Acupressure one piece of holistic health puzzle
People can fit the pieces together in different ways
While good acupressure practitioners can teach people proper acupressure techniques for self-care, such practitioners are valuable in other ways as well. They can help people work on finding the underlying cause of their ailment, which is an important element of holistic health, says Shaun Brown, LCMT, owner of Be Well, a Sacramento, CA-based private massage and acupressure practice.
For example, a person with temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ) could apply pressure to the appropriate acupressure points, but the problem will only return if the root cause is not identified and behavioral changes made. "People with TMJ tend to be very quiet and they don’t say what they need to say. So it is important to learn what is going on in your life that could contribute to the problem," says Brown.
According to Chinese medicine, the underlying cause of issues in the lung is fear, and fear often plays into an asthma attack, says Jill La Rue, RN, CMT, NB, a holistic health practitioner with Earth Touch in Stillwater, MN. She always discusses this theory with asthma patients when introducing acupressure.
Taking account of mind and spirit
Acupressure is not just about fixing the pain. A person also must find out where his or her mind and spirit are as well. "That is the whole essence behind holistic health, and that is where complementary therapies come in. It is the only piece of health care that does speak about not just fixing your body but your mind and spirit as well and dealing with whatever the issue is," says La Rue. (For more information on how the mind and spirit affect health care, see Patient Education Management, May 1999, pp. 49-53, and June 1999, pp. 61-65.)
Well-trained practitioners with knowledge of holistic health also may discuss dietary considerations for different common ailments. For example, according to Chinese medicine, there are foods that dilute the blood, making a patient colder, and foods that thicken the blood, making the patient warmer, explains Michael Reed Gach, PhD, director of the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley, CA.
However, before introducing other aspects of Chinese medicine to a patient, make sure the patient is receptive, advises La Rue. As a practitioner, she feels that it is important that new clients understand that acupressure is a form of Chinese health care and that it moves energy. It’s a foreign concept to many people, and she wants to know their perception of whether or not it will work. "If a person is not receptive, it doesn’t matter what they do because it won’t work," she explains.
When a client is new, La Rue takes a complete medical history and tries to determine what the client is hoping to achieve by using acupressure. She then discusses what to expect during a session and provides a short background description of acupressure.
Books facilitate self-instruction
Massage therapists often will incorporate acupressure into their practice. To find a skilled practitioner, contact the American Oriental Body Work Therapy Association, advises Gach. (See source box on p. 119 for contact information for the Association.) However, a person does not need to go to an acupressurist for a diagnosis before using acupressure techniques for self-help, he states. There are many good books that provide instruction, and although it is helpful to be shown the technique, many people who find relief are self-taught.
Mary Hobbs, MPH, a project manager in Regional Health Education for Northern California Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, uses acupressure to relieve her own aches and pains. Hobbs’ sister, who is a physical therapist, relieved a painful spasm in Hobbs’ leg with acupressure, which made Hobbs an instant convert. She began reading about acupressure and eventually offered community outreach classes on the subject at Kaiser.
"I sat in on the class to make sure that the instructors were good, and I learned so much that I have been able to apply it whenever I have an ache, pain or spasm. I can usually figure out where the acupressure point is. I love the fact it is something I can do for myself," says Hobbs.
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