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All conditions presenting for the bodywork therapist must be assessed as either acute or chronic and/or Inflammatory or non-inflammatory. If the condition is a recent or acute injury or inflammatory then the use of Ear Points (Ear Reflexology) and distal Acupressure points can be a very useful combination. Topically the use of North Pole magnets locally will ease the pain through stimulation of micro circulation and easing pain receptors on the injured area. Intra tissue bleeding issues and or inflammation must be addressed first before other body work can be employed.

If the condition is not too painful or acute and becomes chronic (this is the situation in most bodywork clinics) then bodywork therapies may be engaged such as Trigger point therapy, Myofacial Release, Craniosacral Therapy etc.

Craniosacral Therapy, Positional Release or Myofascial Release techniques may be employed if there is facial restrictions. If the restriction is not addressed then blood, nerves and meridian pathways will be blocked and constricted. If these areas are not released then acupressure techniques may not be effective as meridian pathways will be impeded. Energy will not flow to where it is supposed to go.

After engaging the above structural therapies then the use of acupressure techniques to treat the problem by is certainly indicated. For example, for a lumbar strain after trigger pointing or Myofascial releasing etc. you may work on the Back shu points e.g. Bladder 23 and then use the remote points Bladder 40 and 60. Lumbar ear points can be used conjointly. This is an example only as there are many other points or combinations that can be used for this condition. The concept is to treat structurally, then treat energetically to hasten the healing process.

Treat frequently but using every technique in the book in one session will usually make the condition worse!

This is especially true if the client is exhausted or deficient. Remember for non-inflammatory conditions the use of moxa or Thermotherapy (heat) is the indicated therapy on acupoints. This is especially indicated for chronic or cold conditions where there is stiffness or restricted movement.

Chinese moxa acts as a laser beam on the points and if applied locally to the area affected, can promote micro circulation.

You may undertake a five element diagnosis for chronic complaints. If the injury is not caused by acute trauma then it may be caused by disordered bio-electrics or a constitutional imbalance. For example, the patient injures their back by lifting a heavy object, this would certainly fit into the acute or trauma category and may not need constitutional therapy, but if they put their back out by picking up a paper clip on the floor then suspect chronicity and that something else has contributed to their condition. That may mean treating their element or elements that are out of synch (see other blogs for constitutional therapy and acupressure).

Example, if the client has a bad back and the Water element ( kidney organ ) is found to be out of balance then employment of tonification of the Kidney Meridian organ and associated points may be in order. Other elements may also be out of balance e.g. the Wood element (liver) or the earth element (spleen) . Do not try and balance all elements perceived as out of balance in the one session as this too can cause too much stimulation to the client and lead to fatigue as the person tries to re-organize their energy networks.

Remember to treat the symptoms first with structural bodywork therapies and then employ energetics.

Ps another tip: if your client is exhausted or stressed then proper healing of any injury will be retarded due to the cortisol reaction in the body. Too much circulating cortisol leads to a whole spectrum of immune type disorders including blood sugar problems and muscle hyper tonicity. Addressing the underlying issue may mean the taking of adrenal tonics to “ raise the chi “ or energy levels. This will speed up the healing process.