Su Jok for Instant Pain Relief

By Park Jae Woo

Nature appears to have designed the human body as a hologram of multiple overlapping micro-correspondence systems !he current stage of discovery and application of these microsystems is only beginning

!here are different patterns of foot-organ correspondences" in addition to patterns for the scalp" nose" face" hand" finger and eyes #or e$ample" there are various corresponding systems of auriculotherapy" most notably the %hinese and #rench models !here is even a system of organ correspondence along all of the long bones of the body It is apparent that no particular system is the &right& pattern !here are many reasons for studying and applying microsystems !hey are very efficient to administer' they give instant results (especially in acute pain situations)' and they are safe to apply

I believe energetic medicine practitioners *ill be better able to serve their clientele if they have multiple treatment options at their disposal It is this belief that motivates me in the continuing research and development into the microsystems of the body

Su Jok !herapy

&Su Jok"& translated from +orean" means hand and foot !he hands and feet represent a mirror image of the anatomy of the human body *ith all of its associated organs and structures !he hands and feet are like remote control centers through *hich the functions of the body can be both assessed and treated I have found that the more similar one part of the body is in form to another part" the more effective it is as a corresponding point control center

Illustration sho*ing individual hand and foot correspondence to the body

#igure ,- Individual hand and foot correspondence to the body .ooking at the hand in #igure ," you can easily see the similarity of the hand" *ith its t*o legs and arms" neck and head" in relation to the human body !he same kind of superimposition can be done *ith the foot !he foot corresponds to the torso" and the toes to the arms !his similarity bet*een structures gives the first clue to the effectiveness of the system as a diagnostic and treatment &control& center !he correspondence for the backside of the body is sho*n in #igure /

!heories of Su Jok

Back vie* of the hand-body relationship #igure /- Back vie* of the hand-body relationship Su Jok energetic theory is founded on the theories of traditional 0riental medicine" but it goes beyond that !his article is too brief to e$plain the entire energetic theory e$cept to mention the names given !he foundation theory that provides a rationale for understanding and treatment includesenergy-flo*ing theory and therapy' si$ ki harmoni1ation in the body' eight origins and si$ energies theory for meridian and charka treatment' emotion and mind treatment' and treatment through time and space energies In addition" there are various alternate correspondence mappings of the body onto the hands

2pplying Su Jok

!he first step" as *ith any approach to healing" is to understand the e$act nature of the patient3s problem If it is a pain syndrome" or is accompanied by pain" it is crucial to kno* the e$act location of the patient3s pain It is also important to assess the limitations of movement visually

!he second step is to learn the relationship bet*een hand and body Studying #igures , and / *ill give you an idea of these relationships Basically" the yin side of the body is represented on the palmer side of the hand' the yang side is represented on the dorsal surface !his information allo*s you to correctly search for the corresponding point on the hands

!he third (and perhaps most important) step is to learn ho* to diagnose and find the e$act corresponding point(s) to treat Because of the importance of this step" critical

aspects are outlined belo*

4iagnostic %riteria

!he follo*ing five criteria *ill aid you in finding the correct corresponding point(s)-

!he corresponding point *ill be more sensitive to pressing If there is pain" spasm" irritation or inflammation in some part of the body" it *ill be reflected in all of the corresponding systems as a lo*er pain threshold to palpation In other *ords" it *ill be more sensitive to e$ternal pressing #irst" find the general corresponding area of increased sensitivity" then probe in very tiny increments for the most sensitive hand and5or foot points 4ue to the relatively small si1e of the hand5foot in relation to body si1e" small movements on the hand represent relatively large distances on the body Pressing the correct refle$ or corresponding point *ill result in the patient blinking" *incing" or 6uickly pulling the hand5foot a*ay !he 6uality and intensity of the refle$ pain *ill be significantly greater than that due to pressure on non-corresponding points 0nly *hen you see that reaction *ill you kno* you are on the correct point !he sensitivity to pressure of a corresponding point *ill have a direct correlation to the pain level in that part of the body 2cute" high levels of pain in the body are reflected as great sensitivity' lo*-level" chronic pain is reflected as less sensitivity Because of electrical variations in skin resistance" the skillful use of electrical point finders *ill take practice If there is pain or some limitation of movement in the body" you can be assured of the presence of a sensitive corresponding point on the hand5foot 7ou may find many sensitive points" but the correct refle$ point(s) *ill be very sensitive

Stimulation and !reatment

Su Jok contains many methods of treatment 0ne method *e e$perience every day is by *alking on our feet and *orking *ith our hands !his gives us constant" random stimulation on corresponding points' ho*ever" purposeful hand and foot massage (also kno*n as hand or foot refle$ology) is even better !here are many methods of stimulation besides mechanical pressure" including-

8iniature magnets designed both to give both mechanical and magnetic force stimulation' 8o$ibustion in the form of- (a) mo$a sticks' (b) mo$a the si1e of rice grains held on the hand or foot by small holders to prevent direct contact' and (c) direct thread mo$a' 8assage rollers to stimulate the hands and feet' Soft lasers' 8iniature hand needles' and %olored transparent plastic discs placed strategically on charka hand points 0ther methods *ill be developed based on our technological and biological advancements in understanding on the physical and 6uantum levels of human functioning

Seeing is Believing

I suggest you try an e$periment for yourself #ind a test client- a friend" colleague" family member or patient *ho has neck pain #or this e$periment" try to find someone *ho has an acute condition" not a long-term" chronic condition *ith structural damage 2ssuming your client has tightness on the left side of the neck at about the level of the fourth cervical" apply Su Jok as follo*s-

0bserve and document your client3s limitation in movement and ask them to rate their pain level from one to ten" ten being the most painful condition possible 2lso check their range of motion and degree of muscle tension Ne$t" grasp the thumb of their left hand such that you can roll the side of a round ob9ect" such as a ballpoint pen" along the length of the left dorsal surface of the thumb !o perform this step properly" think of ho* a rolling pin is rolled over dough" and you *ill have an idea of the rolling process :se the rolling techni6ue on the corresponding area of the hand 7ou may have to vary the pressure to find the most sensitive area 4uring this process" you *ill find a place *here the client *ill indicate a higher degree of sensitivity ;aving isolated a target area" search for a precise location *ith a smaller tipped instrument #or e$ample" use the ball end of an ear probe many acupuncturists use for auricular point location !he tip must not be so sharp that it creates skin pain !his

masks the inherent tenderness If you conduct the search carefully" you *ill definitely find very sensitive" painful points !hese are the relevant corresponding points 2pplying !reatment

!he ne$t step is to apply treatment 7our treatment has actually already begun by using pressure to search for points" but to improve your results" you can-

apply a tiny hand magnet commonly found in acupuncture supply catalogs' use a vicaria seed of the type used on the ear' or employ tiny hand needles (do not use the normal body needles" as most are too large and painful) !esting the <ffectiveness of Su Jok

Immediately" or *ithin a matter of minutes" your client *ill recogni1e a decrease in pain and a release of tight muscles Begin by asking the client to assess their pain level from one to ,= It is not unusual to get a ,==> pain decrease almost immediately 2lso check range of motion and muscle tension" as these *ill like*ise improve ama1ingly

Some clients *ill report a feeling of *armth or other sensation in the neck area 2fter treatment" re6uest that the client perform massage over the corresponding area t*o or three times a day

!his simple procedure *ill often resolve the problem in a short period of time !his same procedure can be used for pain or discomfort in any part of the body 7ou *ill be ama1ed at the immediate resolution of pain and problems .isted belo* are several cases that illustrate different problems and treatment modalities" especially mo$ibustion

%ase Studies

%ase ,- #emale patient" age ?@ !he client3s complaints included general *eakness and pains in the leg 9oints She *as unable to *alk" and had great difficulty in trying to raise

her feet or sit do*n

!reatment- Stimulation *ith mini mo$a of the basic energy points on the yang and yin surfaces of the hand Warming of the points corresponding to the knees and hips *as also included (see #igure A for the yin surface mo$a pattern )

8o$a treatment *as given every t*o to three days for appro$imately one month 2t that time" her relatives contacted the institute to say the patient had begun taking *alks

Basic mo$a points on the yin surface of the hand #igure A- Basic mo$a points on the yin surface of the hand %ase /- 8ale patient" age ,/ !his client had meningitis at age nine 2lthough the infection had long ago been eliminated" he continued to have severe headaches and fatigue" and he *as unable to attend school !hese symptoms *ere brought on by the slightest mental or physical strain

!reatment- Needling *as not tolerated by the boy" and no positive effect *as noted 2 t*o-day course of mini-mo$a on the basic points of the yin surface of the hand sho*ed a significant improvement (see #igure A) 8o$a *as continued t*ice per day for one *eek 2t the end of the *eek" his headaches and fatigue disappeared" and he *as able to resume schooling and activities natural for a boy his age

%ase A- #emale patient" age AB !his client presented *ith severe pains of a boring nature in the heart region" secondary to influen1a !he pain radiated across the chest and do*n the arm into the little finger <$treme body *eakness" tachycardia and nighttime s*eating characteri1ed her sub-febrile condition ;er <+C revealed signs of myocarditis

!reatment- 8o$a *arming *as provided to the energy related points and those related to the heart and kidneys in the standard hand correspondence system (see #igures A and B) 0nly si$ sessions *ere needed to significantly improve the patient3s general condition and to eliminate all of her symptoms of myocarditis

;eart and kidney corresponding areas #igure B- ;eart and kidney corresponding areas %ase B- #emale patient" age BD !he client complained of severe pain of the fifth right ma$illary tooth region E-rays sho*ed clearly a dental root granuloma !he 1one corresponding to the tooth" located in an ancillary correspondence system" *as massaged *ith a point probe and *armed *ith mini-mo$a (see #igure D) Post-treatment $-rays sho*ed a reduction in the granuloma Pain *as significantly reduced" *ith only temporary dull pain during che*ing hard pieces of food

2rea corresponding to the fifth right ma$illary tooth #igure D- 2rea corresponding to the fifth right ma$illary tooth !he ne$t level of treatment enhancing the effects of correspondence therapy involves the micro-meridians of the hands

8icro-8eridian !herapy

2 set of micro-meridians that correspond to the body meridians has been mapped on the hands #or more difficult diseases" in *hich corresponding points do not have the capacity to affect the necessary correction in bodily function" treatments are applied to the micro-meridians similar to those using body meridians

Su Jok theory includes a specific method of diagnosing the energetic balance of the body through a uni6ue system of muscle strength testing !he follo*ing case illustrates the diagnostic terminology and micro-meridians of the hand as mapped in Su Jok therapy

%ase D- 8a,e patient" age BB In June ,FFD" as a result of a road accident" the patient received a compound fracture of the left elbo* bone In spite of medical treatment and a fi$ing pin" the bones failed to reunite In ,FF?" Su Jok needle and self-massage treatment *ere initiated (see #igure @) 2fter nine sessions" *ith the patient massaging the appropriate finger correspondence area *ith a massage ring" $-rays sho*ed that the bones had become united !he fi$ing pin *as removed' t*o *eeks later" the patient *as able to resume *orking

Illustration sho*ing sedation and tonification using micro-needles #igure @- Sedation and tonification using micro-needles Scope of Su Jok 8edicine

2 main advantage of Su Jok therapy is its immediate and strong treatment effect" *hich can be received *ithout additional pharmaceutical drugs or medical apparatus Su Jok therapists have a considerably *ide range of options for treating diseases" including neurological diseases' acute and chronic gastrointestinal diseases' cardiovascular diseases' endocrine diseases and metabolic abnormalities' emotional disturbances' and addiction problems