Tuina: medical maneuvers

Traditional Chinese Medicine offers a multitude of therapies that help keep the body healthy and fit. The Tuina or Tui-na is a manual therapy that is becoming known in the West. These are sessions in which maneuvers are combined with massage, mobilization, acupressure, traction and handling.

What is Tuina?

The Tui na is a therapeutic method consisting of a set of manual techniques that are applied in an orderly manner on the body. Tuina movements are constant, vigorous, uniform, soft and penetrating.

These techniques stimulate the flow of Qi (energy) and Xue (blood) of the body, regulate internal organs and body energy balance.

Etymologically Tui na is composed of two massage maneuvers:

• Tui Fa: push and move simultaneously.
• Na Fa: grab and pull the skin.

From inside to outside

With the application of Tui na, we get results from outside in the body that bring effects in the interior. Using this manual technique we have two objectives:

• Treating
• Preventing

The session of Tuina

Before starting, the massage therapist organizes the meeting; the maneuvers that apply and the order are selected before, taking into account the ergonomics of the therapist.

Tui na's meeting is organized in three phases:

• Initial: gentle movements.
• Therapy: exercises of varying intensity depending on the purpose of massage.
• Final: gentle movements.

While the session is divided, the Tui na is done so that the patient does not notice the change of phase, is a continuous and progressive maneuver.

This technique can be applied in:

• Traumatology
• Rheumatology
• Neurology
• Musculoskeletal pathology
• Pediatrics
• Stress-related pathologies
• Internal Medicine

The Tuina is very effective in headache, renal colic, dysmenorrhea, constipation, gastralgia, hypertension. But patients come mainly to the consultations in search of treatments for trauma and rheumatology.

It is then used to treat: torticollis, neck pain, sprain toracocostal, cervicogenic backache, herniated lumbar disc, chronic back pain, acute lumbar sprain, lumbar espondiartrosis, supraspinatus tendinitis, tenosynovitis of the biceps tendon, frozen shoulder, bursitis subdeltoid olecranon bursitis , epicondylitis, wrist sprain, De Quervain's tenosynovitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis of the knee, sprained knee ligament, patellar bursitis, piriformis syndrome, coxarthrosis, heel pain, ankle sprain…

Tui na effects on the physical and energy level:

• Physically: blood flow, the neuromuscular system and skin.
• Energy level: the circulation of Qi (energy) and Xue (blood) on the internal organs and overall effects on the body.

A little history …

The Tui na originated in the current region of Luo Yang, Hen Nan province. This manual technique was originally called Anmo during the Qin (221-207 BC) and Han (206 BC – 220 AD). With the evolution of technology and become more complex, manual therapy, Tui na was renamed during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644)

The word etymologically Anmo comprises:

• An Fa: "An" is the name of the maneuver and "Fa" means maneuver. Maneuver consisting of exerting force perpendicular to the skin without scrolling.
• Mo Fa: circular rubbing on the skin with very little pressure.

The Tui na went through a dark period in the Qing Dynasty, being disapproved by the government. After 1949, with the establishment of the PRC, Tui na therapy again gained particular relevance. In 1950, people organized the first course of Tuina and the following year established a specialized clinic of Tui na, founding a vocational school with a highly skilled teacher and a nationally recognized prestige, in order to prepare professionals of this discipline.

In the 50s, the Tui na was already being applied in different clinical specialties as internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, orthopedics, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, stomatology, etc. At the same time, people began to investigate the physiological basis of Tui na and its principles of healing, indicating the revision of the standard works on Tui na.

In this way, the qualities that the movements of Tui na should have are:

• Energetic
• Flexible
• Constant
• Penetrating

In 1974, the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Shanghai was the first country established in the specialties of Acupuncture, Tui Na and Traumatology, teaching in schools of Acupuncture and Moxibustion and Tui na in 1979.

In 1982, the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing, also established schools of Acupuncture and Moxibustion and Tui na.

Source: TCM School

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