Korean (Hand & Foot) Su Jok Therapy provides effective t

[Su Jok Uganda]

Korean (Hand & Foot) Su Jok Therapy provides effective treatment without doctor's help

Whenever she gets a stiff shoulder, Lee Kyung-ah, a 33-year-old piano teacher, probes her hand to find a point where it is especially tender and inserts a tiny thin acupuncture needle. It is a matter of minutes before she feels relief in her shoulder.

Lee is one of the estimated one million laypeople in South Korea who practices Su Jok Therapy , also known as Korean Hand & Foot Acupuncture / Acupressure, as a form of self-treatment that brings instant effective relief, without the hassle of visiting the doctor's office.

Su Jok Therapy is an Acupuncture / Acupressure Therapy that relieves pain and symptoms in the body by stimulating specific most painful Su Jok Points on the hands that are connected, through the brain, to every organ and system in the body.

"I studied the treatment four years ago and have used it to treat conditions ranging from my stiff shoulders to my niece's sty and my father's stomach cramps," she said.

Students take notes and share their experiences during a practical session on Korean Hand & Foot Therapy – Su Jok Therapy

According to Originator Prof Park Jae Woo, doctor of oriental medicine and pioneer of Korean Hand & Foot Acupressure / Acupuncture – Su Jok Therapy, people with pain and other internal malfunctions have an unbalanced blood flow to their brains.

The 67-year-old Prof discovered the treatment by chance in 1987, while trying to alleviate his headache.

He then conducted research into the phenomenon till 1987 and found that people with pain and other internal malfunctions have an unbalanced blood flow to the brain.

The treatment is effective because stimulation of the Hand & Foot is one of the few areas of the body that can rebalance blood flow to the brain, Prof Park Jae Woo said.

"There are many nerve connections between the hands & feet and the brain, therefore, stimulation of the hands & feet can have a profound effect on the functioning of the body," he said.

Korean Hand & Foot Acupuncture - Su Jok Therapy or Standard Correspondence Therapy, works like this:

As the hand & foot represents the whole body, the Thumb corresponds to the head & spine; the index and little fingers the arms; and the middle & ring finger the legs.

Either hand and or foot can be used for treatment.

The area inflicted with pain corresponds to a particular point on the hand, which should be located with a bluntly tipped probe, about the size of a ballpoint pen, or finger pressure. A particularly sharp pain means the target point has been located.

This tender point can then be stimulated through massage, micro magnets, seeds, needles, or heat from moxibustion, the practice of burning with mugwort, or moxa, on the specific area.

Acupuncture needles or moxibustion are used to restore the body's balance in that the brain triggers a healing process, such as increased blood flow to the back, relaxation of its muscles and release of the body's endorphins, a natural painkiller.

If needles are used for treatment, they are inserted about 1 mm into the hand or finger and retained for 20 to 30 minutes. But the period can range between five minutes and one hour, depending on the individual's condition.

Treatments can be given every other day, or every day in severe cases, and continually until the symptom disappears.

"This is a quick, effective and safe method," Prof Park said. "There are no side effects, and stimulating the wrong area isn't dangerous; but don't expect any results."

Su Jok Therapy is allegedly effective for treating a wide range of Physical, Emotional & Mental disorders, such as infertility, rheumatic arthritis, allergy and stroke. It is also practiced to help keep the body healthy and prevent diseases. But this form of alternative medicine has its limits.

"Clearly, conditions that require surgery and infectious diseases cannot be cured using hand & foot acupuncture," Prof Park noted, and added that the treatment can complement Western medicine by alleviating pain and helping recovery process.

"For example, hand & foot acupuncture can lessen the side effects of chemotherapy in cancer patients, relieving nausea and enabling them to continue receiving treatment," he said.

According to the Su Jok Academy in Moscow, Russia, Su Jok Therapy makes an ideal home remedy as it is simple and effective, and recommends that everyone should learn the basics for the benefit of themselves, their family and friends.

"After learning this simple form of therapy, I carry around a little kit containing a small, cylindrical metal / plastic point used for probing the hand or foot and metal stars, micro magnet stars, seeds, Colours, elastic rings, hand & foot massagers, thumb pad, in case of emergency," Lee said.

The Smile Academy of Onnuri Medicine provides classes, which are also available in English / Urdu, to those interested in learning the Unique System of Healing Art of 21st Century or Su Jok Therapy Medicine of Tomorrow!

For more information, call the Smile Academy at (009221) 039 9855, 823 8483, 0333 0092392 0396, (0) 333 227 2015
sujoktherapy@gmail.com or visit www.freewebs.com/smileacademy

By Smile Academy - Staff Reporter