Massage Therapy: Jin Shin Do and Pain Management
Posted by Jennifer Shaw on Thu, Mar 11, 2010 @ 06:00 AM
By Gayl Hubatch, OMD, LMT
Don't ignore your pain!
Pain is a message from your body that something is wrong. Your body needs help! Some people may have been told when something hurts, "Don’t touch it," "Leave it alone" or "Ignore it. It’ll go away."
This way of thinking is not good for your health. Your body communicates in many ways. Pain communicates that your help is needed now and guides you to the points that will relieve the pain.
Rub and press when it feels good to do so, but stop what you are doing when it doesn’t feel good. Don’t aggravate the pain and swelling; get in touch with the place and the surrounding tissue.
If rubbing aggravates the pain then stop rubbing. Find an acupressure point and another nearby point that feels like it could release some energy. After surveying the area, find the most painful point. Then press and hold it without moving. Relax and get comfortable. Combining two acupressure points is critical to move the excess chi (pain and swelling) away from the injuried site.
Jin Shin Do is a slow hold technique that will move the excess energy away from the trauma and circulate it back into the meridians.
You may experience a tingly, glowing, flowing feeling.
You may feel currents—some warm and some cold. Pressing points will remove the stagnant energy, which helps to restore proper circulation of blood and lymph often resulting in the reduction of pain.
Interested in learning more about Jin Shin Do? Lauterstein-Conway Massage School offers a variety of massage CE workshops. Check out our upcoming massage continuing education classes.