There are many types of massage therapy techniques that are practiced all over the world. Various regions use different methods in order to relieve stress and tension, but some methods also strive to tap into the spiritual and mental energy of the human body that might cause problems within the physical aspects. Many Eastern massage techniques not only focus on relieving tension, but they also work toward discovering the initial root of the problem. Acupressure and Acupuncture are both Eastern methods that focus on specific points of the body that might be affected by mental or emotional hardships as well as physical strains.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is an ancient form of Traditional Chinese Medicine that focuses on healing and promoting health through focusing on points of the body that will strengthen energy and blood flow. Technically, it involves using needles to apply gentle pressure in a therapeutic way over specific points in the body. These points are called Meridians, and there are twelve main ones and eight extra ones that are found throughout the body. The Chinese believed that at any of the meridians the blood flow or energy can become stagnant, which would account for soreness or other types of illness. By manipulating needles into these points, the muscles will loosen, which allows the blood to circulate and the energy to flow.
Acupuncture also involves a series of questions and answers between the therapist and patient in order to properly diagnose the issue. Traditional Chinese Medicine practices believe that there are often emotional and mental connections to the different meridians in the body, and when a person experiences some sort of trauma, no matter how little or great, it can have an obvious affect to their physical system. By sorting out the root of the problem, it then becomes possible to treat the body with acupuncture.
Due to the fact that a large basis of acupuncture revolves around “energy” points in the body, it is a controversial method of therapy in our modern, western world. This is because it is not possible with our modern technology to detect the meridians and how they are linked to blood flow and emotions. Even though the affects of Acupuncture are proven to relieve tension, it is difficult to prove that it can treat neurological illnesses.
What is Acupressure?
Acupressure is an ancient technique that has been used for over five thousand years and is a healing art that brings balance to your body physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is supposed to help equilibrize the energy in and around the body as well as promote healthy circulation. Acupressure is derived from Acupuncture, and both are forms of Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques. Traditional Chinese Medicines predate modern scientific methods of healing that commonly involve medications and technology to diagnose problems. Acupressure uses fingers, palms of the hand, and elbows to apply pressure to specific points on the body. This is different from Acupuncture, which uses thin, small needles in the pressure points. Acupressure is meant to be repetitive so the body can recover and learn to heal itself with time. This is an Eastern school of thought that giving specific points in the body attention will not only cure a current problem, but prevent future problems and even support overall health.