Therapeutic Massage (Tui Na)

Tui Na, also called therapeutic massage, is one of the essential foundations in Chinese medicine. It is now being popularized in US as a powerful therapeutic extension of traditional western massage.

Tui Na seeks to establish a more harmonious qi through the system of meridians, allowing the body to naturally heal itself. One of Tui Na’s advantages over simple massage is its ability to focus on specific problems, especially acute or chronic pain associated with the muscles, joints and skeletal system. It is 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, and headaches. Tui Na is also a wonderful way to relieve stress or tension, and recover from a hard day or a tough workout.

Tui Na has a variety of different systems that emphasize particular aspects of these therapeutic principles, such as rolling, gliding, kneading, percussion, friction, pulling, rotation, rocking, vibration and shaking by using fingers, thumb, knuckles, palm and elbow.  For example, rolling is used for joint injuries and muscle sprains, while one-finger pushing to the acupoint for internal diseases. Topical administration of herbal poultices, compresses, liniments and salves are also used to enhance the results of Tui Na.