What Is Acupressure And How Does It Work?

A practice thousands of years old, acupressure is an alternative medicine using trigger points. People might use an acupressure session to treat headaches, nausea, and vomiting. A practice embodying wellness and health, this ancient medicine is still popular today. 

Acupressure and acupuncture are often grouped under the same term. While there are some similarities, acupressure requires different techniques and skills.

We'll share the benefits of acupressure, how it works and how you can learn acupressure. From learning the pressure points to the best training courses, follow our guide to acupressure. 

What is acupressure?

Acupressure is a form of alternative medicine based on the traditional Chinese understanding of meridians running throughout the body. 

Meridians are invisible flows of energy, or life force, connecting organs throughout the body. Acupressure points are along these meridians in soft tissues.

Acupressurists believe that illness occurs when the energy is blocked. An acupressure therapist massages these points on the body to relieve an obstructed flow of energy. 

To begin acupressure massage therapy, apply pressure to these points and increase for thirty seconds. Then hold the force for two minutes, decrease it for thirty seconds, and repeat three to five times. 

Like acupuncture, acupressure relieves pain, such as low back pain or headaches, and can assist or advise diagnosis or treatment. Acupuncture and acupressure are relatively similar, and the latter is often called acupuncture without needles. 

In contrast, acupressure uses dry needling to target the pressure points. Unlike acupuncture, you can practice acupressure yourself. As a form of personal care, learn the pressure points or invest in acupressure mats.

Who invented acupressure?

Acupressure is an ancient form of Chinese medicine that dates back to around 5,000 years ago. Acupressure uses theories of qi, which translates to "breath." Qi references the energetic flow throughout the body. 

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is used in contemporary life to treat all sorts of ailments, from low back pain to nausea. The techniques are relatively unchanged, and modern medicine uses many traditional Chinese medicinal methods to treat diseases and injuries. 

Does acupressure work?

Alternative therapies like acupuncture and integrative medicine can have many benefits for your health. Acupuncture or acupressure are broadly accepted to be decisive against nausea and headaches. 

While acupressure does not claim to heal every disease, it is a complementary sound therapy to help combat symptoms and ease patients' symptoms. 

While many Western healthcare practitioners refuse to believe in the existence of meridians and energy flows, there is no denying acupressure benefits. Applying pressure to specific points of the body relaxes muscles, improves circulation, and encourages endorphins. 

There is strong evidence to suggest that acupressure acts as immediate pain relief. Therefore, regular acupressure can help with heart health and body wellness. You can practice acupressure manual therapy yourself by learning the pressure points. 

Is acupressure scientific? 

Unlike acupuncture, there is little research into acupressure, and medical researchers may dispute the theories in Western scientific circles. That said, the effects of acupressure are undeniable. 

Whether the healing results arise from improved blood circulation or freeing energy flows, there is evidence it works. It has survived 5,000 years, which might suggest that acupressure is effective.

If you want to learn more about how acupressure works, consider taking an online course. Some courses teach you the history of acupressure, the Eastern and Western approaches, and how to run an acupressure session.

What are the benefits of acupressure?

There are many health benefits to acupressure. Whether you want to ensure healthy aging or have a specific muscle strain or neck pain to target, acupressure is excellent alternative medicine. 

There is some research to suggest that acupressure can help multiple sclerosis and psoriatic arthritis. Despite being such an ancient form of medicine, the full benefits and potential of acupressure are unknown.

Many different illnesses, ailments, and injuries benefit from acupressure. Recently, it has found particular value in cancer treatment. Here are seven benefits you need to know:

1. Acupressure for nausea

Whether you're suffering from morning sickness or motion sickness, acupressure can help relieve it. The pressure point P-6, on the inner arm near the wrist, is used to relieve nausea. 

2. Cancer care

Cancer centers recommend acupressure to relieve the pain of cancer and the effects of chemotherapy. Acupressure might also boost the immune system to help fight illness. Patients with breast cancer might consider acupressure to make life more comfortable. 

3. Acupressure for pain

Chronic pain, joint pain, knee pain, or lower back pain all benefit from acupressure. Pressing on pressure points helps release muscle tension and promotes circulation. Massages like myofascial release can help relieve chronic pain.

4. Headaches 

Similarly, acupressure can be an excellent treatment for headaches. Try acupressure on LI-4, between the thumb and index finger. Reducing pain this way can be done as many times as you need to within a day. 

5. Mental health 

Acupressure can assist with stress and anxiety, and HT-7 and PC-6 are strong pressure points to help cure depression. There has been significant evidence to suggest that acupressure is beneficial for your mental health.

6. Sports injuries 

Acupressure is a good form of massage therapy to receive after an injury, assisting with pain management and aiding healing. It can promote faster recovery times and improved strength, and it can also assist with preventing damage. 

7. Weight loss 

Pressure points including ST-36, SP-6, CV-12, GV-26, and SP-10 are all considered essential to aid weight loss. Although there is little evidence that acupressure assists weight loss, there is some evidence that it can help your weight loss journey. 

Does acupressure hurt?

As acupressure centers around pain relief, health and wellness, it should not hurt. However, there are some instances where you might be wary and perhaps should not perform acupressure. Instances where you should take care: 

• Uncontrolled blood pressure.

• Heart disease.

• Bleeding disorder.

• Recent injury.

• Easy bruising.

• Cancer.

Although acupressure is an excellent treatment for many of these ailments, you should be careful about how you practice. For example, you don't want to put pressure on a recent fracture. 

After acupressure, you may feel slightly sore or lightheaded. Learning the proper techniques and becoming a certified acupressure practitioner will ensure that you practice safely. You can learn acupressure through an online training course. 

How to learn acupressure points?

There are 361 acupressure points charted along the meridians. To learn acupressure points, you need to be aware of the meridian lines. The main meridians are:

• Lung (LU).

• Pericardium (PC).

• Heart (HT).

• Large Intestine (LI).

• Triple Energizer (TE).

• Small Intestine (SI).

• Spleen (SP).

• Liver (LR).

• Kidney (KI).

• Stomach (ST).

• Gallbladder (GB).

• Bladder (BL).

Pressure points lie along these meridians, and acupuncture points are the same. The efficacy of acupressure relies on your understanding of the pressure points and how they relate to the meridians (body's external features).

Whether you want to learn for informational purposes or as part of continuing medical education, the best way is professional training. 

Online training courses teach you the meridian systems and how to use acupressure for massage techniques. You will also learn how to develop from self-administered acupressure to opening your own business.

Launching your own acupressure business is a lucrative career. From running acupressure sessions to helping to provide medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment, it is a varied job. Many massage therapists also benefit from becoming certified in acupressure.

How to become certified in acupressure?

You don't have to be a healthcare professional to become certified in acupressure. To become certified, you need to take an online certification course. 

At Courses for Success, we offer an Acupressure Online Certificate Course. Upon finishing, you will receive a certificate to prove your competency. The course covers acupressure techniques, treatments, and therapeutic areas. 

It also teaches you how you can launch your own acupressure business. The course materials are available 24/7 and accessible online for anyone to learn. 

Why Courses for Success?

Courses for Success offers over 10,000 online courses, all of which aim to help you in your personal development and career progression. Not only that, but you can also study them anywhere and at any time, and take them at your own pace, too.

You don't need career diplomas or specific experience to get started. From our coding courses and trading courses to design courses and developer courses, every course we offer will help boost your prospects, no matter who you are.

Beyond just the education itself, students will be issued a certificate online after completing each of the learning courses they do. Our online acupressure courses are no exception and are recognized by industry leaders. You could make a name for yourself by signing up for a Courses for Success short course today.