Medical Tui Na

Tui Na (推拿)

Tui na ('push and grasp') is Chinese medical massage for the treatment and prevention of disease. Tui na removes obstructions in the body's energy pathways to improve and encourage the flow of qi, the body's vital energy. In so doing, tui na improves blood and lymph circulation, helps alleviate joint displacement, improves joint mobility and flexibility, promotes healing of muscles, tendons, and ligaments, improves the function of internal organs, regulates the nerves, and improves the exchange of cellular fluids.

One of the four main branches of traditional Chinese medicine, tui na dates back to around 2700 B.C., making it the forerunner of all forms of body-work.

Said to be like acupuncture without needles, tui na is inseparable from Chinese medicine theory. It is not enough for the therapist to know the techniques; he or she must first be able to make a proper TCM diagnosis in order to achieve the expected effect of their technique on the patient's health status.

Bangwu Zhang, M.D. (China), a former orthopedic surgeon in China, now practices tui na exclusively as one of the most experienced tui na practitioners in the United States. Here Dr. Zhang performs tui na to relieve adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder).

Accessible and non-invasive, tui na is quite popular in China, where people queue up in long lines outside hospitals waiting for the tui na department to open. It is often the first choice of treatment for infants and children.

Tui na differs from other forms of body-work in two ways. First, it is used to treat specific internal illnesses as well as musculoskeletal disorders. Second, it is typically prescribed as a series of treatments.

After a tui na session, herbal-based topical liniments and/or plasters may be applied for extended relief and to promote healing between sessions.