Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Electro-Acupressure, What is it?




Well, before you can answer that question, you need a basic understanding of Acupuncture theory. 
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese system of treatment.  The theory behind it is that energy circulates in the body thru specific channels, called meridians.  It is of great importance that this energy be balanced, side to side, top to bottom, and inside to the outside.   

Balancing is based on the doctrine of Yin and Yang… that everything is amalgam of opposites and is to be in dynamic or ever-changing balance.  Yang is associated with activity, fire, the sunny side of the hill or male principle.  The Yin is associated with physical substance, water, the dark side of the hill or female principle.

Within these meridians is the flow of energy, also known as “Chi”.  If a blockage in the flow of energy occurs, then illness will result.   An example would be pain in the neck and upper arm, in Chinese medicine this would indicate a blockage in the small intestine meridian (this runs over the upper back and arm region).  The remedy for this would be, according to traditional Acupuncture, to insert a needle at the point of discomfort, encouraging flow to re-establish itself. 

The remedy for this same ailment with Electro-Acupressure with the exception that instead of needle uses to stimulate an acupuncture point, a small electrical impulse is used instead.  In Chinese medicine these points are called “Ah-Shi” (“ouch” points), in Electro-Acupressure the same points are referred to as “trigger points”.

Treatment traditionally includes a series of sessions, depending on the acute or chronic nature of pain, is comfortable and lasts less than 30 minutes.  For extreme conditions, acute sessions can be multiple times a day until the pain is gone and chronic conditions can be daily for up to 30 days.  However the speed of recovery is truly based on the desires of recovery requested by the patient.