#gaitpoints

Acupressure involves the stimulation of meridians on a body using pressure and is one of many Asian bodywork therapies (ABT). Meridians are invisible energy connections between organs that connect their vital life force or Qi. The theory is that if one of the meridians is blocked, then illness is a result. Acupressure seeks to restore the balance within the body (Juarascio). Recently my natural path suggested we try a form of acupressure by targeting “gait points” or points that “calm down the nervous system” (McIntyre). These “gait points” are in the hands and feet and can be stimulated by a finger applying pressure clockwise for 30 seconds (Kiefer).

There are also acupressure points that target the spine. Every other day I complete this ritual with the help of a family member. Sometimes the points are so sensitive I can barely stand for them to be touched. My fragile nervous system sends out a painful SOS, and I find myself cringing in pain. The effect isn’t immediate, and I can’t say that I feel any exact alignment during the treatment. However, if I do it more frequently, I have better days more often. I cannot explain how it works or where my faith in it lies. I’m a natural born skeptic, but I have seen the benefits of alternative medicine like yoga or meditation. I also believe that thousands of years of Chinese medicine cannot be wrong. Part of the treatment is your belief in it. Call it the placebo effect if you don’t believe in its legitimacy. But can it be the placebo effect if you don’t think it works? Could this be real?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17Fk84fVltPpf4AcG-JaHqhKc2TWDQDh_/view

*The above is a video link that shows me undergoing this treatment

As days go by I feel the clock ticking, and I think that I am “Under Pressure” as my body reacts to my slow wean off of Western pills and medicine. My body’s dependency on these drugs is sickening, and I hate that I have allowed it to go one for so long. Steroids have played a dangerous but essential role in my recovery, and all attempts to take less come with severe symptoms. I feel the drugs slowly losing their grip on me.

Juarascio, Adrienne, et al. “9.” Therapy in Sleep Medicine, Elsevier, 2012, pp. 126–139.

Kiefer, David. “Acupressure Points and Massage Treatment for Pain, Nausea, and More.” WebMD, WebMD, 21 Oct. 2017, www.webmd.com/balance/guide/acupressure-points-and-massage-treatment#1.