What is Tui Na?

Tui Na (pronounced “twee na”) is a form of Chinese medical massage dating back 15,000 years. Tui Na, also called An Mo, meaning push and grasp, is one of the world's oldest forms of massage and physical therapy. References to the technique appear in classic Chinese texts as early as 100 B.C. Using massage and manipulation, Tui Na seeks to establish a more harmonious flow of Qi through the body, allowing it to heal itself.

What Happens During Tui Na Massage?

After the patient’s condition is diagnosed by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) standards, a therapist uses Tui Na techniques, including acupressure, trigger point therapy, manual massage techniques, and gentle stretching to alleviate the symptoms. The patient wears loose clothing and no shoes and lies on a table or floor mat for sessions that last from one-half hour to an hour. Sometimes the Tui Na therapist uses liniments, heat therapy, and herbal patches to accelerate the healing process. Most ailments require three to six treatments to resolve them, although resistant chronic problems can benefit from a preventive approach of monthly or bi-monthly sessions for an extended period.

	Patients appreciate the speed with which Tui Na often resolves problems.

What Conditions Can Tui Na Treat?

Tui Na is effective in treating musculoskeletal conditions such as frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, and carpel tunnel syndrome, as well as headaches and digestive problems. This form of massage is not appropriate for conditions such as compound fractures, external wounds, open sores, or for patients with hepatitis. Tui Na practitioners will not perform the treatment on the abdomen of a menstruating or pregnant woman and Tui Na is not recommended for treating malignant tumors or tuberculosis.

“I usually use Tui Na along with acupuncture,” says Laureen Sanchez, a licensed acupuncturist who practices in Manhattan and Hicksville, New York. “Like most TCM practitioners, it’s a case of my understanding what will most benefit that particular patient at that particular time.”

A Tui Na massage therapist uses her hands, fingers, forearms, and elbows to perform the work. The main focus of the practitioner is on specific pain sites, acupressure points, energy pathways called meridians, muscles, and joints. After a session, the client typically feels relaxed and energized.

The Growth of Tui Na in the West

Tui Na is becoming increasingly popular in the West, often as a complement to or extension of Swedish massage. Patients appreciate the speed with which Tui Na often resolves problems. They also appreciate the practice’s relative safety as it does not involve drugs and is therefore free of side effects. The holistic properties of Tui Na are inexpensive compared with visits to most Western practitioners and the effects are frequently long-term.