What is Tui na?
Tui na (“twee nah”) or Tui-na / Tuina means “push pluck” and is a Chinese medical-style massage. This technique of massage is based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine. Tui na massage originated in ancient China and is believed to be the oldest type of massage in existence. It’s one of the four main branches of traditional Chinese medicine, along with acupuncture, qi gong, and Chinese herbal medicine. Tui na is based on the principle that imbalances of qi, the body’s vital life force or energy, can cause blockages or imbalances. These then lead to symptoms such as pain and illness. When you release the blockages and balance the body, pain and illness are reduced.
Tui na helps to stimulate the body’s own healing
Tui na releases muscle tension to increase blood flow and stimulate the body’s own healing processes. Where there has been trauma or injury to the muscles, Tui na breaks down scar tissue and adhesions. It can help to relieve pain and help a patient recover from injuries. Tui na massage stimulates the flow of qi in order to promote balance and harmony within the body using many of the same principles as acupuncture. Like acupuncture it targets specific acupoints, but using fingers instead of needles to apply pressure to stimulate these points. Tui-na massage is often used in combination with acupuncture and can be highly effective in treating pain and muscle issues used together.
Tui na massage can be performed fully clothed
Tui na is performed with the patient fully clothed and covered by a cotton sheet, which increases the practitioners sensitivity and makes it easier to identify the areas requiring treatment. Tui na is wonderfully relaxing and invigorating. It is suitable for all ages, as a general massage or for treatment of pain and injury.
What are the benefits of Tui na massage?
Tui na works with the same principles of Chinese medicine as acupuncture. Patients might have back or joint pain, lack of flexibility or general muscle tension for example but find that other niggling problems can improve as well with Tui na massage, as they often do with acupuncture.
Maintain muscle strength and flexibility with Tui na
It’s important as we get older to maintain strength and flexibility in our musculature, which also benefits our bodies internally. For those who practise a lot of sport, regular bodywork such as Tui na massage is essential to prevent injury. For those who sit at computers all day, posture can become poor and often ‘hunched’, causing back, neck and muscle problems. Poor posture can even inhibit our breathing and digestion. Tui na can help in all the specified cases.
If you’d like to book online for a Tui na massage session at our premises in the centre of Colchester, or discuss any specifics of Tui na treatment, please visit our Contact page