Treatment Protocols
Part 2
by Kamron Jafari
There are a number of different types of therapeutic treatment possibilities available to the user of D.H.A. Treatment protocols range in terms of depth and complexity, and thus, effective utilization depends on the practitioner. The therapeutic approach that will be introduced here is of the most practical and basic use: corresponding point therapy.
This treatment method only requires the ability to read and understand the microsystem mapping of the body on the hand: something you are now an expert at! When treating pain and discomfort, first and foremost, it is imperative to be aware of the exact area of pain in the body. Upon identifying the ailing part of the body, inspect the corresponding area on the hand. Using a pressure-probe, carefully palpate the region, looking for the most tender point; it is this point that is treated via needling, massage, moxa, etc. Even without the use of needles, by applying regular pressure and massage to a particular point you are able to elicit a therapeutic effect that can be just as good as or even better than needling.
Taking Dasari Hand Acupuncture into your own hands!
After being developed and officially recognized, Korean Hand Acupuncture boomed in popularity because of its practicality and efficacy as a self-treatment method. In Korea, tens of thousands of people are practitioners of hand acupuncture, a large majority of them being everyday lay men who use it on themselves. In Korea, those with interest are readily taught the basic treatment protocols, and it is legal for them to administer hand acupuncture on themselves. The simplicity and safety with which it can be used to relieve pain has contributed to its growing popularity across the globe.
But as it is so often said, “Seeing is believing”! So are you ready to try it for yourself? Let’s take a look at three common ailments ready to be solved with your new knowledge!
Headaches
- Where is the headache?
It’s important to first identify the exact areas of tension or pain when you have a headache. Figure out whether the headache is located in the forehead region, top of the head, side of the head, or even the back.
- “I know where it hurts exactly! Know what do I do?!”
We now know that the head corresponds to the distal phalanx of the middle finger. Depending on the location of the headache, we need to inspect that corresponding area on the distal phalanx. Using a pressure-probe or the tip of a pen, gently palpate the area until you reach a tender point. Begin to massage the tender point with medium to heavy pressure for a few minutes. After about 5 minutes, pause and feel how the headache is doing: is it getting better? If not, search for another tender point nearby and repeat the same process. Once you begin to feel relief, continue to massage that area until the headache has resolved completely or has at least become manageable enough to get some rest!
Menstrual Cramps
If you’re a guy, skip to the next one, unless you’re ready to score some special brownie points from your significant other! Since the dark ages, millions of women have been suffering from abdominal cramps at least once a month. The pain scale ranges from mild discomfort while still being functional, to debilitating pain leading to days of bed rest. No matter where you fall on the scale, hand acupuncture has shown to have great success in mitigating menstrual cramps.
Again, begin by pin-pointing the area of most pain in the body when the cramps begin: is it the upper,lower, or lateral portions of the abdomen. In D.H.A. the abdomen is located on the palm of the hand. Begin to palpate the part of the “hand abdomen” that most closely corresponds to the area of your pain. Found the tender spot? Begin to massage that area with medium or heavy pressure for about 5 minutes. If you discover that the cramps have diminished a bit, keep going!
Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is one of the most common ailments affecting men and women alike in today’s society. Korean Hand Acupuncture has shown to be effective time and time again in the treatment of back pain. The next time you experience it, why not give hand acupressure a shot. Remember, the lower back corresponds to the dorsal aspect of the hand, on the 3rd metacarpal bone. If your lower back is painful exactly in the middle, try palpating right on the metacarpal bone. If the pain is more on one side, palpate a bit off the bone towards the respective side. When you find those painful points, have someone massage them for you or you can even do it yourself.
Dr. Yoo had stumbled upon the tip of a monumentaliceberg still largely submerged beneath the surface. Having conjectured that the distal phalanx of the middle finger corresponded to the head of the body, Dr. Yoo continued to dig further and experiment what other parallels existed between the hand and the human body. Eventually he succeeded in developing an entire microcosm of the body that existed entirely on the hand. For every part of the body, there was a corresponding point on the hand. For every acupuncture meridian that flowed in the body, there was a corresponding but smaller meridian strewn across the hands. Ultimately, he established the hand’s potential intreating and harmonizing the human body in its entirety.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Special thanks to Dr Jae Hoon Kim, who has graciously given permission to use the diagrams on Dasari Hand Acupuncture from his textbooks.
REFERENCES
Yoo, Tae-Woo. Koryo Hand Acupuncture Vol 1. Eumyang Mekjin Publishing Company: Seoul, 1983.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kamron Jafari is a student of acupuncture and oriental medicine at Emperor’s College in Santa Monica, California. Jafari graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Humanities from Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo, California. After completing his undergraduate studies, Jafari made his way to Thonburi, Thailand where he explored life through the eyes of an English Kindergarten teacher. He now pursues his dream of leading a contributive life and creating value in our world through Traditional Chinese Medicine.