For Huntington’s Disease:

Acupressure and shiatsu are practices that involve applying finger pressure to certain acupoints (energy points) all over the body, usually along body meridians (energy lines). They can incorporate palm pressure, stretching, massaging and other manual methods.

Shiatsu practitioners usally treat muscoloskeletal and psychological conditions, including neck/shoulder and lower back pain problems, arthritis, depression, and also anxiety. Acupressure may also benefit a couple of measures of severity in Parkinson’s disease. Preliminary clinical evidence from one small study with individuals with facial spasms reported improvement when using shiatsu or acupressure. Further study is needed, however, before a conclusion can be made.

Acupressure appears to be safe when it’s self-administered or administered by a professional therapist. Serious, long-term complications have not been reported, according to the available scientific data. Hand nerve injury and herpes zoster (“shingles”) cases have been reported after shiatsu massage. Forceful acupressure may also cause bruising.