Shiatsu is based on the ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture but uses pressure from the fingertips instead of the insertion of needles into the skin at various parts of the body.

Acupuncture was developed in China more than 2,000 years ago and remains an important part of modern day Chinese medicine.

The traditional belief is that the life force, chi, flows through our bodies along a number of channels, called meridians. There are twelve main meridians, one for each month of the year. Along these meridians there are special places called acupoints. Originally there were 365 acupoints (one for each day of the year) but now many more are used. Illness occurs when one or more of the meridians becomes blocked or out of balance. The illness can then be helped by putting needles into some of the acupoints to ease the blockage or imbalance.

An alternative, modern, theory is that acupuncture works by releasing natural substance in the body called endorphins, which can help ease pain and other symptoms.

Acupressure was developed in China as an alternative to acupuncture and relied on pressing with the fingers on the selected acupoints rather than putting in needles. Shiatsu is a slight variation on this which was later developed in Japan (shiatsu means 'finger-pressure' in Japanese). Whereas acupressure is usually used to deal with a specific problems, or problems shiatsu is supposed to have a more general effect on the body, promoting healing and well being.

There is no evidence at all that either shiatsu or acupressure can help to actually treat or cure cancer. Having said this, many people feel that they can help with controlling certain side effects or symptoms, such sickness from cancer chemotherapy and some types of pain. Also many people just 'feel better' after they have had the treatments. But, as yet, there is very little real 'scientific' research to back up these claims.

So although it would be very unwise, even dangerous, to use acupressure or shiatsu as an alternative to normal treatments for cancer they may sometimes help if used along with those treatments to control some symptoms and side-effects.

Acupressure and shiatsu are not usually available through the National Health Service.