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Reuben,
You missed all the many, extended earlier threads, where people went into more detail in this discussion other than the short versions of why we don't believe in this one. But to summarize for me:
1. If folks want to pay good money for this stuff, that is their decision. But don't say this magical thinking has a 'proven' scientific basis, or that 'it always works' because neither statement is true.
--pressure points work because of the pain they cause, or from stimulation of nerves resulting in a slowing of the heart rate or lowering of blood pressure or both.
--pain compliance only works if you can always get the nerve (you cannot, anatomy is too variable, I know first hand), the person's pain threshold is exceeded (easily overcome by drug use or a willingness to tolerate pain to achieve a goal, or by a natural or trained higher pain threshold)
--some knockouts occur when a person's reaction to pain or the threat of it causes a vasovagal reaction (think fainting at the dentist's office)
--some occur with stimulation of the vagal nerve (the HARD solar plexus strike) affect heart rate/BP, or it could be the reaction to the pain that causes (see above)
--some occur from prolonged (PROLONGED) massage of the receptors in the carotid sinus
--those that require this type of stimulation again vary in success due to anatomy, and the uke needs to stand still for some time while you do it
Lets see, where have I seen pressure points tried on me? For this I am not counting the kyu students, just the sandans through rokyudans who get interested once they realize I don't feel pain with yonkyo... one in front of the ear, my guess is they were trying for the trigeminal, on on top of the head and off the midline (probably trying for a feedback loop into a vagal response), side of my neck (see my longer post elsewhere on carotid massage), of course the radial (yonkyo), ulnar (ikkyo pin), side of the leg (peroneal), top of the foot (no clue)...
I believe a hard blow to the brachial plexus (armpit) as is taught but not done would be effective for at least temporarily interfering with the arm if not fairly incapacitating pain-- I'm not interested in finding this out as it might cause permanent damage to the brachial plexus through the streching of the nerve. But it needs to be an effective hard punch, the effect is from stretching/tearing the nerve bundle, or at least causing swelling around it.
I've also not tried getting punch full force in the solar plexus, for similar could-cause damage reasons, not so much to the nerves (the worse thing would be stimulation of my vagal nerve resulting in a temporary pulse/BP change, and I think it would be unlikely to happen) but because of fear of rupture of stomach, intestines, diaphragm, or with misplaced blow, lacerated liver, spleen, lung... curiosity is not worth the risk.
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