Shiatsu Adjuvant Therapy And Placebo For Schizophrenia

Acupressure, also known as shiatsu, is a holistic form of medicine originating in Japan but now widely practiced throughout the world. The theory is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which sees meridians of life force (chi) running through the body, and aims to optimize health through manipulating the body into maximal alignment. We are proposing a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial to examine the efficacy of acupressure as adjuvant therapy added to antipsychotics in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. The goals of this study are twofold: 1. To assess through the highest standards of empirical research whether acupressure can benefit patients with schizophrenia. 2. To furnish data relevant to the possible physiological mechanisms by which acupressure may produce a therapeutic effect.