Tuina or tui-na (pronounced twee-nah) massage originated in ancient China and is believed to be the oldest system of bodywork. It’s one of the four main branches of traditional Chinese medicine, along with acupuncture, qi gong, and Chinese herbal medicine. This is not your typical Spa like, relaxation oil massage – this is a very strong massage that can in some instances initiate an emotional release for the recipient of the treatment as it also works on the meridians along the body to remove blockages.
It’s based on the theory that imbalances of qi, which is the body’s vital life force or energy, can cause blockages or imbalances that lead to symptoms such as pain and illness, even depression and other diseases such as fibromyalgia and kidney and other organ issues
Tuina massage stimulates the flow of qi to promote balance and harmony within the body using many of the same principles of acupuncture.
It’s similar to acupuncture in the way it targets specific acupoints, but practitioners use fingers instead of needles to apply pressure to stimulate these points. Tuina massage is often used in combination with acupuncture.
How it works
The philosophy and principles of tuina massage are based on traditional Chinese medicine, which focuses on emotional and physical components of a person’s well-being, as well as aspects such as climate, relationships, and diet.
The underlying philosophy of tuina massage is that true health is achieved when one has found harmony and balance inside the self and their environment.
The goal of tuina massage is to create harmony in the yin and yang of the body by getting rid of blockages and disturbances that manifest as illness, disease, and emotional issues.
Similar to acupuncture, tuina massage uses the same energetic meridians and acupoints to balance the qi and blood in your body, leading to better health. Qi that’s flowing incorrectly can cause blockages, such as poor blood circulation in the affected area.
The main therapeutic goal of tuina massage is to remove the energetic blocks that are causing qi stagnation.
Technique
During a session, practitioners use oscillating and pressure techniques that differ in force and speed. Tuina massage can be done as a stronger deep-tissue massage or a more gentle, energetic treatment.
Some techniques are more yin, which is more gentle, passive, and meditative. The yang approach is more active, dynamic, and physical, creating more intense sensations by stimulating deep blockages and knots.
The practitioner massages the muscles and tendons and uses manipulation techniques to realign the body. Passive joint movements are used to restore function to muscles and joints.
Tuina massage uses massage techniques such as acupressure, myofascial release, and reflexology. Sometimes, techniques that are common to osteopathy and chiropractic, such as stretching and joint mobilizations, are also used, during the treatment I may also utilise NMR (Neuro Muscular Release) and PNF stretching
There are eight basic techniques used in tuina massage:
- palpating (mo)
- rejoining (jie)
- opposing (duan)
- lifting (ti)
- pressing (an)
- kneading (mo)
- pushing (tui)
- holding (na)
Other techniques include:
- Rolling. This is used for injuries such as sprains and strains.
- One-finger technique. This is one-finger stimulation of acupressure points.
- Nei gung. This is a full-body manipulation technique.
