The art of Touch and Feel (2)

I often meet with workshop delegates who have little or no experience of actually touching their patients/clients so we have to start slowly and build up. The first exercise I ask them to do is to gently place both middle finger pads on the partner's leg on some area where I know there is a sparsity of acupoints - the hands are app. ten cms. (four inches) apart. Just see what happens! They can close their eyes, concentrate on life, universe or everything or just think nothing. It is amazing how many different reactions we get after holding two non-descript points for about two minutes (thats a long time if you arn't used to touching!) Some of them say that there's an increase in heat under the fingers, some say that there is a kind of buzzing or some other kind of senstaion. I also ask what the model is feeling. I then proceed to go to touching (just touching mark you- not massaging or stimulating in any way) two acupoints on the same meridian (although I don't tell them that) and see what the difference is! We then do some stimulating massage on these points and again see the diference.There are scores of disparate sensations to be had.

I mention this to try and prove a couple of things. Firstly there is no right or wrong in the sensation that you will have - we are all different. Secondly - less is more!! Clinical acupressure is not about attacking the acupoint like a bull in a china shop as sometime occurs in both acupuncture and some types of reflexology. The secret in treating just one point (without balancing) is to place the finger on the point slowly, then initially do some gentle circular movements and trying to tune in to what the point is actually telling you. For instance if you wanted to try to ease a chronic condition of muscle imbalance - one of the main points would be LR 3 (between the great toe and second toe). Gently place your finger pad on the point and do some gentle but firm circular movements for a few seconds - this is the  equivalent of obtaining de qui in acupuncture. Then just hold the point and see what happens. If, after a minute there is no discernible alteration in sensation, then try some more circular massage. After a while you will detect a change of sensation - then just hold the point without tonifying in any way. This needs to coupled with FOCUS and INTENTION on your part. Experience will tell you when the acupoint has been properly treated. At no time are you aloof of your client - you tune in to what they are feeling. When you are dealing with acute conditions - keep the fingers still at all times. More next time.

The art of Touch and Feel (1)

I have lived quite a schizophrenic existence in my career. I am both orthodox and complementary (I hate the word 'alternative') and have spent many years pioneering integrative medicine. In my complementary medical career I have practised many different types of therapy including homoeopathy, radiesthesia, acupuncture, acupressure, reflexology, craniosacral therapy, chakra therapy, reiki and naturopathy. I am often asked which of these I liked doing the most. the answer is always anything that requires touch and feel i.e. all the bodywork modalities. When I qualified as an acupuncturist in 1978, having been a physiotherapist for 8 years, what I tried to do then, and what I have attempted to do since is to combine the two! What could be better I thought than combining Chinese medicine and physical therapy to give the best of both worlds. I soon learnt, though, that we are all made differently and my colleagues often saw things in  a completely different light to me. Only a small fraction of physiotherapists actually touch their patients (this seems to be getting worse year on year) so why should I pioneer 'touch'. Similarly not many acupuncturists actually want to combine touch with needling, even though, strictly speaking, traditional Chinese medicine means using needle, moxa, herbs, diet AND touch.

I have lost track of the times in lecturing or in print that I have shouted from the rooftops the importance of touch and feel and that acupressure is not a watered down version of acupuncture. Much of this may have fallen onto deaf ears, but also I know that hundreds of my students, pupils and readers have, like me, found that the correct use of acupressure - in all its forms - is infinitely superior to needling. I am certainly not decrying acupuncture - heaven forbid. But what I am saying is that there are thousands of acupuncturists out there who do not know what they are missing by not using touch and feel as extra strings to their bow. I shall expand on these thoughts over the next couple of blogs. Take care - JRC

Update and New Book

Sorry for lack of blogs lately. Whoever said that retirement brings more free time was obviously not retired! Went to Edinburgh last week to see the consultant neurosurgeon and have another scan (my 6th and final one TYG). For those of you who are geographically ignorant re. Scotland (that includes many folk who live in Scotland) - it takes me about 8 hours to get to Edinburgh by car, 2 trains and cab. So with an overnight stay it meant being away from home for  40 hours - all for a 10 minute consultation!! The good news is that the surgery went well and the scan showed that the 'plastic' disc in my neck was well entrenched. The bad news is that it doesn't seem to have helped much as the pain levels are still high. He did suggest me taking vitamin B12 and Folic acid even though I take several herbal and vitamin remedies already. I was surprised that a neurosurgeon gave me vitamin advice - there is hope for integrative medicine on the NHS after all .

The 'Light Touch Reflextherapy' book is finally published. I had ordered over 100 copies from AuthorHouse the publisher in Indiana, although they are actually printed in Milton Keynes, UK. They took 44 days from order to arrival - not bad going for something that was supposed to be urgent. I had several folk waiting for copies from all round the world so that was a bit of a pain for them to be kept waiting. I had a very good service from the publishers apart from the last six weeks. Now the fun begins!! I am sending out review copies to many of the reflexology journals home and abroad and advertising in Positive Health and other on line and hard copy magazines. It is a very expensive exercise and of course all the expense is up front with returns in dribs and drabs. First reactions from those who have read it though, are favourable.

I have already written out the Synopsis for the next book on Acupressure and Homoeopathy combinations. This, too, will be self published though I may get the printing done locally. It will be a small booklet and am hoping that this will fill a void as it is aimed at the lay person and not the medical professional. The more, though, that I research the topic, the more exciting it becomes and I am wondering why on earth I get these urges to write and to share knowledge - it is a masochistic existence sometimes. What really makes it all worth while is when I receive an email or letter informing me how much the teaching has helped and how, in turn, they have been able to help their own clients.