-What is "general acupoint
massage"?
-Why is it good?
-FAQs
1.?Why does this massage start from the
foot?
2.?If I want to treat a particular disease, what
shall I do?
3.?How frequently and how long am I supposed to
do this massage?
4.?Why are there "transient
manipulations"?
5. Why in some steps am I supposed to tap randomly at
a certain place?
What is "general acupoint
massage"?
"General acupoint massage" is a set of massage all over the body
created according to long-term clinical experience and research
into massage treatment. Among the large number of acupoints, the
most effective ones are selected and used in coordination. Starting
from the feet, moving along the meridians, the head, the back, and
returning to the feet, massage manipulations such as digital
pressing, fingertip tapping and hand rolling activate the
acupoints, making all parts of the body coherent and in connection
with each other through a system of acupoints. This improves the
body's power of resistance to unhealthy external influences and
leads to timely recovery of the ailing parts.
At first we used this massage as a supplementary treatment for
patients convalescent from apoplectic hemiplegia and cardiovascular
diseases. Later we performed this massage regularly on patients
with serious kidney disease and diabetes unresponsive to medicines.
It has proved to be very effective. While experiencing success over
diseases of visceral organs and the circulatory system, we also
have found the massage suitable to many other diseases such as
scapulohumeral periarthritis, lumbar muscle strain, sciatica, and
cervical spondylopathy.
Why is it good?
"General acupoint massage," unlike common massage methods which
concentrate on a particular disease, emphasizes the concept of
viewing and treating the body parts as a whole, approaching a
problem from various perspectives, and regarding any problem as a
problem of the whole body. So this set of massage is formulated
primarily to improve the general condition. At the same time, it is
particularly effective in curing visceral diseases.
This massage can be done without any equipment and under almost
any conditions, so it is easily used as a way of home health care
between husband and wife, or between family members. For old
people, the capacity of the heart and lungs declines, resulting in
a shortage of qi and blood. This causes failure of functional
coordination among the visceral organs and malnutrition. Under such
conditions, old people tend to contract diseases. To ward off this
danger, medicines and tonics alone are not enough, because they
can't help the organs to improve themselves. This massage, however,
can improve health by strengthening the positive Qi and therefore
nourishing the blood. It can effectively prevent diseases in the
old such as headache and vertigo due to cerebral ischemia and
senile dementia.
In the course of the massage, insidious diseases can also be
detected in the light of their reflection on the superficies. Thus,
the diseases can be treated at an early stage.
The massage is also good for the operator. During the course of
the massage, the operator has to consume a certain amount of
energy, activating the body organs to a higher level of activity
and increasing metabolism. It is indeed an exercise for the
visceral organs and the limbs. Therefore, this can be regarded as
an exercise therapy.
Note: Although the effect of this massage is clinically proved,
patients with serious diseases should not be treated solely with
the massage, because it is not formulated for the treatment of any
particular condition. In these cases, it is advised to use the
massage as a supplement to the doctor's treatment and an exercise
at home for improving health condition.
Questions and Answers
1.?Why does this massage start
from the foot?
Answer: Usually, the order is from the head to the foot.
But the foot is the "end of the body," far from the visceral
organs, where blood circulation is relatively slow. Local stagnancy
of Qi and blood tends to happen in the foot and affect the general
circulation of Qi and blood of the whole body. Starting from the
foot can give a warming-up effect to the body so that the whole
process will go smoothly. Besides, some pathological changes of
visceral organs are reflected on the sole: there may be a lump or
feeling of pain on a certain region. Sometimes, the sole is called
"the second heart".
2.?If I want to treat a
particular disease, what shall I do?
Answer: Massage on a few selected points is permitted, but we
propose that the whole set of massages be done first. Even in
treating a particular disease, we believe, it is better to activate
the whole organism first before massaging those acupoints which
indicate that disease particularly. Again, we warn you not to
depend solely on the massage for cure, although in some cases it
has been as powerful as that.
3.?How frequently and how long
am I supposed to do this massage?
Answer: You can do it as often as once a day. For
treating a disease, the minimum is two to three times each week for
a total of 30 times as a course. Pause for half a month. Then start
another course. This is quite effective for some chronic diseases.
After the courses, doing it once or twice a week over a long term
will prevent recurrence.
For those who just want to improve their health, perform the
massage at least once a week. For people interested in athletic
achievement, this massage is very good for relaxing and balancing
functions of the body organs.
4.?Why are there "transient
manipulations"?
Answer: In short, transient manipulations are designed to
connect different steps and make the whole process coherent. They
are mostly applied to larger areas along the meridians. They have
an effect of balancing the force of successive manipulations.
Sometimes, it is not enough to massage the acupoint alone. For
example, gastrosis makes not only Zusanli (ST 36) point painful to
pressure but larger areas around the point. Transient manipulations
cover such kind of areas.
5. Why in some steps am I supposed to
tap randomly at a certain place?
Answer: Random tapping with varying force and
speed is used to stir and smooth the meridians. You can try an
experiment: tap Yiming (EX-HN 14) on the head, and you will feel a
pulse corresponding to the tapping at Taichong (LR 3) on the foot.
Different parts of the body are connected and must be connected.
The random tapping smoothes the meridians so that Qi and blood can
circulate freely. Random tapping has a better effect than tapping
at a regular rhythm, because under a regular rhythm the body is
prepared to receive the tapping and develops a kind of resistance.
If people get hit unprepared, they always feel more pain than
otherwise. For the random tapping, it is the same dynamic. It stirs
up the body more.
(Source:A Family Massage Manual, Foreign Languages Press, 1992)