No, it isn't. Many people think Shiastu treatment is painful, but many patients also are under the impression that "Shiatsu treatment must be painful, if not, it is ineffective". However, it is not true. Shiatsu treatment makes you really comfortable and relaxed. But some patients feel a lot of pains even if they are applied Shiatsu with very soft gentle pressure. It is because the patient's body must have some strains and distortions. Then Shiatsu treatment itself is not painful at all, but the acupoints (called "tsubo") stimulated by pressure cause the pains. In such a case, the pains are messeges from the body and say "Your body is overstraining yourself." and you should listen to the inner voice and reconsider your daily life knowing that "I have been overworking and stressful. My body need to be repaired now". Then you had better leave youself to take the pains . When your overstrains are healed well and your body become relaxed very much by Shiatsu treatment, then the pains of acupoints will go out and Shiatsu is really comfortable for you.