Fibromyalgia and shiatsu

Asian medicine is effective at treating conditions where emotional disturbance or stress is an underlying factor.

by Brian Skow — 

Asian medicine (which includes Asian Bodywork Therapy or ABT, Chinese herbology and acupuncture) is effective at treating conditions where emotional disturbance or stress is an underlying factor. This includes insomnia, anxiety and depression, muscular tension, headaches, digestive disturbances, menstrual dysfunction and low resistance to infection.

Also included are multi-symptom illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia. While Western medicine has struggled to succeed with such disorders, Asian medicine has shown efficacy. Much of the evidence lies in case studies, but more experimental studies are being conducted.

One such study is supported by the Northwestern University School of Medicine and Zen Shiatsu Chicago. These two organizations are partnering in an unprecedented, ongoing national initiative to research the benefits of Asian Bodywork Therapy for individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Participants commit to a series of five treatments within 10 weeks and agree to fill out a health questionnaire before and after the series. Therapies are paid for by the client, but the therapist may offer a reduced rate.

If you wish to participate in the study, please contact a qualified ABT therapist and make the request. Qualified local therapists can be found using the directories on the Web sites of the American Organization for Bodywork Therapists of Asia (www.aobta.org) and National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (www.nccaom.org). If the therapist has not yet heard of the study, have her contact Zen Shiatsu Chicago (www.zenshiatsuchicago.org).

Brian Skow, M.S., LMT, AOBTA-CP, Dipl. ABT (NCCAOM), and owner of Shiatsu Works LLC, is a Shiatsu therapist working throughout the Valley. 602-770-4331, [email protected] or www.shiatsuworks.info.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 29, Number 2, Apr/May 2010.