-What is "general acupoint massage"?
-Why is it good?
-FAQs
1. Why does this massage start from the foot?
2. If I want to treat a particular disease, what shall I do?
3. How frequently and how long am I supposed to do this massage?
4. Why are there "transient manipulations"?
5. Why in some steps am I supposed to tap randomly at a certain place?

What is "general acupoint massage"?

"General acupoint massage" is a set of massage all over the body created according to long-term clinical experience and research into massage treatment. Among the large number of acupoints, the most effective ones are selected and used in coordination. Starting from the feet, moving along the meridians, the head, the back, and returning to the feet, massage manipulations such as digital pressing, fingertip tapping and hand rolling activate the acupoints, making all parts of the body coherent and in connection with each other through a system of acupoints. This improves the body's power of resistance to unhealthy external influences and leads to timely recovery of the ailing parts.

At first we used this massage as a supplementary treatment for patients convalescent from apoplectic hemiplegia and cardiovascular diseases. Later we performed this massage regularly on patients with serious kidney disease and diabetes unresponsive to medicines. It has proved to be very effective. While experiencing success over diseases of visceral organs and the circulatory system, we also have found the massage suitable to many other diseases such as scapulohumeral periarthritis, lumbar muscle strain, sciatica, and cervical spondylopathy.

Why is it good?

"General acupoint massage," unlike common massage methods which concentrate on a particular disease, emphasizes the concept of viewing and treating the body parts as a whole, approaching a problem from various perspectives, and regarding any problem as a problem of the whole body. So this set of massage is formulated primarily to improve the general condition. At the same time, it is particularly effective in curing visceral diseases.

This massage can be done without any equipment and under almost any conditions, so it is easily used as a way of home health care between husband and wife, or between family members. For old people, the capacity of the heart and lungs declines, resulting in a shortage of qi and blood. This causes failure of functional coordination among the visceral organs and malnutrition. Under such conditions, old people tend to contract diseases. To ward off this danger, medicines and tonics alone are not enough, because they can't help the organs to improve themselves. This massage, however, can improve health by strengthening the positive Qi and therefore nourishing the blood. It can effectively prevent diseases in the old such as headache and vertigo due to cerebral ischemia and senile dementia.

In the course of the massage, insidious diseases can also be detected in the light of their reflection on the superficies. Thus, the diseases can be treated at an early stage.

The massage is also good for the operator. During the course of the massage, the operator has to consume a certain amount of energy, activating the body organs to a higher level of activity and increasing metabolism. It is indeed an exercise for the visceral organs and the limbs. Therefore, this can be regarded as an exercise therapy.

Note: Although the effect of this massage is clinically proved, patients with serious diseases should not be treated solely with the massage, because it is not formulated for the treatment of any particular condition. In these cases, it is advised to use the massage as a supplement to the doctor's treatment and an exercise at home for improving health condition.

Questions and Answers

1. Why does this massage start from the foot?
Answer: Usually, the order is from the head to the foot. But the foot is the "end of the body," far from the visceral organs, where blood circulation is relatively slow. Local stagnancy of Qi and blood tends to happen in the foot and affect the general circulation of Qi and blood of the whole body. Starting from the foot can give a warming-up effect to the body so that the whole process will go smoothly. Besides, some pathological changes of visceral organs are reflected on the sole: there may be a lump or feeling of pain on a certain region. Sometimes, the sole is called "the second heart".

2. If I want to treat a particular disease, what shall I do?
Answer: Massage on a few selected points is permitted, but we propose that the whole set of massages be done first. Even in treating a particular disease, we believe, it is better to activate the whole organism first before massaging those acupoints which indicate that disease particularly. Again, we warn you not to depend solely on the massage for cure, although in some cases it has been as powerful as that.

3. How frequently and how long am I supposed to do this massage?
Answer: You can do it as often as once a day. For treating a disease, the minimum is two to three times each week for a total of 30 times as a course. Pause for half a month. Then start another course. This is quite effective for some chronic diseases. After the courses, doing it once or twice a week over a long term will prevent recurrence.

For those who just want to improve their health, perform the massage at least once a week. For people interested in athletic achievement, this massage is very good for relaxing and balancing functions of the body organs.

4. Why are there "transient manipulations"?
Answer: In short, transient manipulations are designed to connect different steps and make the whole process coherent. They are mostly applied to larger areas along the meridians. They have an effect of balancing the force of successive manipulations. Sometimes, it is not enough to massage the acupoint alone. For example, gastrosis makes not only Zusanli (ST 36) point painful to pressure but larger areas around the point. Transient manipulations cover such kind of areas.

5. Why in some steps am I supposed to tap randomly at a certain place?
Answer: Random tapping with varying force and speed is used to stir and smooth the meridians. You can try an experiment: tap Yiming (EX-HN 14) on the head, and you will feel a pulse corresponding to the tapping at Taichong (LR 3) on the foot. Different parts of the body are connected and must be connected. The random tapping smoothes the meridians so that Qi and blood can circulate freely. Random tapping has a better effect than tapping at a regular rhythm, because under a regular rhythm the body is prepared to receive the tapping and develops a kind of resistance. If people get hit unprepared, they always feel more pain than otherwise. For the random tapping, it is the same dynamic. It stirs up the body more.

(Source:A Family Massage Manual, Foreign Languages Press, 1992)