What is it?
With its origins in traditional Chinese medicine, shiatsu (which means finger pressure in Japanese) involves the application of pressure from the thumbs, palms of the hands, and sometimes elbows and knees, to specifically designated points (tsubos) along the energy channels of the body. Some stretching and holding techniques may also be incorporated into the treatment. Similarly to acupuncturists, shiatsu practitioners believe that illness or dysfunction results from blockage, underactivity or overactivity in these energy pathways (meridians) which are linked to the organs and systems of the body.
What does it treat?
As with virtually all alternative therapies, shiatsu treats the whole person (mind, body and spirit) and seeks out the fundamental cause of the problem, rather than solely concentrating on local symptoms. It is, however, deemed a valuable treatment for back pain, shoulder tension, headaches, some skin and digestive conditions, anxiety and insomnia. It can also be used alongside allopathic medicine to enhance recovery from serious illnesses. Shiatsu is not recommended for those with acute illnesses with fever. Practitioners will work more sensitively with clients with osteoporosis, inflamed joints, varicose veins, wounds or fractures and pregnant women. The treatment is given through the clothes while the patient lies on a soft mat on the floor.
A first timer's experience:
(37-year-old female writer) "Upon making the appointment, I was advised to wear loose, comfortable clothing and to have eaten at least one-and-a-half hours before the treatment. The first 20 minutes of the session were spent answering questions about the specific reason for coming for treatment (lower back pain, in my case) my lifestyle, past illnesses, job satisfaction, diet, exercise and how I expressed myself creatively. I felt the practitioner was very thorough and in no rush through these questions. He was relaxed, friendly and attentive to my answers. Then, to my surprise, I was asked to lie on my back on a mat on the floor (I expected a plinth of some sort).
"He picked up my right arm and stretched it out, putting pressure at certain points. Then, he put his hand on my stomach and putting deep pressure on it, rolled it back and forth like a piece of pastry. This felt a little uncomfortable. He lifted my legs up and, balancing them on his chest, pushed my legs down so that my knees were bent into my chest with the soles of my feet remaining on his chest. This gave my spine a really good stretch. Later he moved behind my head, turning my neck from side to side while putting pressure on the area where my skull meets my neck.
"This felt firm, yet very relaxing and pleasant. As time went on, I began to feel deeply relaxed and almost drifted in and out of sleep. At one point, the shiatsu practitioner stood over me and put his hands into the curve of my back, lifting me upwards. This felt nice, although I was wondering how far he was going to go. He also did some work on my arms and wrists and I was surprised at how sore they were. At another point, he pushed my shoulders back towards the floor.
"At the end of the one-and-a-half hour session, he left me lying down for a while and then slowly invited me back to a sitting position, after I had first walked around for a bit. He said I would benefit from a few more sessions if the pain returned to my lower back. He also recommended the Alexander technique to improve my posture and showed me a point on my calf to press to help me cope with the pain in my lower back. I felt some tenderness in this area after the session."
An advocate's view:
Jenny Button (33) is an administrator. "A year-and-a-half ago, when I developed a recurring pain in my lower back, I opted for shiatsu as a means of treatment. Having watched my father suffer from a degenerative disc disease for many years and witnessed the scale of physical and chemical intervention prescribed by traditional Western medicine and its debatable success, I was anxious not to launch myself down a similar path. Now, a year and some months later, I have been for over 40 shiatsu sessions.
"Within three months of treatment, I wasn't experiencing the same level of pain from my back. I still look forward to each session before I go, and so far I have never walked out of a treatment having had the same experience twice. There have been sessions during and after which I have experienced moments of extraordinary physical well-being and others where it has been hard to lie still on the mat for the whole session. Some sessions have been relaxing and others challenging and even tiring.
"Overall, my experience of shiatsu has been profoundly healing. My back is much stronger but, more than anything, I have come to realise in my physical being, the interconnectedness between mind and body."
The medical view:
Dr Muiris Houston, Irish Times Medical Correspondent says: "There are no clinical trials on the medical effects of shiatsu. However, as the therapy uses pressure on acupuncture points, it is reasonable to expect it to be more effective in relieving pain than a `sham' technique. Its proponents emphasise its broad health-improving benefits; these are far too broad to ever lend themselves to scientific analysis."
There are 25 practitioners registered with the Shiatsu Association of Ireland which can be contacted at P.O. box 7683, Malahide, Co Dublin or 01-2604669. Professional training varies from three to four years. Individual treatments cost £30 per one-hour session (the first treatment lasts one-and-a-half hours). See also: www.shiatsuireland.com
