A practice used in China for thousands of years, acupressure is based on the same principles as acupuncture and functions to promote relaxation and health as well as to minimize disease. The practice is also often called pressure acupuncture and can be considered a form of acupuncture without the use of needles. However, acupressure is its own practice and is used to heal a variety of conditions.

What is Acupressure?

A branch of the numerous Asian bodywork therapies with connections to traditional Chinese medicine, acupressure is a practice that relies on the application of pressure to specific acupoints on the body. Practitioners of acupressure use their fingers, palms, elbows, feet or special devices to apply appropriate, steady pressure to these points on the body. The practice also involves stretching and massage as well as other methods.

The goal of acupressure, much like any other form of Asian bodywork, is to restore health and balance to the body. The practice incorporates the regulation of the opposing energy forces of negative energy or yin and positive energy or yang. Many individuals believe and purport that this form of medicine treats not only the energy fields but also the mind, emotions and spirit.

Health Conditions that May Be Treated Using Acupressure

At the very least, acupressure restores health by reducing muscle tension, improving circulation and stimulating endorphins. As such, the treatment can be used to alleviate a variety of health conditions, using specific pressure points to align with different parts of the body.

The practice is responsible for treating a variety of conditions including digestive problems, skin issues, eye conditions and others. Some of the most commonly treated health conditions include acid reflux and constipation. Headaches, acne and other skin issues, myopia and congestion are also common treated using this practice.

Considered a blend of acupuncture and pressure, acupressure is a traditional Chinese medicine that is closely derived from acupuncture. The practice utilizes physical pressure applied to points by the hands, elbows and other devices to specific pressure points on the body. This form of medicine uses pressure to restore health and balance in the body naturally.

Posted by Teresa (Morristown, Tennessee) on 07/25/2007

I'm 44 and recently had a 19 year old ask me out. I bend over for a few minutes at least once a day to let the blood rush into my face. I also use facial accupressure techniques, which I found out how to do from reading an old book written in the '70s. I've been doing shiatisu facial massage on myself for twenty years, I found this in a book. I also mix rose hips and vitamin E oil and a few drops of ACV into peanut oil and rub my body and face down nightly. I recently started color breathing where you inhale the imagined color pink, (Yvonne Martine's technique) and this is like a mini face lift!

Posted by Ila (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada) on 03/14/2009

Hi All, Would like to share a trick I use when I get acid reflux at night and have no ACV or other remedy at hand. Fluff up your pillow, get into bed and roll over onto your LEFT SIDE, make a fist and press into the hollow area at centre of chest just under your rib cage, and above the stomach. If you use enough pressure, you should feel relief within a minute or two, it works almost immediately for me. I hope it may work for others also. Never sleep on your right side, as it tends to make the reflux worse. It is very difficult for me to get ACV down my throat ,as I dislike it so much, it gives me shivers just thinking about it. I managed to get it down mixed with some water a few times so I know it works for acid reflux. Now I just sip a little pickle juice but I don't recommend this for others because of the salt content,Thanks for the great site,cheers to all,Ila