Is Shiatsu Complementary or Alternative Therapy?
Shiatsu is complementary to western medicine, not an alternative to it. The most common syndromes considered amenable to Shiatsu are: Stress, anxiety and depression, backaches, coughs, colds, headaches, migraine, stiff necks and shoulders, menstrual and menopausal problems, respiratory illnesses including asthma and bronchitis, sinus problems and catarrh, insomnia, tension, fatigue and weakness, digestive disorders and bowel trouble, circulatory problems, rheumatic and arthritic complaints, sciatica and conditions following sprains and injuries. Treatment of all these conditions will be given according to Oriental diagnosis, however it is always important that the modern Western diagnosis is confirmed and considered as well. Both Shiatsu (and other complementary therapies) and Western medicine have important roles to play in health.
