Shiatsu is a type of massage therapy; it relives pain and enhances the flow of energy through the body’s energy pathways by applying gentle finger and hand pressure in the specific points of the body. Shiatsu’s practice is now noticeably popular in the West because of its benefits. Shiatsu is very beneficial to people because it is enjoyable, it helps in the maintenance of health and treatment of discomfort. Perhaps what is most appealing to the practice of Shiatsu is that it appears to develop the giver’s mental and physical sensitivity.
There are many supporters of Shiatsu who feels that the intuition and healing power which the giver gets through the practice of Shiatsu are the essential components of the practice and that theoretical knowledge is really necessary. However, most of these traditional therapies have an intellectual and theoretical component. Touch is the most important key element in Shiatsu treatment. As research has showed, touch is language that communicates with emotions through the body.
In a study conducted by Harvard Medical School, when anaesthetist holds their patients hand during the ongoing procedure of the patient, they found out that there is a significant decrease in the post operative stay and the pain management of the patient after surgery. Therefore, shiatsu is very effective either alone or with the combination of another treatment mode, in conditions where emotional disturbance or stress is an underlying cause.
Shiatsu is effective in treating ailments such as: the cases of insomnia (difficulty in sleeping), those patients suffering from anxiety and depression (emotional disturbances), muscular tension, headaches, disturbances in the digestive areas, dysfunction in the menstrual cycle and those patients that have weak resistance to infection. Shiatsu is also a treatment for disorders involving the musculoskeletal system, since it works directly on the tissues involved, such as: backache, synovitis, sprains and strains, neck and shoulder stiffness and joint pain.
Its localized physical effects, when correct techniques are used, also relieve: sinus congestion, retention of fluid in the tissues and poor circulation of the body. There are few disorders which shiatsu is contraindicated. Shiatsu is conventionally contraindicated for cancer on the grounds that it increases venous and lymphatic flow that may cause the disease to spread.
Pregnancy is also contraindicated with this practice because it is a general rule that direct pressure on the abdomen and certain points of the pregnant mother is contraindicated as this may contribute to miscarriage. Any kind of illness with acute fever is inappropriate for general Shiatsu treatment. Since fever is a sign that the body is already engaged in fighting off the infection and so the body must not be overloaded. Shiatsu is contraindicated with patients who have osteoporosis, for this may contribute to the damage to the bone.
The same caution should be used in patients who are undergoing chemotherapy because of the same reason. Traditionally Shiatsu is contraindicated to patients with high blood pressure because it can add up to the hard and forceful pressure that can damage the blood vessels. Light pressure techniques can be soothing and beneficial in some cases of high blood pressured patients. Elderly patients and other weak and debilitated receivers should also be treated cautiously and gently with shiatsu.
There are many systemic conditions in which shiatsu is only contraindicated on the affected part, this conditions are: varicose veins, wounds, fractures, scars and adhesions from operations, inflamed joints or areas which are inflamed and showing raw skin. Who can be allowed to practice the technique? If the person has completed an acceptable massage therapy training program of 500 or more hours that specializes in shiatsu can be qualified practice this therapy. The certified therapists must also be licensed by taking a local board exam and is registered in the state or country in which he/she is going to practice.