What is Tui Na?

Tui Na massage is one of the main four treatment tools in the toolbox of a practitioner of TCM (traditional Chinese medicine): most systems of medicine include some form of touch therapy and TCM is no exception. From the patient’s angle Tui Na is often seen as lying somewhere between physiotherapy, shiatsu and acupressure. It has been used in China for more than 2,000 years and is the most recent branch of TCM to reach the UK.

Literally meaning ‘pushing and grasping’, Tui Na is based on the same principles of Chinese medicine - TCM - as acupuncture and herbal medicine. Tui Na practitioners use specific massage techniques to work on the pathways of Qi, and even on specific points, to harmonise the balance of Qi in the body and to encourage the body to heal itself naturally. If you practise yoga, T’ai Chi or Qi Gong, you will already know that a minimal movement can have a huge effect on your Qi. This same principle works with Tui Na - practitioners work with their patients’ energy with amazing results.

The key difference between Tui Na and other types of massage is in the way in which Tui Na treats your energy, or Qi, as well as your aches and pains. Tui Na does not just treat superficial problems; it works on the body, mind and spirit as a whole, through the pathways of Qi, to enhance wellbeing. When we talk about massage, we automatically assume that it is used to relieve stress and to treat musculoskeletal conditions such as tennis elbow, frozen shoulder, lower back ache, sciatica and arthritis. Tui Na is renowned for its effectiveness at treating this type of problem; what many people in the West may not know is that is also a fantastic form of treatment for a wide range of internal conditions, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), breathing problems, female health issues and even insomnia.

Tui Na treatment is normally carried out whilst the patient is fully clothed. The experience of treatment can be either relaxing or stimulating, depending on your condition and it can work at a very deep level. Practitioners use the same principles of diagnosis as for acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine - tongue and pulse diagnosis and questions about the condition - and they treat with the same aim, to balance the patient’s Yin and Yang.

The treatment style may vary considerably with the condition and energy of the patient. Certain conditions such as strains, sprains, aches and pains often require a Yang-style treatment which is physical, strong and fast and where the practitioner may use their wrist or elbow to apply pressure; internal or more chronic conditions often require a more Yin-style treatment which is gentler, lighter and slower. Also the practitioner is more likely to use a Yang-style treatment with a muscle-building, rugby player and a Yin-style treatment with a frail elderly person.

Think you might be interested in training as a Tui Na practitioner? Click here to find out more information on LCTA’s courses in Tui Na.

Would you like to train in Tui Na but would like more information, to see the college and meet the staff? A Presentation Day at LCTA will give you the opportunity to find out more. Click here to see the dates of our next Presentation Days.