Shiatsu Society

Latest news

The Effects and Experience of Shiatsu: A Cross-European Study. Dec' 2007

The Shiatsu Society are a member of the ESF (European Shiatsu Federation) and over 3 years we have contributed towards this European research project which was carried out by Professor Andrew F Long, School of Healthcare of the University of Leeds.

The development of the study design took particular account of the fact that Shiatsu practice occurs within the energetic relationship between the practitioner and the client, that it is intuitive in nature, and that it is broad in its guiding philosophy and scope of application. The findings summarised below speak volumes about this ancient art. They validate an intuitive but practical system with contemporary and rational tools, bridging longstanding cultural gaps. These findings are now offered in service to the public, the profession, researchers, policy makers and health care providers.

Economic Implications; A reduction in physician/hospital visits over time alongside a reduction in use of conventional medication was evident.

Sympton Changes; A statistically significant reduction in sympton severity was found for all of the symptom groups.

Click here to read the full report or click here for the summary.

The report on the European Shiatsu Federation Research Project (phase 2) can now be downloaded from the research section of the downloads page

Clinical Trials

Visit www.clinicaltrials.gov for details of current trials being carried out for Shiatsu.

The Systematic Evidence Review for Shiatsu has now been published !

This Review was commissioned by the Shiatsu Society from the Centre for Complementary Healthcare and Integrated Medicine at Thames Valley University. The Review critically appraises 5 scientific trials of Shiatsu and 41 trials of Acupressure, and details over 200 other trials in its appendices. The Shiatsu studies provide very limited evidence on a diverse range of health issues (angina, low back pain, fibromyalgia, chemotherapy side effects/anxiety and inducing labour).

Studies on acupressure provided fairly strong evidence for its use in the treatment of pain. Evidence for acupressure for nausea and vomiting was inconsistent, with the strongest evidence for post-operative nausea. Weak evidence for renal symptoms and COPD/asthma was found. The remaining acupressure studies provided evidence of variable quality on psycho-social health issues and consciousness/anaesthesia.

There are 2 versions of the report, a brief version of this review without appendices and the whole version of this review with appendices. Both can be downloaded from the research section of the downloads page.

We are pleased to announce we have a published article from the ESF research project that can now be accessed by anybody for free. It is available on the BioMedCentral online journal at the folowing link :  http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/9/19

Members Research Pack

Hope you all enjoyed receiving the research pack we sent you in March 2009. All leaflets, posters, press release and fact sheet are available for members to download from the Downloads page.

If you would like to learn more about getting in on PCT (Primary Care Trust) commissioning then visit SWDC

RESEARCH ON SHIATSU IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

We are pleased to announce that the Shiatsu Society has approved a budget for a research project into the use of Shiatsu in the public sector in partnership with Thames Valley University Centre for Complementary and Integrated Medicine (CCHIM) and the Complementary Health Trust (CHT). We plan to involve Shiatsu Society members in the design and delivery of the research and publish the results in a peer-reviewed journal. We will keep you updated with the news of this project. At the moment, we are agreeing the details and logistics of the project, and will be contacting members soon regarding their involvement.

SHIATSU RESEARCH SUMMARY FOR MEMBERS

Although there is not a huge amount of published research (we're working on it!), important research papers do exist, and members have made several summaries in the past. The Shiatsu Society has provided funding for a qualified researcher to pull together all this valuable work by writing an independently annotated research summary of existing clinical research on Shiatsu.

Click here to read a study done in the USA showing how much is spent on CAM.

MEASURING THE IMPACT OF KI PROJECTION

Although we do not currently have funding for this project, the Shiatsu Society is very keen to initiate experimental research on Ki projection and changes in brainwaves during Shiatsu sessions. Pending funds, this Research project to be led by fellow committee member Elizabeth Davies using equipment developed by Biomonitors.

A full research project, using the Mind Mirror,  has now been completed by Michael Boyd, MRSS. The full dissertation  can be downloaded from the downloads page.

SHIATSU SOCIETY AT RESEARCH CONFERENCES

We are currently looking into what research conferences are available for 2009 and will be sending a representative.

We have already had a presence at the ACHRN conference July 2009.

RESEARCH SUB-COMMITTEE

There is now a thriving research sub-committee who have already contributed to the Shiatsu Society’s research plans and who will hopefully be involved in determining the future direction of research work. If you would like to join the committee please email elizabeth@shiatsusociety.org

SHIATSU SOCIETY RESEARCH  5-YEAR PLAN

This is the working plan, which will change and shift, particularly in the direction of defining how research can work with other areas of Shiatsu Society work, particularly marketing:

• Make the results of research on Shiatsu worldwide available to members of the Shiatsu Society via an independently collated and updateable research resource on the Shiatsu Society website.

• Support Shiatsu Society members in using existing and implementing new research in order to investigate the effects of their work in private and public practice. In particular, make general research protocols and research templates available through the Shiatsu Society website.

• Conduct a series of research projects relating to the contribution of Shiatsu to integrated health care in the public and voluntary sector in the treatment of specific conditions. Work in conjunction with the CCHIM and a variety of public sector organisations. Publish the results of these projects in peer-reviewed journals as well as make them available to members of the Society.

• Initiate and continue experimental research in the measurement of brain waves and ki projection during Shiatsu sessions. If appropriate publish the results of this research.

• Ensure Shiatsu Society presence at key research events and conferences; establish working relationships with researchers, funders and decision-makers in the complementary therapies research field in the UK and worldwide.

• Ensure that direct research on Shiatsu continues to be published in peer-reviewed journals.

• Make useful summaries of research available for external marketing purposes within the Shiatsu Society.

Research Paper Downloads

There are a number of research-related documents on the downloads page. The following website is also very useful www.rccm.org.

Below are links to some interesting research information.  Although the text is in German if you go to Google and click on 'language tools' and then copy and paste the text into the translation box and find the 'German into English' version you get a reasonable version.  And if nothing else, the pictures are amazing. 

- nr.1, report on the study for a model for integrative medicine in sweden

http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/7/107

- nr.2, pictures of meridians (where one point receives moxa, and the whole meridian reacts (note, in the pictures depicting stomacxh and spleen, it's just the stomach that gets moxa, the spleen "co-reacts"!).

The text is a complicated essay about physics/biochemistry
http://www.infrarotanalytik.de/html/biophotonik.html

Can't afford subscriptions to professional journals?

Professional journals can be expensive to subscribe to, and few will allow the general public to just one or two relevant articles online for free. Not many libraries order in these journals either unfortunately. However, there is a cost-effective alternative: it is possible to request single photocopies of most articles featured in professional journals from your local library, for personal and non-commercial use only. Just visit your local library and complete a 'Library and Information Service Request Card' or the equivalent, at your Library's reference desk. You will need to provide the authors name, name of the journal in which the article was printed, the volume/issue number and page numbers. A small search fee may apply but most libraries charge a photocopying fee of around £1.60 per article. You will also be expected to sign copyright disclaimer forms.

The Journal of Shiatsu and Oriental Body Therapy

The Journal of Shiatsu and Oriental Body Therapy was created by Bill Palmer in 1994 to be a professional journal, publishing high quality articles and research in the field. It was published twice a year and had a circulation of over 2000 people worldwide. The last issue was published in 1998.

All of the issues can now be read online and downloaded if you wish. If you want to read a back issue, click here.

Contra-indications

"A sympton or condition that makes a particular treatment unadvisable."

Sadly, there is no black and white list for practitioners when it comes to contra-indications and unfortunately, there never will be due to lack of research, the amount of different 'experts' called upon for their opinion, whether the end result is that something is a contra-indication or not etc. There are still many grey areas in the field of CAM in relation to these.

In the case of CAM, we are not saying 'do not treat' but rather 'seek the clients GPs permission and proceed with caution'. This is why accurate and up-to-date client treatment records and their medical history is so important so you know what you are dealing with. GP permission should be sought in writing and the client should sign a disclaimer. Always proceed with extreme caution and ask the client at regular intervals if they feel ok. We advise you do not treat if the clients GP has not given permission but the client is willing.

Overall Shiatsu is very safe because there is no manipulation and only gentle pressure and stretching in comfortable positions. In general, Shiatsu is contraindicated (i.e. it might not help much or even have a negative impact) to people who have an acute illness with fever (cold, flu or other), in particular when the infection just started. During this more severe and contagious phase, the body is already engaged fighting off the infection and should not be overloaded. In addition, the person may be contagious to others. If you have high blood pressure, heart rhythm trouble or diabetes and these are not controlled, then Shiatsu is likely contraindicated. Areas of your body with local open wounds, recent scars, inflammation, varicose veins etc. will be avoided during the treatment and are local contraindications. Please let your therapist know and mention all such areas. They may be hidden by clothing and invisible to the therapist who, once informed, will not touch or press them.

Talking to your teachers, mentors etc can be good for a practitioner when facing a possible contra-indication. Further specialist training in certain areas, e.g. pregnancy, cancer etc is highly commendable.

Cancer (massage)
There is a lot of controversy as to whether massage causes more damage.

"Gentle massage does not increase vascular or lymphatic circulation more that the activities of daily living e.g. a warm bath" - Macdonald 1999

"There is no evidence that massage increases the spread of lymphoma or leukemia cells - cancer is not a contra-indication to receiving gentle massage." - Sikora 1999, cited McNamara 1999 Massage for People with cancer, McNamara.

The following is meant as a guideline only:-

• Deep massage to any part of the body is not advisable for those with active cancer
• Avoid areas of unexplained pain, inflammation, lumps or bumps - refer to GP
• Avoid boney metastases
• Avoid areas of lymphoedemia without specialist training and oedematous tissue
• Avoid massage over ascities
• Avoid recent scar tissue (6 weeks)
• Petechia - (Small red or purple spots on the surface of the skin or mucous membranes as the result of tiny hemorrhages of blood vessels) can indicate low platelet count - be gentle
• Congestive Heart failure with oedema - avoid massage as may overload burdened system
• Radiotherapy - Fatigue, skin soreness, digestive upsets
• Chemotherapy - Extreme fatigue, lowered immune function, increased risk of infection, bruising. Nausea, sensitivity, hair loss - body image
• Patients with advanced cancer are more suspectible to low grade undiagnosed DVT

Vitality Magazine March 2007: Pallative Cancer Care

Bursitis

As many sites of inflammation of the bursa can be caused by overuse it is often advisable to seek advice, as there could be a medical cause for the underlying pain.

Pregnancy - Labour

CONTRAINDICATIONS	PRECAUTIONS
Vaginal bleeding, mid-pregnancy	Vaginal bleeding, early/late pregnancy . labour
Severe foetal distress	Mid foetal distress (be guided by midwife)
Excessive pregnancy hypertension (pre-eclampsia) developing into eclamptic fits	Mild to moderate hypertension
Major medical conditions, e.g. epilepsy, heart disease	Moderate medical conditions affected by pregnancy, e.g. diabetes, thyroid disease
Maternal request, e.g. some women do not want to be touched in labour	Specific massage, acupressure, reflexology points
Midwife or obstetrician request	Use of medications in labour – risk of interactions
Immediately before, during and immediately after Caesarean section	Preparation for and recovery from Caesarean section
Induction of labour without medical and midwifery permission	Using therapies to encourage onset of contractions, with permission

 

Medical emergencies:

Haemorrhage
Shock
Acute, emergency, inflammtory Organ disease (Appendicitis, Peritonitis)
Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) - not yet stabilised
Diabetic Coma / Insulin Shock
Eclampsia
Myocaridal Infarcation (MI) - not yet stabilised
Severe Asthma attack
Lymphangitis (blood poisoining)
Acute poisoning
Life threatening Aneurism (eg Abdominal Aorta)

Conditions on or under the skin:

Acute Neuritis
Frostbite
Any local contagious condition, irritable skin condition, open wound or sore
Recent burns and scars
Abscesses
Severe gout
Haematoma
Ringworm
Cysts or foreign bodies
Scabies
Cellulitis (or the Erysipelas that form)

Joints:
Acute inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid, arthritis, systemic Lupus, erythematosus)
Bursitis
Acute Dislocation

Warnings / where clients should be advised to seek orthodox medicine:

Persistent high temperature
Undiagnosed lumps or swellings
Weeping and growing moles
Sudden loss or gain of weight for unknown reason
Bleeding from anus, urethra or vagina (other than menstruation)
Any sympton which persists for a long time or is getting worse

Notifiable Diseases in the UK

Notifiable diseases are those whose occurrence is required by the law to be reported to the appropriate authority – usually the medicl officer of Health.

This procedure of notification is one of themost important features of anyhealth service.  The reason for this is if a case of serious disease, capable of stating an epidemic is notified to the public authorities immediately it is diagnosed (or even suspected) then there is a much greater chance of preventing the epidemic.  For some notifiable diseasess, thre is no real risk of an epidemic, but the very occurance of one case of the disorder can be an indicatioin of some breakdown in hygene. 

The specific diseases which are notifiable vary a little from one country to another, depending on the prevailinig health conditioinws.  However, some typical characteristics of a notifiable diseases are:

• Potentially life-threatening
• Spreads rapidly
• Cannot easily be treated or cured, for example when no vaccine or antibiotics are available
• In some cases notifications are used to monitor the development of community outbreaks or the success of immunisatioin programmes

Under the Infectiious Disease (Notification) Act, general practitioners have a statutory obligation to notify a ‘Proper Officer’ of the local authority of suspected cases of certain infectious diseases.  In most cases the ‘Proper Officer’ is the Consultant in Communicable Disease Contorl CCDC, but in some cases may be the most senior professional Environmental Helath Officer.  (However you should perhaps contact a doctor and s/he would be able to put the wheels in motion).

Many of the diseases originally notifiable are now rare or have been eliminated in England and Wales, but other diseases have been added to the list which now covers 30 infections.  These are:

• Acute Encephalitis
• Anthrax
• Cholera
• Diphtheria
• Enteric Fever
• Food poisoning
• Leprosy
• Leptospirosis – Weil’s Disease
• Maleria
• Measles, mumps and rebella
• Meningitis (Meningococcal and pneumococcal)
• Heamophilus Influenzae
• Viral Meningococcal septicaemia (without meningitis)
• Ophthalmia neonator
• Paratyphoid fever
• Plageu
• Poliomyelitis
• Relapsing fever
• Scarlet fever
• Samllpox
• Tetanus
• Typhus
• Tuberculosis
• Viral haemorrhagic fever
• Viral hepatitis ie hepatitis types A, B and C
• Whooping cough (pertussis)
• Yellow fever

The issue of patient confidentiality

A major principle of infectious disease control is to ensure that the outbreak is contained, and thus its spread is limited.  Therefore speed is of the essence and in order to facilitate this, ‘atending’ physicians are obliged to privde full identifying information to the Proper Officer of the local Authority, on patients with a notifable  infectious disease.  In this way the relevant Public Helath Authority is thenm able to contact the patient dierctly so that appropriate action can be taken to control or prevent futher infection.

What about Scotland?

The list of notifiable diseases in Scotland differs from that in the rest of the UK.  The Scottish list does NOT include:

• Acute enceohalitis
• Cerebrospinal fever
• Enteric fever
• Leprosy
• Viral meningoccal septicaemia
• Ophthalmia neonator
• Yellow fever

But it DOES include:

• Chickenpox
• Continued fever
• Erysipelas – acute infection of the skin and underlying fat tissues, ussually caused by streptococcus
• Legionelliosis – (Legionnaires’ Diease and/or Pontiac fever)
• Lyme disease
• Puerperal fever
• Rabies
• Toxoplasmosis
• Typhoid fever

Notifiable Non-Infectious Industrial Diseases

There are a number of non-infectious Industrial diseases (such as certain poisonings, asbestosis and pneumoconiosis) which are notifiable, bu the nature of these vary greatly from country to country.  Further information on the notification of infectious diseases in Englanc and wales is available from the Helath Protection Agency.