Can Shiatsu do any harm?
By the nature of Shiatsu, it is almost impossible for it to have harmful effects. The aim is to shift energy around the body in such a way as to relieve areas of tension and enliven weak areas. This is effectively a collaboration between the practitioner and the client’s body, which will instinctively want to do the same thing, but may need a little help to get started. Occasionally a new patient may have healing reactions after the first few sessions. These occur when toxins have been released during the treatment, and as these work out through the body there may be symptoms such as headache, stiffness, stomach upsets or diarrhoea, desire to urinate frequently, or lethargy. Such symptoms are transitory and soon pass, usually in 12 hours at most. Drinking plenty of spring water and resting will help, as well as asking the practitioner for advice and reassurance. Emotional releases may take longer to work through, and indeed, over the course of a number of treatments, deep-seated emotio
