Shiatsu / Acupressure

Shiatsu is a Japanese form of massage therapy (the word shiatsu means "finger pressure" in Japanese). Shiatsu aims to promote health and healing by correcting energy imbalances in your body. Shiatsu emphasises the maintenance of health and the prevention of disease rather than treating a specific ailment.

However, Shiatsu can be especially useful for:

• Stress-related conditions
• Arthritis
• Back, neck, and shoulder pain
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Muscle tension
• Menstrual cramps (PMT)
• Asthma
• Constipation
• Nausea

Shiatsu practitioners use their fingers, thumbs, palms, elbows, knees, and feet to apply pressure to points along your body's main energy channels, known as meridians. The goal is to release energy where there are blockages and bring energy into areas that are depleted.

Shiatsu is based on some of the same principles as acupuncture, tai chi, and other forms of traditional Chinese medicine.

A more scientific explanation for Shiatsu's pain-relieving ability is that it initiates the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers. It may also lower the levels of adrenaline and other stress hormones in the body, stimulating a relaxation response.

There are many different types of shiatsu massage, and your practitioner may use a combination of techniques, including pressing, holding, stretching, and rotating parts of the body. Practitioners of Zen shiatsu, for example, use their whole bodies as leverage to apply strong pressure, while barefoot shiatsu practitioners bring the feet into play, as well as the hands, to rub and press tsubos. Other techniques employ rubbing and kneading motions.

While the treatment is generally relaxing, you may experience odd-seeming reactions in your body, such as gurgling stomach noises or a shudder as you release tension. Or, if the therapist works on an area where you have been storing tension caused by emotional upset, you may feel like crying. This is not unusual. A good practitioner will act compassionately and be supportive.

At the end of the session, you will probably feel very relaxed and may wish to sleep. Some people, however, may feel invigorated and exuberant. This sense of well-being may last for a few days after a treatment.