Tui Na
Tui na or Tuina is a form of Chinese manipulative therapy. It is a hands-on body treatment that uses Chinese taoist and martial arts principles in an effort to bring the eight principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) into balance.
Tui Na does not simply work on the muscles, bones, and joints. It works with the energy of the body at a deeper level. As the practitioner senses the client’s body with her/his hands, she/he is able to assess the distribution of energy and affect its flow.
Tui Na, which dates back to 1700 BC, is the parent of most modern Asian bodywork forms. As with other styles of Asian bodywork, Tui Na is designed to prevent problems, not just correct them. By keeping the body’s energy in balance, health is maintained. This is true not just for physical health, but for mental and emotional well-being as well.
Tui Na is a popular form of healing among the general Chinese population. Anmo is the general term for massage in Chinese, whereas Tui Na is a more specialized term indicating practices based on the theories of Chinese medicine.
One of Tui Na’s advantages over simple massage is its ability to focus on specific problems, especially chronic pain associated with the muscles, joints, and skeletal system. It’s especially effective for joint pain (such as arthritis), sciatica, muscle spasms, and pain in the back, neck, and shoulders. It also helps chronic conditions such as insomnia, constipation, headaches (including migraines), and the tension associated with stress.