Acupressure is a manual therapy technique that is used to relieve pain and muscle tension. Acupressure is performed using fingers gradually pressing onto key points around the body to simulate pain relief and muscle relaxation. The acupressure technique is used on trigger points within muscles and soft tissues. A trigger point is a neuromuscular point where a muscle and a nerve meet together and cause irritation. This meeting place often causes pain when compressed and can lead to muscle spasm. When acupressure technique is applied, pain is often reduced by interrupting pain signals to the brain and encouraging deep relaxation.
When is acupressure used?
Acupressure is a specialised massage technique that is used:
- Post Injury
- For pain relief
- To relieve tight Muscles
Acupressure is used to aid recovery after an injury occurs. Soft tissue injuries can result in scar tissue formation, increased tension and pain. Acupressure is effectively used to decrease tension and pain by reducing any scar tissue. The acupressure technique applies deep pressure onto an area of injury and temporarily restricts the blood flow. On release fresh blood circulation is stimulated allowing nutrients and oxygen to be delivered and the tissue repair process to begin. The deep pressure applied to scar tissue breaks down fibrous tissue and promotes tissue fibre realignment.
Acupressure is also used for pain relief. Muscular trigger points are commonly treated with acupressure. Trigger points are a sensitive area of the body that cause irritation and pain. Localised pain can be a dull or a sharp sensation and also can be felt in another area of the body.
Acupressure relieves aches, pains and tension caused by trigger points by stimulating the central nervous system and disturbing the pain signals sent to the brain.
Acupressure helps treat increased muscular tension. Muscular tension is caused by muscles contracting at a relaxed state. An increase of tension in a muscle leads to chronic tightness and pain. Acupressure is highly recommended to enable tension to be relieved. Acupressure stimulates an increase of blood and raises the temperature in muscles. Increased temperature relaxes muscles therefore reducing pain and tightness.
Benefits of acupressure
Acupressure techniques have many benefits. The benefits of acupressure are:
- Decreased tension
- Decreased pain
- Improved recovery
Acupressure helps release muscular tension. When muscles are tense or spasm, the muscle fibres contract together and increase in tone. Muscles contract due to a build-up of lactic acid caused by injury, fatigue, stress or poor circulation. Acupressure points can relieve muscular tension by applying maximal pressure into tense muscles to promote maximal relaxation. By releasing tension, range of movement in the muscles can increase.
Acupressure is also a beneficial massage technique to decrease pain. Acupressure helps treat pain by causing cellular death and increasing oxygenated blood. Acupressure applies direct pressure to a trigger point or acupressure point. This pressure restricts blood in the cells and causes cellular death. The brain registers cellular death and sends signals towards the area. Releasing the pressure then encourages an inflammatory response and generates a resurgence of new blood to repair cells.
Acupressure can speed up recovery from illness or injury. Acupressure helps stimulate meridian pathways that aim to revitalise the body. Encouraging meridian pathways are known to promote new health and prevent illness from occurring. Acupressure can also speed up the recovery of tissues after injury. Acupressure increases new blood and oxygen flow into the soft tissues. Fresh blood and oxygen help repair and heal damaged tissues.
