Chinese Tuina (pronounced “twee nah”) is a modality of Traditional Chinese Medicine that addresses specific patterns of disharmony in the body. Like acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners use Tuina to harmonize yin and yang in the body by manipulating the chi (qi) in the acupuncture channels. It is a complete system of medicine. It is not generally used for pleasure and relaxation. Tui means to “push” and na means to “grab or squeeze”. It addresses the same points using manual stimulation. Tuina rectifies anatomical abnormalities of both inner and outer surfaces by altering the energy levels of the biological system and adjusting the bio-information of the body.
Practitioners use their finger, hand, elbow, knee or foot to apply pressure to a specific body location. By applying pressure to meridians, acupoints, or groups of muscles and nerves, Chinese Tuina removes blockages and works deeply with the positive energy of the body.
Many of the techniques and strokes used in the massage resemble that of a western massage like gliding, kneading, rubbing, vibration, tapping, friction, pulling, rolling, pressing and shaking. The muscles and tendons are massaged with the help of the hands. Chinese Tuina methods can include soft tissue massage manipulation, acupressure in conjunction with herbal compresses, ointments, liniments and heat. The best part of the therapy is that it relaxes as well as energizes the person.
Chinese Tuina can be used to treat specific areas or it can be used to improve the overall chi (qi) or energy flow throughout the body. It focuses on the specific problem, whether it is an acute or a chronic pain associated with joints, muscles or a skeletal system. This technique is very beneficial in reducing the pain of neck, shoulders, hips, back, arms, thighs, legs and ankle disorders. It is a very effective therapy for arthritis pain, sciatica and muscle spasms. It can also relieve multiple disorders including insomnia, constipation, headaches, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, premenstrual syndrome and emotional problems. It can also treat disorders related to the digestive system, respiratory system, and reproductive system. Chinese Tuina can be used to address both internal diseases and external injuries.
The greatest advantage of Chinese Tuina is that it focuses on maintaining overall balance with both physical and mental health. Anyone who wants to avoid the side effects of drugs or a chemical-based treatment can adopt this effect. Chinese Tuina massage therapy is now becoming a more common therapy method due to its focus on specific problems rather than providing a general treatment.
Chinese Tuina has no serious side effects, although because it can be a powerful treatment in terms of readjusting the functions of the body, some patients may see an increase in frequency of visits to the bathroom or may feel slightly sedated immediately after treatment or may develop slight bruising depending on the patient’s symptoms as blockages get released. The effects of a typical treatment can last up to a week if the person is not completely cleared up by then.