Su-jok therapy: principle of action, implementation at home, massagers

Sujok therapy is an original way to work on reflex points of the hands and feet, allowing you to restore body functions, prevent the development of serious diseases and provide emergency assistance to a person whose health is at risk. Our contemporaries are increasingly turning to this eastern technique, trying to get rid of chronic illnesses, pain, depression, neuroses or banal fatigue.

The author of the method is a professor from South Korea, Park Jae Woo, who tried to bring together ancient Chinese and Tibetan techniques. What came out of this - judge for yourself.

Operating principle

“Brush-Foot” is the translation of the name of the popular procedure. Why are these particular parts of the body chosen for therapeutic massage? The structure of the hand and foot surprisingly resembles our body, and the sensory endings located here in large numbers have connections with all internal organs. Anyone with knowledge of basic anatomy can easily find the zones of correspondence identified by the Su-Jok technique. By influencing them, we send a sensitive impulse to the brain, indicating the presence of a problem, receiving in response a command to restore and regulate the functions of the diseased organ.

In addition, according to the canons of Eastern medicine, a person’s quality of life depends on the balance of Qi energy circulating in the body through a network of meridians that open on the surface in the form of sensitive points. The most significant of them are on the hands and feet. They are considered by the su-jok technique. By stimulating these endings, we harmonize energy flows, clear the paths for their passage, providing the basic conditions for maintaining health.

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Su-Jok instruments

Stimulation of the points is carried out with any suitable, slightly pointed object - a toothpick, a thin stick, a pencil, but special su-jok massagers are considered the most effective. They are easy to use, gently but intensely affect problem areas without causing severe pain or discomfort.

The most commonly used ring is a stainless steel su-jok ring, which resembles a spring in appearance, has a massage effect on the fingers and stimulates several points at once. In addition, you can purchase su-jok massage balls that allow you to massage the entire surface of your feet and palms.

In addition to mechanical action, the points can be heated, magnets or fresh seeds can be applied to them, which saturate them with biological force. Seeds of suitable plants are used for different organs:

heart – viburnum, buckwheat, pumpkin;
eyes – peas, black pepper;
uterus - apple seeds;
light – rice grains;
toothache - flax seeds.

As a therapeutic agent, fresh, mature seeds are taken, which are glued to problem areas after a massage and left overnight.

In the following video, Su Jok Academy director Alexandra Maltseva talks about the various tools and materials used in this type of therapy.

Purpose and prohibitions

The breadth of indications for su-jok massage is surprising. It is prescribed both for mild ailments or colds, and for such serious chronic diseases as:

angina pectoris;
diabetes;
osteochondrosis;
hypertension;
intracranial pressure;
vascular spasms;
arthrosis;

Left: damaged hand joints. Right: healthy hand joints.
gastrointestinal pathologies;
bronchial asthma;
pneumonia;
neuralgia;
stroke;
paresis or paralysis;
plexitis;
disturbances of vision, hearing, taste perception;
stuttering;
abnormalities in the functioning of the genitourinary organs.

Su-jok successfully fights bad habits: craving for smoking, alcohol and drug addiction.

Massage effectively relieves shortness of breath, cough, runny nose, stops palpitations and panic attacks, stops hair loss, reduces high blood pressure, and allows you to quickly lose weight. The procedure is used in psychotherapy to treat emotional overstrain, stress, and depression. Su-jok becomes an indispensable tool during the rehabilitation of patients after injuries and operations; it quickly restores the body in case of physical fatigue, insomnia or impaired adaptive functions.

The technique is considered an effective means of developing mental abilities, fine motor skills and speech of preschoolers. Therefore, many teachers and parents actively use elements of therapy during speech therapy sessions with a child, unobtrusively weaving them into interactive games or exciting gymnastics.

Like other therapeutic methods, su-jok therapy has a number of contraindications. This:

oncology;
varicose veins;
increased body temperature;
acute inflammatory or infectious diseases;
fungal skin infection;
warts, moles, nevi located in the affected area;
tuberculosis;
purulent processes in soft tissues;
severe damage to bones and joints, accompanied by swelling.

Massage should be used with caution on young children, people over 70 years old, and those who are emotionally unbalanced. It is also better for pregnant women to refuse the procedure, since the reflex effect on the reproductive organs can greatly harm the fetus.

Su-jok massage

Depending on the diseased organ or type of ailment, various types of Su-jok therapy and massage methods are used. These procedures must be carried out independently on a regular basis. The following characteristic technologies are distinguished:

When coughing. It is necessary to stimulate the points on the hands and feet corresponding to the bronchi, lungs and larynx. It is recommended to use seed therapy. The most suitable seeds are radish, buckwheat, lemon, and lentils. Acupressure is carried out for 4-6 minutes.
For hair loss and headaches. The thumb on the hand or toe is responsible for the head. Hair loss can be stopped by regularly massaging the top of your thumb.
For nasal congestion and runny nose. The point of projection of the nose, located in the central part of the upper phalanx of the thumb on the hand and foot, is subject to stimulation. Here you should perform acupressure, and then attach a green seed (grain). When using color therapy, you need to draw a small green circle.
In case of increased pressure. For hypertension, the thumb is massaged. In addition, color therapy is used, for which the tips of all fingers are painted black. To carry out seed therapy you will need buckwheat seeds. They are attached to the fingertips of the left hand throughout the night.

To reduce pressure, mustard plasters are placed on the fingers or a pepper patch is applied. And a rubber band is put on the thumb
For constipation. The area on the palm corresponding to the projection of the colon is responsible for constipation. First, acupressure is performed at a point determined by a pointed stick. Then, a circular massage of the palm is performed in the projection area of the entire intestine. The direction of the massage should correspond to the direction of food movement through the intestines. Additionally, seed therapy is used using the seeds of watermelon, melon, caraway, flax, apples and grapes. Treatment can be supplemented with warming.

Direction of massage movements for constipation
From parasites . If there are parasites in the body, the effect is on the areas responsible for abdominal pain. Specific points of their localization are specified with a pointed stick. In addition to acupressure, a circular massage of the large intestine area is used (similar to the previous case). Additionally, seed therapy is carried out using apple seeds.
For toothache . The points responsible for this problem are located on the upper border of the nail plate along all fingers. Using a stick, you need to find the most painful point. A buckwheat grain is attached to it, which is gradually pressed with a finger until the pain in the tooth subsides.
For the lower back and spine. The vertebral zone can be found on the back of all fingers. The most affected area is determined with a stick. It should be massaged for 7-10 minutes. Next, it is recommended to fix the seeds of black pepper, buckwheat or radish.

The treatment of other pathologies and disorders is largely similar.

First of all, the responsible zone is identified, where the biologically active point is determined. Then massage and seed therapy are provided.

Possibilities for losing weight

You can lose weight with the help of Sujok therapy without significant dietary restrictions, but over a long period of time. The optimal regimen is weight loss by 6-8 kg in 1 month. The areas for stimulation correspond to the areas of the esophagus, stomach, colon and mouth, as well as the navel and pituitary gland. Acupressure is performed in these areas for 3-4 minutes, and then the desired seeds are fixed.

Buckwheat grains attached to the points of the pituitary gland and navel can reduce appetite. To eliminate the feeling of hunger, a small sprig of a plant (any plant) or apple seeds is placed on the pad of the thumb. To improve peristalsis, buckwheat grains are used along the colon. For weight loss, seeds are installed for 6-7 days, after which they are replaced with new ones.

Grains fixed at this point reduce appetite

Treatment using the Su-jok method, although it belongs to alternative medicine, is approved by many specialists. It allows you to get rid of many diseases at home without resorting to medications. To use this therapy correctly, it is necessary to know the location of excitable zones and their correspondence to internal organs.

Korean medicine: selection of massage areas

It is no coincidence that the human hand is considered the main object of su-jok therapy. After all, it is a reduced model of our body.

The central palmar zone corresponding to the body is also highlighted here, the head area is projected onto the thumb, the hands are projected onto the index and little fingers, and the legs are projected onto the middle and ring fingers.
The thumb, like the head, dominates the rest, the “legs” fall lowest, and the “hands” are located at the middle level.
The thumb, like the upper protruding part of the body, has only two segments that correspond to the head and neck. The remaining fingers have three components in their structure, which corresponds to the structure of the arms (shoulder, forearm, hand) and legs (thigh, lower leg, foot).
If we talk about functional significance, then the thumb plays a major role. After all, without it, the full functioning of the hand, grasping and holding objects becomes impossible.

To determine the object of massage, Su Jok therapy specialists also often use the insect system. According to its canons, each finger is the embodiment of our body in miniature. In the nail phalanx there are areas corresponding to the head and neck, the middle one is responsible for the chest and arms, the lower one is responsible for the stomach and legs.

The structure of the foot also shows a clear resemblance to the human body. It is not for nothing that nature has located especially important reflex zones here. Their natural stimulation when walking helps maintain health. Horace also said: “If you don’t run while you’re healthy, you’ll have to run when you’re sick.” The required points are found using the same matching features as on the brush. The only difference is that the first finger is adjacent to the rest, the phalanges are miniature in size, and the foot is much longer and narrower than the palm.

Sujok therapy for children

In the correction of speech disorders, the speech therapist also uses an elastic ring, which allows normalizing the functioning of internal organs.

Impact on biologically active points located on the palm is carried out in combination with speech material. Thus, a massage effect occurs, and the child learns to pronounce syllables, words and poems.

The following exercises are carried out:

"Toys"

Pavlusha has toys:

Here's a funny frog. (Put the massage ring on your thumb).

Here is an iron car. (Put the massage ring on your index finger).

This is a ball. It's made of rubber. (Put the massage ring on your middle finger).

Multi-colored nesting doll (Place the massage ring on your ring finger).

And a cat with a fluffy tail. (Place the massage ring on your little finger).

"Vegetables"

We collect in a basket

And carrots and potatoes.

Cucumbers, beans, peas

– Our harvest is not bad.

(Children take turns putting rings on each finger, while reciting the poem to the speech therapist).

"Pets"

Hello kitten! (Put the massage ring on your thumb).

Hello, little goat! (forefinger).

Hello calf! (middle finger).

Hello lamb! (ring finger).

Hello, cheerful, funny

pig! (little finger).

All these exercises show really high efficiency. Scientists have proven that the development of the speech centers of the brain is formed under the influence of signals that come from the fingers. That is why an increasing number of specialists combine speech therapy exercises and su-jok massage.

The work of a speech therapist is aimed at developing phonemic hearing, the ability to perceive and differentiate sounds. It is massagers that allow you to turn complex and sometimes less exciting exercises into a very interesting game:

Having heard a word, the child must determine the number of sounds in it, while counting the corresponding number of steps along the marked path with a ball.
The child puts as many rings on his fingers as there are syllables in the word spoken by the speech therapist.
The speech therapist names the sounds, and the child’s task is to recognize and beat off each consonant (or vowel) with a ball.

It is noteworthy that Su Jok therapy allows you to cope with speech disorders such as stuttering. Research says that this disorder is associated with a lack of heat energy, which causes the child to experience spasms, constant stiffness and fear.

You can get rid of this problem with a relaxing finger massage using a Su-jok ball, stimulating active points with grains. Color therapy also has a beneficial effect - the corresponding points and areas are painted over with a red felt-tip pen.

Therapy for the elderly

According to Eastern philosophy, the body of an elderly person is dominated by cold energy. It personifies the completion of activity, a state of rest, withering, compression, and therefore brings with it weakness, lethargy, illness, inhibits physiological functions, and reduces motor activity.

Su-jok therapy increases the energy level of heat and sun, and, as if turning back the years, gives strength, vigor, well-being, and allows you to fight many “age-related” problems:

For high blood pressure, headaches, nausea and vomiting, stimulating the Bai Hui point on the top of the thumb can help. Punctures in this area are considered the best prevention of stroke.
Massaging the lower third of the muscle roll, located under the thumbs of both hands, relieves pain in the heart.
With bradycardia, the points responsible for the work of the heart are worked clockwise, with tachycardia - in the opposite direction.
Fatigue, weakness and drowsiness can be overcome by rubbing the nail plates one at a time.
Massaging the middle joints of the third and fourth fingers and toes helps increase the mobility of worn joints.
Tapping your fingertips against each other helps improve vision and get rid of eye diseases.

Such simple techniques help stop the aging of the entire body, stimulate brain function, strengthen the immune system, and give activity.

What is sujok

Sujok therapy involves working on the hands and feet. Due to their stimulation, nerve receptors are irritated, a physiological process is activated, which provokes positive changes in the body.

Weight loss occurs due to the impact on acupuncture points of the body, which provoke an improvement in metabolic processes and increased fat burning. There are 20 centers in the human body that promote weight loss. Pressing on them and kneading them at the right points helps improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates the functioning of the thyroid gland. The effect also reduces appetite, allowing a person to be satisfied with the minimum amount of food consumed.

The Su Jok technique involves the presence of many varieties that help in the fight against weight loss. Often preference is given to a diet that is within the scope of this technique. More often, weight loss is provoked by stimulation of the palms, fingers and toes, and the feet themselves. Not only is it a pleasant relaxing massage, but it also has a positive effect on weight loss.

Sujok for weight loss

Against the backdrop of new methods of gaining harmony, Su-Jok finger therapy seems too simple and even banal. In fact, it is a surprisingly effective procedure. Observations of those losing weight using the Korean system showed that in a month and a half, patients lose about 20 kilograms of excess weight. It's all about an integrated approach to the weight loss process. With the help of Su-Jok therapy it is possible to:

Speed up metabolism - to do this, just massage the area in the palm of your hand corresponding to the endocrine glands, as well as the stomach and esophagus. This is often done using grains of rice, buckwheat or apple seeds, gluing them with a band-aid to the inner or back surface of the palm for a day or more.
Cleanse the intestines of waste and toxins, manually or using massagers, stimulating the areas corresponding to the large intestine, indicated in the photo.
Take control of the feeling of hunger by pressing on the areas associated with the navel or pituitary gland.

Left: Brush matching system. Right: insect system.
Improve the functioning of the stomach and intestines by working clockwise on the Lau Gong point, located in the center of the palm.

By combining massage of these and similar areas using the su-jok system with a strict diet, we trigger physiological processes in the body that are necessary for losing weight, improving mood and well-being.

Thematic material

Segmental reflex massage
Chinese acupressure foot massage

Su Jok and the main points for weight loss

In Korean, the hand is called “su” and the foot is called “jok”. The hands and feet have special points corresponding to human organs. Their stimulation irritates nerve receptors and triggers a physiological process that causes functional changes in the body.

Stimulation of acupuncture points on the human body activates the body's internal forces to combat excess weight. There are 20 active centers that promote weight loss. These points are associated with the navel, stomach, mouth, large and small intestines, and esophagus.

If the presence of excess weight is caused by metabolic disorders and decreased metabolism, stimulation of points associated with the pituitary gland, adrenal glands, islets of Langerhans, ovaries, thymus, and thyroid gland is required. Impact on such points on the body helps eliminate the causes of excess weight, restore metabolism, reduce appetite, and reduce hunger.

Very often Su Jok therapy is combined with a special diet. There are many Su Jok techniques. They are described below. Most often, for weight loss, the corresponding zones located on the feet, phalanges of the fingers and palms are stimulated. There are other, less popular, but equally effective points on other parts of the body.

Instructions for performing massage at home

Along with high effectiveness, the advantages of Su Jok therapy include absolute safety, accessibility and ease of implementation. All together, this makes it possible to carry out Korean acupressure at home yourself.

The principle of finding the right point

To prevent the session from being useless, it is important to correctly determine the area of influence. In addition to the correspondence zones, special auxiliary lines serve as landmarks:

Symmetry: in the palm it starts between the middle and ring fingers, goes to the wrist joint, and from there turns to the pad of the thumb. There are two lines on the foot. The first runs down the center of the big toe and ends at the base of the metatarsal bone. The second divides the sole in half, starting between the third and fourth toes and heading towards the center of the heel. The zones corresponding to the lower extremities are located closest to the axes of symmetry, and at some distance to the upper extremities. The thumbs and toes are responsible for the head and organs in its area.
The diaphragm, which separates the chest from the abdominal cavity. There are also two correspondence zones on the surface of the hands and feet. On the palm, the area of the diaphragm coincides with the line of life, on its back side it is located at the border of the first metacarpal bone. On the sole, the line follows the contour of the metatarsus, on the back side it coincides with the outlines of the non-phalangeal joint of the big toe.
Yin-yang surfaces: all internal (yin) zones are projected onto the palm and sole, and external (yang) zones are projected onto the backs of the hands and feet.

Using known landmarks, it is not difficult to find the point of interest to us. To do this you need to proceed according to the following scheme:

Determine the area corresponding to the problem organ on the hand or foot.
Choose a yin or yang projection.
Narrow the search area relative to the aperture line and symmetry.

To find a specific point, novice massage therapists use a special atlas, which clearly shows all possible zones of correspondence.

The technique provides different ways to influence active points: massage, acupuncture, cauterization, even biting with teeth. But at home, they most often resort to manual techniques, combining techniques:

pressure;
pinching;
friction;
vibrations;
circular or longitudinal massage.

Pain, burning, pulsation, numbness will indicate that the point has been found correctly. While working on the problem area, the unpleasant sensations will weaken and then disappear altogether. It is not difficult to master basic methods of influence: a series of video lessons allows you to undergo distance learning under the guidance of a therapist, member of the international su-jok association Tatyana Evgenievna Sokolova.

Training video

In the life of every person, sometimes health problems arise that require emergency care. Su-jok therapy is precisely the remedy that will alleviate the patient’s condition while waiting for a doctor, stop a painful attack and prevent the development of complications. Korean massage techniques are great for:

Headache: pressing on the painful point located on the top of the distal phalanx of the thumb, gets rid of unpleasant sensations in the forehead. Pain in the temples is relieved by stimulating the areas at the upper edges of the nail plate. And spasms in the back of the head are removed by massaging the center of the thumb pad. The video tutorial will tell you more about the techniques.
Toothache: step by step, walking around the nail plate of the thumb, feel the most sensitive place and stimulate it for 1-2 minutes. In this way, you can even numb your mouth before going to the dentist. Watch the video for details on how to perform the technique.
Radiculitis: back pain is relieved by massaging each finger with a spring ring, exerting, according to the “insect” correspondence system, a reflex effect on the spinal area. Another method is seed therapy - placing seeds of medicinal plants for several hours at painful points in the area corresponding to the spine on the hands and feet.
Pain in the heart: apply pressure for a minute on painful points in the area of the muscle ridges located under the thumbs.

Do not forget that these techniques are just a method of prevention or first aid. Massage should not replace the main treatment prescribed by the doctor.

Sujok for different ages

Age, child or elderly, is not a contraindication for sujok therapy, but its use has some peculiarities.

Aged people. In old age, the method allows you to slow down the aging process and maintain normal functions of internal organs. Stimulation of problem areas is carried out with caution, without strong pressure, observing the body’s reaction.
Young people. Young people who do not suffer from serious pathologies are recommended to conduct su-jok sessions regularly. They are especially useful for those who lead a sedentary lifestyle and eat poorly to improve their overall health, prevent disorders and improve performance.
Children. In childhood, the use of the technique helps to increase immunity and normalize the functioning of the growing body. Sujok therapy in kindergarten, which is carried out in many Western and Eastern countries, improves not only the health of children, but also cognitive functions - attentiveness, memory, speech skills.

Sujok therapy is suitable for people of any age!
Another advantage is that you can use it anywhere - at home, at work, at school, while walking, etc.

Su-jok massagers

A set of special massagers will help you conduct a professional su-jok therapy session yourself. The kit includes a small, about 4 centimeters in diameter, plastic ball covered with spikes. Having unscrewed it, you will find inside two rings made of an elastic steel or copper spring.

All these simple items are used during the procedure:

The ball is rolled with the palms or soles and clenched in a fist. At this moment, the thorns have a stimulating effect on reflex points, relieving fatigue, swelling, improving well-being and mood.
The ring is put on each finger in turn and moved up and down, especially carefully working on the painful areas. As the lymph flow flows, the ring is rolled with force, and in the opposite direction the pressure is released. It is not recommended to leave the ring on your finger without moving. Contraindications to the use of a finger massager are inflammatory or purulent processes, as well as blood diseases.

You can learn more about the technique of using su-jok balls and rings by watching the instructional video or reading the attached memo describing the basic exercises.

The massagers are available in six colors, each of which symbolizes a specific energy:

green (wind) – it controls the work of the liver and bile ducts;
red (warmth) – regulates the functions of the heart, intestines and the circulation of fluids in the body;
orange (heat) – affects the brain, spinal cord and pituitary gland;
yellow (humidity) – responsible for the spleen and pancreas;
white (dryness) – controls the functioning of the colon;
black (cold) – associated with the activity of the urinary tract, supports the skeletal system.

Color therapy allows you to replenish the deficiency of one or another energy in the human body and establish the balance of the six elements, which is so necessary for health.

There are other variants of the classic su-jok massager: a ball with a built-in magnet that has a soft relaxing effect, spiral sticks for the feet, special stars for working out reflex zones. Traditionally, during massage it is customary to use needles, probes, sharpened sticks, pebbles, magnets, seeds, fruits and plant branches.

Other Su Jok points

The most points that influence weight loss are on the ears. And this is not surprising, given that they manage the body’s metabolic processes. In addition to massage, an earring is used at the corresponding active point to stimulate the ear points responsible for weight loss.

A small 2-minute massage of your earlobe before eating (where it connects to your jaw) will help reduce your appetite. Another point is responsible for saturation. Its location is the area where the temporomandibular joint is projected. Four minutes of continuous pressure on a point located behind the auricle helps to satiate.

Additional points on the body responsible for weight loss:

In the middle of the forearm on the outside of the arm.
From the back between the shoulder and neck. To obtain the desired effect, you need to stimulate it for 1 minute.
By placing your palm on the kneecap, you can find a third place for massage at the point where the index finger touches the knee.
On both sides of the navel there are 2 more points, located 2 finger widths away from it.
Another one is located below the navel at a distance of 3 upper phalanges of the thumb. Its stimulation is carried out only on an empty stomach, gently massaging without much effort.

Prices in showrooms

Most often, su-jok massage is prescribed for neurological problems, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, injuries, emotional or physical fatigue. Therefore, it is important that assistance in these situations is provided by a qualified massage therapist. You need to look for this in a specialized clinic or specialized medical institution. Salons in Moscow and St. Petersburg offer several options for su-jok therapy: acupressure, acupuncture, laser puncture and even auriculotherapy (working out the reflex areas of the ear). Prices range from 1000 to 3000 rubles per session. The full course includes 7–10 procedures.

When creating the human body, nature put into it great powers that can resist diseases and independently restore damaged organs and systems. Su-jok helps to put them into action: by pressing on the reflex zones of the hands and feet, as if on computer keys, we create a special program that ensures health, activity and good mood for life.