Tui na (推拏 or 推拿, both pronounced tuī ná), is a form of Chinese manipulative therapy often used in conjunction with acupuncture, moxibustion, fire cupping, or Chinese phytotherapy. Tui na has been used extensively in China for over 2,000 years.
Tui na is a hands-on-body treatment using acupressure that is a modality of Chinese medicine whose purpose is to bring the body into balance. The practitioner may brush, knead, roll/press and rub the areas between each of the joints to open the body’s defensive (wei) chi and get the energy moving in both the meridians and the muscles. The practitioner can then use range of motion, traction, massage, with the stimulation of acupressure points and to treat both acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions, as well as many non-musculoskeletal conditions. Tui na is an integral part of Chinese Medicine (CM) and is taught in CM schools as part of formal training in Oriental medicine. Tui na was one of the methods especially suitable for use on the elderly population and on infants. Today,it is subdivided into specialized treatment for infants, adults, orthopedics, traumatology, cosmetology, rehabilitation, sports medicine, etc.
Tui na has fewer side effects than modern drug-based and chemical-based treatments. It has been used to treat or complement the treatment of many conditions; musculo-skeletal disorders and chronic stress-related disorders of the digestive, respiratory, and reproductive systems.
In a typical adult tui na session, the patient wears loose clothing and lies on a massage table. After answering some brief questions, the practitioner will concentrate on specific acupressure points, energy trigger points, muscles and joints surrounding the affected area. Occasionally, clothing is removed or repositioned to expose a particular spot that requires direct skin contact. Treatment sessions last from 10 minutes to over an hour. Patients often return for additional treatments for chronic conditions.
