the health care profession.

• Massage is meant to leave you feeling wonderful. A good therapist will explain everything in detail and welcome any and all questions you have about massage, like is it ok to tell the therapist the pressure is too light or too deep or something hurts or that spot feels great. (Yes! Massage therapists really appreciate your input.)

I love massage and my therapist cares and takes great care of me.

~Betty E., Anchorage

From the Massage Therapist Point of View

I see more and more seniors in my massage practice. This ancient form of healing has evolved over centuries, to eventually become known as therapeutic massage. It is increasingly used as a tool by healthcare practitioners and individuals to promote health and wellness.

Massage therapists manipulate tight, poorly functioning muscles to return them to a more relaxed working state, thereby reducing stress, pain & dysfunction within the body.

There are 100’s of styles of massage, so I’ll mention the 3 most popular in Anchorage:

Swedish Massage offers long flowing strokes, compression, and sometimes assistance with range of motion. It is often associated with health clubs & spas of the past century.

Thai Massage incorporates graceful, flowing compression and stretching techniques designed to move the body’s energy throughout the mind/body complex. It is also known as assisted yoga and includes an attitude of Loving Kindness towards all people.

Tui Na Massage is also called Chinese Massage. It can be more vigorous in nature, treats the mind/body/spirit as a whole, and uses techniques based in Chinese medicine like Yin-Yang and Five Element Theory.

Massage therapists tailor each session to your preference, i.e. the amount of pressure desired or needed, areas to be worked on or concentrated on, whether you prefer to be fully clothed during a table massage or modestly undressed down to your comfort level to allow the use of massage oil on your skin.

Massage is a uniquely personal experience. Table massage is performed while you lie between the sheets under a warm blanket. Typically a massage session begins with you and the therapist in private room discussing what you want to achieve from the massage – is it for relaxation or to treat a specific type of pain or discomfort.

Once that is established, the therapist leaves the room giving you time to undress, climb between the sheets and get settled, usually lying face up. The therapist will knock before entering, asking if you are ready.

During the massage the therapist will uncover only the area of your body they are massaging such as your back, leg or foot. The therapist will also check with you to see how you are doing, if you’re comfortable and inquire about the pressure. When the session has ended the therapist leaves the room allowing you privacy to dress. Usually there is a short dialogue to ascertain how you are feeling after the massage.

Regardless of preferred style, massage creates a sense of well-being through increased energy, better circulation and mental clarity, allowing for more restful sleep, greater flexibility, and overall peace.

~Alanna K-Dunn, 58-years young
Licensed Massage Therapist
at The Oriental Healing Arts Center

acu-therapy

After five months of massage therapy school, our class got to the part we had all been waiting for : Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Points and meridians was one of our TCM classes. What are points and meridians? Meridians are invisible pathways on our bodies that connect acupoints to each other, as well as internal organs. The qi (energy) flows through these meridians. The meridians are like highways, when you experience a strong emotion, such as grief or anxiety, your qi gets blocked, similar to a traffic jam. Acupressure restores the smooth flow of qi. Acupoints are specific body points through which qi of organs and meridians can reach the body surface.


You can use acu-therapy to treat:
- headaches
- ortho issues
- weight loss
- addiction
- fertility
- colds
- insomnia
- the list goes on and on.

Basically, any disease you can think of, can benefit from acu-therapy. As a massage therapist, I would not be able to perform acupuncture, but can use non-needling techniques on points. Acupressure is a technique that we have frequently used. Our class has learned acupoint patterns to combat nausea, fatigue, frozen shoulder, sciatica and knee pain.


Now for the fun stuff. Moxa, cupping and gua sha, oh my. Moxa is quite possibly the most delightful herb in existence. It is a variety of mugwort, that is compressed and then burned. You can use it on specific points and meridians that are deficient. By the end of a session, I feel warm and tingling, it is an amazing feeling. Cupping and gua sha are two methods that help remove stagnation, and when I say stagnation, I pretty much mean pain. We have all had those "knots" the size of a golf ball that won't go away. After 15 minutes of having a suction cup placed on the knot and two more cups along the meridian, my pain was 90% gone. Gau sha brings stagnation to the surface, by using a tool to scrape the area. I am sure this might sound painful to some of you, but these treatments are WONDERFUL! I am excited to use them in my practices.