Why Choose Shiatsu As Your Massage of Choice?

I remember clearly the first time that I tried shiatsu massage therapy. I had not long returned from a year-long ‘sabatical’ trip to Asia and India post graduating from law school. I loved the university life but never enjoyed studying law. I studied law because I could and I never quit because I didn’t know what else to do at the time.

Upon my return from overseas, I was experiencing a lot of hip pain. The doctor offered my anti-inflammatories, which did nothing and the physio could not seem to completely resolve the issue with their machine and some simple exercises.

My friend, Sarah, had been studying shiatsu whilst I was away and offered me a session as part of her practice hours. I had no words to describe what I was feeling when she finished. I could feel blockages of energy suddenly release and surge through my body. In all of my 26 years, I had never experienced such a feeling quite like that before. I mean, I had experienced other types of massage before, but I had never felt the way that I did at the end, like having a shiatsu massage.

I booked in for a few more sessions and was astounded at the results that I received. No more pain in my hips!

Well, you could say that I was certainly more than intrigued! I enrolled in the next intake at the Shiatsu School of WA a couple of months later. What a journey that began for me!

It’s important to understand that shiatsu is one of the oldest forms of massage known. In English, the word shiatsu means “finger pressure” and is considered to be a Japanese form of bodywork.

Similar to acupuncture, shiatsu massage therapy is based on the holistic system of traditional Chinese medicine where the underlying philosophy is that a person does not feel well due to imbalances in their energy flow, or their life force.

To fix it, a shiatsu therapist uses finger and palm pressure on the energetic pathways known as meridians to improve their life force.

Scientists have a better explanation for this by saying that shiatsu calms the overactive sympathetic nervous system. By doing so, it helps improve blood circulation, relieves stiff muscles and alleviates stress.

For shiatsu to be effective, a shiatsu therapist applies perpendicular pressure to specific acupressure points and meridians in a continuous rhythmic sequence. By applying constant pressure to these points for slightly longer than you would receive a normal massage, the body begins to release its own endorphins. So the person leaves feeling so much more relaxed.

These endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers and while you might feel some pain when receiving the treatment, the release of the endorphins should make you feel energized soon after and for several days after the treatment.

A shiatsu treatment is done on a low massage table or on the floor on a futon mat. Two others things that differentiate this type of massage therapy from the rest is that it does no massage oil is used and it is done while you are fully clothed. This may be a comforting drawcard for those who prefer not to take their clothes off. Teenagers love shiatsu for this reason! 

Shiatsu treatment can relieve many different problems within the body, from stress and nausea to other symptoms that are caused by any form of blockages or circulation problems, such as:

• Anxiety
• Arthritis
• Back pain
• Constipation
• Depression
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Neck and shoulder pain
• Poor digestion
• Stress
• Tiredness
• Premenstrual syndrome.

It is so good that it is recommended to have shiatsu regularly as part of your health maintenance rituals or just for some well-deserved relaxation.

Not everybody can enjoy needles used in acupuncture, so shiatsu is a fantastic alternative. It is not safe for people who have open wounds, have undergone chemotherapy or radiation therapy, immediately after surgery, and are prone to blood clots. If you don’t have any of these problems, then by all means, you can enjoy a shiatsu.

When you schedule an appointment, make sure you don’t eat a heavy meal before going. Also, if it is your first time, try to be there at least 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment since you will have to fill up some forms first. But if you are regular, just be there 5 minutes before.

For shiatsu to be effective, the practitioner must be relaxed so he or she will be able to give comfort to the person lying down on the mattress. Proper positioning is also required and both hands must be used at all times even if one hand is still and the other is active.