Your Questions Answered

• How Does Shiatsu Work?

  You will know about the network of veins, arteries and nerves running throughout our bodies. In addition we have a network of energy paths personal to each of us. These are called Ki (pronounced "key") channels or meridians. When Ki is flowing smoothly through the meridians and throughout the body, we feel well, physically, mentally and emotionally.

  In Oriental medicine, mind and body are not considered separate, so with the wellness of smooth flowing Ki comes a sense of spiritual wellbeing, of being at peace with ourselves.

  Sometimes the flow of Ki can be disrupted either through external circumstances such as shock or accident, or through internal disturbance, which may be caused by something like a dietary imbalance.

  The body presents imbalance in many forms: discomfort, emotional swings, aches and pains, feelings of restlessness, insomnia and many others.

  The quality of touch in a Shiatsu treatment assists the client’s own self-healing process and helps to rebalance and regulate the flow of Ki, holistically. The purpose of Shiatsu is to encourage a free flow of Ki throughout the body.

• What Can Shiatsu Treat?

  Conditions that can be helped by Shiatsu include:

  • Anxiety
  • Arthritic conditions
  • Backache, neck ache, whiplash
  • Emotional difficulties
  • Headaches/migraines
  • Insomnia
  • Intestinal disorders (irritable bowel syndrome, Colitis, constipation, and diarrhoea)
  • Joint pain and reduced mobility
  • Menstrual symptoms
  • Menopausal symptoms
  • Muscular tensions
  • Respiratory difficulties (asthma, bronchitis and recurrent chest infections)
  • Sinusitis
  • Stress-related disorders.

  Almost any physical or mental condition can benefit from Shiatsu. Stress, tension, musculo-skeletal problems (e.g. whiplash and backache) and menstrual problems are among the commonest reasons for consulting a Shiatsu therapist.

• What are the Benefits of Shiatsu?

  Shiatsu can help you to reduce stress and tension, to feel calmer, and more at ease with yourself and life in general.

  People often feel a sense of deep relaxation and afterwards increased energy levels, better appetite and sleep, physically more relaxed and mentally alert, as well as an increased sense of wellbeing.

  Many people have Shiatsu not because they are ill, but because they feel it helps them maintain their health and wellbeing, their ability to relax and they feel it improves the quality of their life.

• Can Shiatsu Help During Pregnancy?

  Shiatsu is a wonderful way to relax deeply in pregnancy and increase physical and emotional awareness of your own body and your unborn baby.

  Shiatsu can also help with:

  • Heartburn
  • Constipation
  • Haemorrhoids
  • Nausea
  • Lower back pain
  • Oedema
  • Cramps

• Can Shiatsu Help During Menopause?

  Menopause is a natural process and Shiatsu can help with symptoms such as:

  • Anxiety, tearfulness
  • Difficulties with concentration
  • Hot flushes and night sweats
  • Irritability
  • Lack of focus

• Can Shiatsu Do Any Harm?

  By its nature, it is almost impossible for Shiatsu to have harmful effects. The aim of shiatsu is to move energy around the body in such a way as to relieve tensions, stresses and imbalances. The practitioner works with the client’s body in aid and collaboration.

• How Does Shiatsu Diagnosis Work?

  Shiatsu diagnosis is holistic rather than analytical. A Shiatsu practitioner will develop an understanding of your health from symptoms, visual observation, observation of patterns of behaviour and through touch. Touch diagnosis is usually on the abdomen, known as the hara in Japanese. Gentle palpation of the hara reveals subtle imbalances, which inform the treatment plan. Sometimes diagnosis may be done on the back instead.

• Is Shiatsu a Form of Healing?

  Shiatsu is an aid to healing.

  The Shiatsu practitioner works to assist the body’s natural health and healing process by encouraging the client’s Ki or energy to flow more effectively, thus helping them move into a more balanced state and assisting the client to feel more connected and “in-tune” with their own ‘self-healing process’.

• Is Shiatsu Complementary or Alternative Therapy?

  Shiatsu is complementary to western medicine, not an alternative to it. The most common syndromes considered amenable to Shiatsu are:

  Stress, anxiety and depression, backaches, coughs, colds, headaches, migraine, stiff necks and shoulders, menstrual and menopausal problems, respiratory illnesses including asthma and bronchitis, sinus problems and catarrh, insomnia, tension, fatigue and weakness, digestive disorders and bowel trouble, circulatory problems, rheumatic and arthritic complaints, sciatica and conditions following sprains and injuries.

  Treatment of all these conditions will be given according to Oriental diagnosis, however it is always important that the modern Western diagnosis is confirmed and considered as well. Both Shiatsu (and other complementary therapies) and Western medicine have important roles to play in health.

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My clinics are in Macclesfield, Cheshire, including Trinity House Practice