Reiki Therapy – Touch and Posture Complementary Therapies

Touch and Posture Complementary Therapies

Where an individual has a chronic or persistent health problem and medicines alone are failing to relieve the painful symptoms, orthodox doctors are now recommending, and indeed have been for some years now, complementary therapies to aid in relieving a patient’s pain or discomfort, and to aid in their recovery.

Osteopathy

Good For:

Back and joint pain, aches and strains; rheumatism, sciatica, arthritis, sports injuries; PMS; and asthma.

The lowdown:

Osteopathy deals not only with bones, but also with the tendons, ligaments and muscles that hold them in place and allow them to move. In a healthy musculo-skeletal system these interact smoothly but poor posture, a lifetime of carrying heavy loads, strain or injury can throw the system out of balance, causing restricted mobility and pain.

It’s the osteopaths job to relieve that strain by systematic massage and manipulation. Practitioners ease joints back into place by positioning and supporting the body in a series of rhythmic movements and deep stretches. They prod or “palpate” tissues, muscles and joints to test their temperature, tension, shape and reflex. They check your standing, sitting and lying posture to determine the origins of the imbalance.

Cranio-Sacral Therapy

Good for:

Headaches, migraine and sinus problems; stress and posture-related shoulder and back pain.

The lowdown:

An offshoot of cranial osteopathy that uses extremely subtle manipulation to free tension between the bones of the head and spine. The region from the cranium (top of the head) to the sacrum (base of the spine) has an energy system with its own subtle pulse. Tension blocks can affect the entire body as every organ, muscle and tissue group is linked by nerves to points on the cranio-sacral system. Similarly feedback from a stiff limb joint can upset the subtle cranio-sacral circulation and throw the body off balance.

The touch is feather-light and deeply relaxing. Therapists believe that the body tenses in defence against rough handling, and yields more readily to subtle coaxin. Their role is simply to support the head, spine and occasionally other zones and allow tension to uncoil. At the end of a successful session, you feel refreshed and pleasantly expanded.

An important part of cranio-sacral work is with babies and children. Therapists recommend that infants are checked within six months of birth to ensure the soft platelets in their skull have recovered from compression in the birth canal or from forceps during a breach birth. Babies who are treated sleep and eat better and seem better adjusted.

Shiatsu

Good for:

Emotional and physical stress, which often underlie other symptoms; back and shoulder tension, rheumatism, arthritis; digestive problems; migraine; asthma; and insomnia.

The lowdown:

Shiatsu is a Japanese form of acupressure – acupuncture without needles. Points along the body’s subtle energy channels, or meridians, are stimulated to clear blocks and re-balance energy flow, and also to disperse lactic acid and carbon monoxide that accumulates in muscles, causing stiffness and cramped circulation. Freeing muscular tension also liberates the skeletal system and internal organs and often prompts emotional release.

Massage takes place fully clothed, except for shoes. At the start of the session, the practitioner gauges your general state by taking your pulse and gently prodding your back and stomach. In shiatsu, the hara (abdominal zone) is seen as a map of your entire well-being. Massage can be quite vigorous  and occasionally painful, or extremely gentle – it’s up to you and your body to call the pace. The practitioner rubs, strokes and presses the acupoints and lifts, moves and stretches your limbs. He may also hold you in various positions with his hands, arms, knees and feet to encourage the flow of ki through individual meridians.

Reflexology

Good for:

Health and energy maintenance; problems with digestion, constipation; fluid retention, such as swollen legs and puffy ankles; menstrual bloating, cramps and irregularities; menopausal symptoms; stress, fatigue and migraines; skin problems.

The lowdown:

A technique of treating the entire body by massaging reflex points in the foot and occasionally the hands. Because the body’s six major meridians (energy channels) all end in the feet, each part of the foot relates to a body zone. Imagine the toe as your head, your instep as your waistline and your heel as the base of your spine. By stimulating relevant points, the therapist eases tension, dissolves blockages and boosts the circulation of energy blood and lymph to and from the organs.

For one hour to 90 minutes the bare feet are manipulated while you lie back fully clothed. The therapist applies firm finger and thumb pressure over the sole and around the heels and ankles. Reflexologists say that congestion feels like granular crystals underneath the skin, which they aim to break down and disperse. To you, the zone may feel sensitive, ranging from mildly tingling to downright sore.

Reiki Therapy

Good for:

Reiki therapy is good for relaxation, muscle strain, general aches and pains; immune-related conditions such as ME and HIV.  Reiki is also a powerful self-development tool.

The lowdown:

This controversial hands-on healing system known as Reiki therapy, is one of the fastest-growing therapies in the West. Developed in the mid-1800s by Dr Mikao Usui, Reiki loosely means the free flow of universal energy or ki – the Japanese chi.

Practitioners act as conductors for universal energy. Practitioners believe that Reiki has a balancing effect on the body During 90 minutes of treatment, the practitioner places his hands, for up to 10 minutes at a time, over the   entire head and body; front and back. Individual areas can also be treated – a painful joint, say, or an aching head. The patient usually feels intense warmth, tingling sensations or gentle pulses of energy. Afterwards you feel deeply relaxed or energized and in far less pain.

Alexander Technique

Good for:

Anxiety, arthritis, asthma, lower back pain, depression, fatigue, stiff neck and shoulders, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, repetitive strain injury (RST), breathing disorders, headaches and gynaecological problems.

The lowdown:

Alexander technique is a postural new way of life. The system teaches how to sit, stand and move efficiently and gracefully without straining any area of your body. Everyone develops constricting postural habits that limit their full health potential. Stiff joints, shallow breathing, restricted circulation, back ache and the classic “dowagers hump” are common symptoms of this sedentary age of hunching over keyboards. Poor posture often has psychological links – depressed people tend to collapse into themselves and rarely keep their “chin up”.

An Alexander session is usually on a one-to—one, teacher-pupil basis. During the first session, your standing, walking, sitting and lying posture is assessed, while the teacher gently guides you into optimum positions that your body will eventually learn with practice.