Tuina (Chinese Traditional Massage)

The origin of Massage

In primitive society, when people struggled with wild beasts or worked the fields they would often be injured, resulting in aches and pains. People learned naturally that rubbing affected areas soothed the pain. Human beings kept on applying these touching techniques that could cure illness. As time went by, these techniques developed and accumulated. Several thousand years ago, our ancestors laid a good foundation for massage, and Chinese massage came into being step by step. During the Warring States Period, the earliest Chinese medical book The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine recorded some massage theory. It indicated that massage originated in the Yellow River area called Anqiao. It operated very simply so it spread very quickly during many dynasties.

The development of Massage

As time went by, massage developed, gradually reaching its peak during the Sui dynasty and Tang dynasty. The medicine book “Shengjizonglu” had a whole article about new methods for treating children indicating it made big progress. During the Ming and Qing dynasty, sports massage also developed. After the foundation of the Republic of China, many provincial, municipal hospitals set up massage departments and lots of massage training schools were opened across China. Now there are hundreds of massage hand techniques, not only for curing orthopedic disorders but all kinds of disease, and even just for the health-keeping. There are many disciplines in Traditional Chinese medicine, massage is just one but this skill can be used to help cure conditions of the heart and circulatory system, brain and nervous system, endocrine system and other problems that are usually difficult to treat. Whilst much of Chinese massage is very old, many new techniques are being developed, such as pinching along the spinal column and massage anesthesia.

In the 1970s, lots of massage instruments were invented and produced. Lacking international academic exchange until recently, word of Traditional Chinese massage has started to spread only in the last 30 years. Now the whole world pays close attention to this constantly developing art. Many foreign scholars come to China to learn massage. In the near future, this unique facet of traditional Chinese culture will spread and develop very quickly across the world.

Why can Tuina cure diseases?

Tuina treatment has the effect of adjusting the nerves, increasing resistance to illness, clearing channels, invigorating blood circulation, and easing joint movements.

Adjusting the nerves

The nervous system connects all parts of the body and affects the functions of organs in different areas. Neuronal dysfunctions, characterized by increased excitation or inhibition, cause disorders of some organs and produce diseases. Through various hand techniques Tuina treatment reflexively affects nervous function and balances nerves’ excitation and inhibition, thus curing diseases. This is called relative equilibrium of Yin-yang.

For example, if you have a headache or toothache, you can do some Tuina on corresponding points like the Hegu point and the aches will go away. That is because the hand movements in Tuina produce a new area of excitement and thus reduce or remove previous aches. This phenomenon is called “transferring pains”.

Patients with high blood pressure may have some symptoms (called Yang Rising in Liver) such as dizziness or headaches. With Tuina, blood pressure will drop for a short while. This is the result of Tuina hand movements making blood vessels expand through neural reflex. This regulating action is called “Leveling Yang in Liver”.

When a cold causes anhidrosis (absence of sweating), body temperature will rise, and drowsiness and headaches will occur. Tuina treatment will cause reflexive sweating all over the body and many related symptoms will vanish immediately. This phenomenon is called “relieving external ailments”. In recent years, there has much scientific research proving that Tuina treatment has those functions mentioned above.

If you do Tuina on the neck and back, or chest and waist, the blood flow of internal organs in the corresponding nerve area will be increased. There were some experiments on what effect doing Tuina has upon stomach motility. Doing Tuina on points like Weiyu, Piyu, Zusanli can enforce stomach motility. Yet, if the same Tuina treatments are taken when stomach motility has been increased, there will be inhibition on stomach motility. This shows that Tuina has different regulating effects when the stomach is in different states.

Increasing resistance to illness

Tuina treatment improves body constitution and mobilizes the immune system to help prevent and treat diseases. This is called “fu zheng qu xie” (i.e. strengthening body resistance and eliminating evil) in Traditional Chinese Medicine Theories. After a patient has taken a period of Tuina treatment, their complexion turns from grey to rosy and there is an increase in their appetite and weight. With the body’s physique improved, the treatment effects become far better. Take gastroptosis (downward displacement of the stomach) as an example. Tuina treatment not only directly improves gastrointestinal function and relieves a series of gastrointestinal symptoms, but also strengthens muscle tone and improves general symptoms, which illustrates that Tuina treatment builds up the body’s internal resistance against diseases.

Clearing channels, invigorating blood circulation, and easing joint movements

It is easier to see the effects of Tuina treatment on local pains. For example, sprains and contusions will cause blood stasis and swelling pain in some parts of the body. In this case, Tuina treatment can clear the channels, invigorate blood circulation, remove blood stasis and reduce swelling pains. The idea that reducing swelling can reduce pain is consistent with the rule “if it’s blocked, it’s painful; if it’s unblocked, it’s painless”, a tenet of Chinese Traditional medicine.

As to muscular atrophy caused by all kinds of paralyses, Tuina treatment can actuate the regaining of muscle tone and increase muscle strength. This is “clearing the channels and strengthening muscles and bones”. For example, because of rheumatoid spondylitis (inflammation of the vertebrae), joints seem to be “rusty”. Some passive hand movements of Tuina can make rusty joints more and more flexible. A lot of studies have been carried out on the prolapse of lumbar intervertebral discs and it has been discovered that Tuina treatment can make some parts recover through the mechanical force of the hand movements. On the basis of this recovery, Tuina hand techniques have been improved, thus increasing healing effects.

Medical Chinese Tuina techniques

Medical Chinese Tuina therapies are varied and skilled. There are 7 basic techniques as follow:

Swing handwork
This mainly focuses on the fingers or palms, twisting your wrist joints continuously. It includes pushing manipulation with one finger, rubbing, poking and kneading. All this can help to relax the muscles and stimulate the blood circulation, relieving the muscular and ligamentous spasm and fatigue.
Rubbing handwork
Your fingertips or elbow stick to the surface of the body, your handwork is mainly in a straight-line or circular. It includes palm-rubbing techniques, scrubbing manipulation, pushing manipulation and wiping manipulation. The stimulation is small. We often use liniment or ointment with this handwork. The palm-rubbing technique and scrubbing manipulation can be used for every part of the body. These regulate the flow of Qi, promoting digestion, regulating and harmonizing qi and blood, activating channels, stimulating the immune system and making the mind clear and eyesight sharp.
Vibrating handwork
There is a continuous rhythmic and hard stimulus on the body at a relatively high frequency. Vibration manipulation and shaking manipulation can be applied to every part of the body and acupuncture points and is often used when all other techniques have been finished. It can sooth inflammation, regulate the flow of qi, promote digestion and regulate the intestines and stomach.
Squeezing and pressing method
This is a series of pressing movements with the fingers or other parts of the body. As well as pressing manipulation, pinching, grasping and twisting techniques are used in this method of treatment. This is a powerful technique which can help to relax the muscles, promote blood circulation and stop pain and lubricate joints.
Kouji handwork
This is a series of flapping, hitting and flicking with your palms, the back of your hands, fingers or both sides of your palms. There are many techniques, such as boxing, slapping, side blow, which soothes tendons and meridians, regulates qi and blood flow and expels internal cold.
Joint manipulation
This refers to the joints being pushed through their full range of motion passively using motions including rotating, stretching and pulling. This technique can be used for every joint with some changes depending on the area being treated. It helps to soothe tendons and meridians, lubricate joints and adjust the anatomical position.
Combined handwork
This refers to two or more techniques combined to cure a disorder, such as combining pressing manipulation and kneading, called “Anrou technique” or combining pinching manipulation and kneading, called “Tuirou technique”.