Tuina massage (Tui Na, “TWEE-nah”) is the bodywork therapy of Chinese medicine, complementing acupuncture and herbal medicine treatments, and is used to treat many issues, both musculoskeletal and internal. If you’ve already had an acupuncture treatment with me, you know I finish each session with 5-10 minutes of Tuina massage.
Tuina massage shares some similar techniques with other Asian bodywork therapies such as Shiatsu and Thai (Nuad Bo Rarn) as well as with some more Western techniques such as therapeutic and deep tissue. Tuina massage involves various oscillating, compression, and stretching techniques designed to increase the movement of qi and blood through the body, open up joints, and increase mobility and the health of the tissues and the body as a whole. I learned Tuina massage from Robert Nations (see video below), Bill Helm, Robert Leak, and Alex Tiberi–all teaching at the Pacific College of Health and Science (Pacific College of Oriental Medicine at the time) in San Diego, CA. My indebtedness and gratitude to all of them knows no bounds. They are some of the finest body workers I’ve ever known.
I can only touch the surface of the depths of Tuina massage therapy here in my brief descriptions. There are some good explanatory web pages that I’d like to point out if you’d like to read more deeply about it. I will start with my main teacher, Bill Helm who founded and runs the Taoist Sanctuary of San Diego. From him I learned Tuina massage therapy, Qi Gong, and Taijiquan. You can read his Tuina – Chinese Medical Massage page and begin to get a sense of the ancient wisdom found in this practice.
Another nice write up on Tuina massage therapy can be found on Healthline, it is 10 Benefits of Chinese Tuina Massage. They list these ten benefits as:
- Boosts blood circulation
- Reduces neck pain
- Relieves low back pain
- Treats depression
- Promotes healthy lactation
- Treats osteoarthritis
- Eases carpal tunnel syndrome
- Treats musculoskeletal disorders
- Benefits foot issues from diabetes
- Improves quality of life in cancer patients
A similar write up in Medical News Today can be found in their article What is tuina massage?
One more fun article is 5 Reasons Why Tui Na Massage Is A Must-Try Therapy. Personally, it is hard to find the five reasons they are talking about, because they list many more reasons than that, however, it is still quite an in-depth description of Tuina massage and the benefits it can provide.
Of course, the best way to learn what Tuina massage therapy can do for you is to come in and get a Tuina massage treatment. I have found that the overall relaxation and harmonization that one receives through this type of treatment can be deep, long-lasting, and quite profound on many levels, not just physically, but mentally and spiritually as well. We are one body, and as often as we like to point out areas that are aching or in pain, the body as a whole is functioning and processing all of it. When the focus of massage is opening channels and joints, getting qi, blood, and lymph flowing, and harmonizing the body as a whole, one’s whole sense of self can be reinvigorated.