ACUPRESSURE - JIN SHIN JYUTSU        

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"Acupressure...is been found to have many health benefits... And in a 2006 study, acupressure outperformed physical therapy for treating chronic low-back pain."       Dr Andrew Weil's Self Healing

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What Acupressure is     How It Works     Its Benefits      Scientific Studies      Additional Uses      Research Summary

What Acupressure (Jin Shin Jyutsu) is Acupressure is an ancient Asian healing art developed by Chinese physicians and healers more than 5,000 years ago. Acupressure uses the same channels and theories of Acupuncture, such as Qi (Life Force) as a pervading force that flows through energetic channels (meridians), and the Five Elements Theory, which are considered to be the building blocks of balance and health of body, mind and spirit (watch video on your right). Jin Shin Jyutsu is Japanese acupressure, an ancient healing art widely known before Kojiki, the Record of Ancient Things (712 AD.), which got lost during the dark ages and it was rediscovered in the early years of the twentieth century by Jiro Murai, a philosopher and researcher of Japan. When Jiro Murai became terminally ill, the members of his family, who were prominent physicians and doctors, had no cure to treat his disease.  When left in complete isolation for seven days on a mountain retreat, he utilized the techniques of these ancient teachings which gave him back his life and, with life, came also the gift of the most profound and transformative healing experience he had ever had. He later called this experience Jin Shin Jyutsu. Designed to correct, heal, harmonize and balance the energy of the body, Acupressure - Jin Shin Jyutsu is done right after TuiNa Massage has released surface tension in the body. BACK TO TOP How Does it Work? By holding specific acupressure points and areas of the body, acupressure is able to channel the healing energy more deeply, to balance the underlying causes of physical and emotional disharmonies. Combined with TuiNa Massage, Acupressure works to establish a more harmonious flow of Qi (Life Force) through the entire body system, bringing balance and harmony in the body itself, and allowing natural healing to take place. This form of bodywork, done wearing loose clothes and no shoes, is done on a table. During Acupressure, brainwave vibrations (watch video on your right) slow down from beta, which is the frequency of a mind engaged in mental activities, to alpha and theta, which are the frequencies that produce relaxation and allow natural healing to take place. Luca selects from hundreds of “flows” or patterns to address client's particular symptoms and imbalances. Deeply relaxing, many people fall asleep during this part of the session. BACK TO TOP Its Benefits Acupressure benefits the person's health in many different aspects, physically, mentally-emotionally and spiritual. There are scientific studies that show how acupressure was effecting on treating low-back pain, headaches, nausea and insomnia.   In my personal experience, after receiving Acupressure and TuiNa Massage, people have reported wonderful relief from their pains and discomforts, as well as a great sense of relaxion.  TuiNa and Acupressure have being effective  to relieve physical and emotional discomforts such as joint pain (especially hip and shoulders), backache, muscle tension, PMS, insomnia, anxiety, mental agitation, eating disorders and high blood pressure. Other important benefits for Acupressure and TuiNa Massage are a great sense of relaxation throughout the entire body, stress reduction, increased vitality, body strength and general health. BACK TO TOP Scientific Studies Scientists have studied acupressure, shiatsu and tuina for the following health problems: - Sleep; - Low Back Pain; - Nausea; - Postoperative Pain; - Headache; - Bedwetting (in Children); - Exercise Performance. Sleep There is early evidence from one randomized controlled trial to support the use of acupressure for improving sleep quality in elderly participants. Another small study found positive results in otherwise healthy volunteers. However, these studies did not have high-quality designs, and further research is needed to clarify the role of acupressure for sleep. BACK TO TOP Low back pain There is promising early research suggesting that acupressure may be useful in the relief of low back pain. Larger controlled studies would strengthen the case. BACK TO TOP Nausea There is scientific evidence from numerous studies supporting the use of wrist acupressure at the P6 acupoint (also known as Neiguan) in the prevention and treatment of nausea and vomiting. In particular, this research has reported effectiveness for postoperative nausea, intra-operative nausea (during spinal anesthesia), chemotherapy-induced nausea and pregnancy-related nausea (morning sickness). Effects have been noted in both children and adults. This therapy has grown in popularity because it is noninvasive, is easy to self-administer, has no observable side effects and is low cost. BACK TO TOP Postoperative pain There is preliminary evidence suggesting the use of acupressure in postoperative pain relief. This research reports that acupressure may be as effective as intravenous pain relievers, although further evidence is needed from a randomized controlled trial before a recommendation can be made. BACK TO TOP Headache There is preliminary research suggesting the use of self-administered acupressure in the treatment of tension or migraine headache. Future well-designed studies are needed to confirm these findings. BACK TO TOP Exercise performance One small study reports that ear acupressure may reduce muscle fatigue and lactic acid production, thereby possibly improving athletic performance. Additional research is necessary before a firm conclusion can be drawn. BACK TO TOP Bedwetting (in children) A small, low-quality study reports reduced bedwetting in children whose parents administered "micromassage" at several acupoints. Further study is needed before a recommendation can be made. BACK TO TOP Additional uses (unproved) Acupressure, shiatsu and tuina have been suggested for many other uses, based on tradition or on scientific theories. However, these uses have not been thoroughly studied in humans, and there is limited scientific evidence about safety or effectiveness. Some of these suggested uses are for conditions that are potentially life-threatening. Consult with a health care provider before using acupressure, shiatsu or tuina for any use. A Anorexia nervosa Anxiety Arthritis Asthma ADHD Attention-deficit     hyperactivity disorder C Cancer treatment side effects Carpal tunnel syndrome Cerebral birth injuries Chest congestion Childbirth facilitation or induction Chronic fatigue syndrome Colds and flu Constipation D Depression Dyspnea (shortness of breath) E Eating disorders Edema Epileptic seizure (in children) Eye strain F Fatigue Fibromyalgia G Gastrointestinal disorders Gum disease H Head injury High blood pressure HIV/AIDS Immune deficiency I Intestinal obstruction after laparotomy Itchiness J Jet lag Joint inflammation L Labor pains M Menopausal pain Menstruation pain Migraine Multiple sclerosis Muscle tension Muscle ache N Nasal congestion Neck or shoulder pain       O Organ transplantation P Paralysis after stroke Parkinson's disease Phobias Poor circulation Post-traumatic stress disorder Psoriasis R Recurrent urinary tract infection Restless leg syndrome S Sexual dysfunction Sinus disorders Sports injuries Sunburn T Tendonitis Toothache U Ulcer  BACK TO TOP Potential Dangers Acupressure is generally reported as safe when performed by an experienced practitioner. No serious complications have been published, despite millions of treatments every year. Self-administered acupressure is believed to be safe with proper training. BACK TO TOP Summary Forms of acupressure, including shiatsu and tuina, have been suggested for many conditions. The most studied and promising area is the treatment of nausea with wrist (acupoint P6) acupressure. Acupressure is generally well tolerated when the appropriate amount of force is used. Speak with your health care provider if you are considering acupressure. The information in this monograph was prepared by the professional staff at Natural Standard, based on thorough systematic review of scientific evidence. The material was reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School with final editing approved by Natural Standard. BACK TO TOP Resources 1.      Natural Standard: An organization that produces scientifically based reviews of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) topics 2.      National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM): A division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services dedicated to research Selected Scientific Studies: Acupressure, Shiatsu, Tuina Natural Standard reviewed more than 300 articles to prepare the professional monograph from which this version was created. Some of the more recent English-language studies are listed below: 1.      Agarwal A, Pathak A, Gaur A. Acupressure wristbands do not prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting after urological endoscopic surgery. Can J Anaesth 2000;47(4):319-324. 2.      Alkaissi A, Stalnert M, Kalman S. Effect and placebo effect of acupressure (P6) on nausea and vomiting after outpatient gynaecological surgery. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 1999;43(3):270-274. 3.      Allison DB, Kreibich K, Heshka S, et al. A randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial of an acupressure device for weight loss. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1995;19(9):653-658. 4.      Chen ML, Lin LC, Wu SC, et al. The effectiveness of acupressure in improving the quality of sleep of institutionalized residents. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 1999;54(8):M389-M394. 5.      Harmon D, Gardiner J, Harrison R, et al. Acupressure and the prevention of nausea and vomiting after laparoscopy. Br J Anaesth 1999;82(3):387-390. 6.      Harmon D, Ryan M, Kelly A, et al. Acupressure and prevention of nausea and vomiting during and after spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section. Br J Anaesth 2000;84(4):463-467. 7.      Ho CM, Hseu SS, Tsai SK, et al. Effect of P-6 acupressure on prevention of nausea and vomiting after epidural morphine for post-cesarean section pain relief. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 1996;40(3):372-375. 8.      Lewis IH, Pryn SJ, Reynolds PI, et al. Effect of P6 acupressure on postoperative vomiting in children undergoing outpatient strabismus correction. Br J Anaesth 1991;67(1):73-78. 9.      O'Brien B, Relyea MJ, Taerum T. Efficacy of P6 acupressure in the treatment of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1996;174(2):708-715. 10.  Schlager A, Boehler M, Puhringer F. Korean hand acupressure reduces postoperative vomiting in children after strabismus surgery. Br J Anaesth 2000;85(2):267-270. 11.  Stein DJ, Birnbach DJ, Danzer BI, et al. Acupressure versus intravenous metoclopramide to prevent nausea and vomiting during spinal anesthesia for cesarean section. Anesth Analg 1997;84(2):342-345. 12.  Stevensen C. Shiatsu. Complement Ther Nurs Midwifery 1997;3(6):168-170. 13.  Takeuchi H, Jawad MS, Eccles R. The effects of nasal massage of the "yingxiang" acupuncture point on nasal airway resistance and sensation of nasal airflow in patients with nasal congestion associated with acute upper respiratory tract infection. Am J Rhinol 1999;13(2):77-79. 14. Werntoft E, Dykes AK. Effect of acupressure on nausea and vomiting during pregnancy: a randomized, placebo-controlled, pilot study. J Reprod Med 2001;46(9):835-839. BACK TO TOP Read about more Scientific Studies. Click here to read Frequently Asked Questions.

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