Acupuncture and acupressure. Do they work??

Hello, is it true that acupuncture and acupressure really work for almost any issue you may have?? I have a friend who is in need of some help and relief from anxiety and depression. Would any of these options be beneficial to him?? Also, I have tried to look up what acupuncture and acupressure really is but I can't seem to get a full description. The only thing that keeps popping up is something about opening the channels up. What are they talking about?? Sorry I'm new to this area of things and don't know. Thank you for any help or advice you may give me. I and my friend will be grateful for any ideas.

Yes, I used it for depression and it was like the 8th wonder of the world. The first practitioner I went to had been inspired to become an acupuncturist because she also had been treated with it for depression. She was wonderful. I met her when I was travelling abroad and going through a really bad patch. Then I came home to the midwest where such things are not so widely available and I went to a chiropractor who apparently had some training in the field and just did not have the same result - just didn't have the touch I guess. My advise is to ask around for a really good practitioner. The best thing about it is that it works immediately with out any side effects such as you have with medication. But you will have to do it regularly, possibly once a week or so until you are able to manage your depression by other ways - and that takes some psychology.

Oh - and the theory behind acupuncture and acupressure is that they alleviate the "energy blocks" that are held within your body and allow the Chi (your vital life energy) to circulate freely. It also balances the opposite energies of "yin" and "yang". This energy flows in certain directions on what is called "meridians" very much in the same way that blood circulates through the body along your arms and legs and through your organs via veins and arteries. These blocks, in my opinion, are very symbolic of blocks in the mind of issues that are yet to be resolved and this is projected onto the body as an energy block. Its kind of an upside down method of healing in that sense - because it treats symptoms of a deeper cause, but it can be an excellent foundation until you are able to get a grip on what is going on underneath.

There is a very complex theory behind all of it and so this is as far as I can take you on that path.

By the way, I decided to come back and add that the practice of Qi Gong and Tai Chi are also rooted in these theories of meridians and the balance of energy. They can be very helpful supplemental exercises to any acupuncture or acupressure treatments. They allow you to essentially treat yourself on a daily basis and its a nice slow easy and meditative exercise. Recommended. Source(s): Here is a link on acupuncture that looks like it has some basic info for you>
http://www.acupuncture.com/education/tcm...

ya my mom had acupunture and she said it worked
YEs, it helps you. I think you shouldn't be depend only on Acupuncture. Some of their medicines are not really bright.
im my health class at school we studyed these feilds. yes, there are "energy channels" that are belevied to run through your body. if you press one of these main channels with the accurate amount of pressure or have a needle pressed in the right channel, it will releive them. but do not try accupuncture yourself, go to a professional. as for accupuncture, that can be done by yourself. it may not work for all, but you should try it anyway. im not telling you its the best method, you should still thell your friend to go to a professional..... i wish i could tell you more about accupuncture, but we mainly focused on accupressure in school. good luck
Most acupuncture/pressure cures can be easily attributed to the placebo effect. If you think you'll get better, you will get better. I had acupressure for a few years about twenty years ago, and it worked like a charm . . . untill the pain was enough that I doubted that acupressure would work. It didn't that time, or any time after that.

Depression is nothing to take lightly, but most cases are treatable with drugs. I heard Danny Bonnaduce (sp?) say that the problem with with antidepressants isn't that they don't work, it's that they work well enough to convince you that you don't need them anymore.

Any time that you can't find hard information on a treatment, it's probably not real. Rent Penn and Teller's Bullsh*t, season 1: fung shui episode. Trust doctors. They saved my life.
Acupuncture is using needles
Acupressure is using pressure
I've had acupuncture and so have many of my friends/family for pain, injury, depression, etc. and we have all benefited greatly.