Acupoint massage: a comprehensive descriptive review of its forms, applications, and underlying mechanisms

Abstract Acupoint massage is a non-invasive traditional therapy that has demonstrated reliable clinical outcomes in pain management, mental health relief, sleep disorder regulation, gastrointestinal treatment, and as an adjunct therapy for cancer. Its convenience and cost-effectiveness further enhan...

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Main Authors: Chongjie Yao, Xinyu Zeng, Shuaipan Zhang, Bin Xiao, Pingping Sun, Lingjun Kong, Jiming Tao, Min Fang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:Chinese Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-025-01105-1
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author Chongjie Yao
Xinyu Zeng
Shuaipan Zhang
Bin Xiao
Pingping Sun
Lingjun Kong
Jiming Tao
Min Fang
author_facet Chongjie Yao
Xinyu Zeng
Shuaipan Zhang
Bin Xiao
Pingping Sun
Lingjun Kong
Jiming Tao
Min Fang
author_sort Chongjie Yao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Acupoint massage is a non-invasive traditional therapy that has demonstrated reliable clinical outcomes in pain management, mental health relief, sleep disorder regulation, gastrointestinal treatment, and as an adjunct therapy for cancer. Its convenience and cost-effectiveness further enhance its appeal. However, the existing English literature lacks a systematic review that encompasses the various forms of acupoint massage. The acupoint massage forms adaptability is particularly notable when considering the diverse conditions, it addresses, as well as its applicability across different age groups and gender differences. Providing a comprehensive understanding, it is crucial to outline common practices and explore specific applications in key areas. The comprehensive understanding can create opportunities for effective collaboration between preclinical and clinical studies. Defining and categorizing different forms of acupoint massage is essential, alongside investigating the neural circuits involved in touch sensation. Future efforts should enhance collaboration with modern biology, facilitating the transition from empirical to evidence-based practice. This review summarizes forms, applications, and mechanisms of mainstream acupoint massage and provides insights for future research and applications, promoting deeper integration into healthcare.
format Article
id doaj-art-a84e7ff7d04b4292a6ed03030d558130
institution Kabale University
issn 1749-8546
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Chinese Medicine
spelling doaj-art-a84e7ff7d04b4292a6ed03030d5581302025-08-20T03:53:32ZengBMCChinese Medicine1749-85462025-04-0120112110.1186/s13020-025-01105-1Acupoint massage: a comprehensive descriptive review of its forms, applications, and underlying mechanismsChongjie Yao0Xinyu Zeng1Shuaipan Zhang2Bin Xiao3Pingping Sun4Lingjun Kong5Jiming Tao6Min Fang7Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineSchool of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineAbstract Acupoint massage is a non-invasive traditional therapy that has demonstrated reliable clinical outcomes in pain management, mental health relief, sleep disorder regulation, gastrointestinal treatment, and as an adjunct therapy for cancer. Its convenience and cost-effectiveness further enhance its appeal. However, the existing English literature lacks a systematic review that encompasses the various forms of acupoint massage. The acupoint massage forms adaptability is particularly notable when considering the diverse conditions, it addresses, as well as its applicability across different age groups and gender differences. Providing a comprehensive understanding, it is crucial to outline common practices and explore specific applications in key areas. The comprehensive understanding can create opportunities for effective collaboration between preclinical and clinical studies. Defining and categorizing different forms of acupoint massage is essential, alongside investigating the neural circuits involved in touch sensation. Future efforts should enhance collaboration with modern biology, facilitating the transition from empirical to evidence-based practice. This review summarizes forms, applications, and mechanisms of mainstream acupoint massage and provides insights for future research and applications, promoting deeper integration into healthcare.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-025-01105-1AcupointMassageAcupressureTuinaMechanism
spellingShingle Chongjie Yao
Xinyu Zeng
Shuaipan Zhang
Bin Xiao
Pingping Sun
Lingjun Kong
Jiming Tao
Min Fang
Acupoint massage: a comprehensive descriptive review of its forms, applications, and underlying mechanisms
Chinese Medicine
Acupoint
Massage
Acupressure
Tuina
Mechanism
title Acupoint massage: a comprehensive descriptive review of its forms, applications, and underlying mechanisms
title_full Acupoint massage: a comprehensive descriptive review of its forms, applications, and underlying mechanisms
title_fullStr Acupoint massage: a comprehensive descriptive review of its forms, applications, and underlying mechanisms
title_full_unstemmed Acupoint massage: a comprehensive descriptive review of its forms, applications, and underlying mechanisms
title_short Acupoint massage: a comprehensive descriptive review of its forms, applications, and underlying mechanisms
title_sort acupoint massage a comprehensive descriptive review of its forms applications and underlying mechanisms
topic Acupoint
Massage
Acupressure
Tuina
Mechanism
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13020-025-01105-1
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