Acupressure [from Latin acus "needle" (see acuity) + pressure (n.)[1]] is an alternative medicine technique similar in principle to acupuncture. In treatment, physical pressure is applied to acupuncture points with the aim of clearing blockages in these meridians. Pressure may be applied by hand, by elbow, or with various devices. Some medical studies have suggested that acupressure may be effective at helping manage nausea and vomiting, for helping lower back pain, tension headaches, stomach ache, among other things, although such studies have been found to have a high likelihood of bias.[2] Like many alternative medicines, it may benefit from a placebo effect. systematic review of acupressure's effectiveness at treating symptoms found that 35 out of 43 randomized controlled trials had concluded that acupressure was effective at treating certain symptoms; however, the nature of these 43 studies "indicated a significant likelihood of bias." The authors of this systematic review concluded that this "review of clinical trials from the past decade did not provide rigorous support for the efficacy of acupressure for symptom management. Well-designed, randomized controlled studies are needed to determine the utility and efficacy of acupressure to manage a variety of symptoms in a number of patient populations."[2]
A 2011 Cochrane review of four trials using acupuncture and nine studies using acupressure to control pain in childbirth concluded that "acupuncture or acupressure may help relieve pain during labour, but more research is needed".[5] Another Cochrane Collaboration review found that massage provided some long-term benefit for low back pain, and stated: It seems that acupressure or pressure point massage techniques provide more relief than classic (Swedish) massage, although more research is needed to confirm this.
