For those who have experienced both Shiatsu and acupressure, Tui Na massage therapy may feel like a cross between the two. Tui Na, like Shiatsu, makes use of rhythmic compression along the meridians which are the energy pathways of the body, as well as a number of modalities that lubricate and manipulate the joints. Tui Na, like acupressure, affects the movement of energy directly by pressing and holding the acupressure points of the body.

In the West, Tui Na is a type of Oriental bodywork that most closely resembles Western conventional massage. A lot of its methods are similar — shaking, vibration, rocking, rotation, pulling, friction, percussion (Da or tapotement), kneading (Nie or petrissage), and gliding (Tui or effleurage). While tui na has many similarities to many Western massage therapies, it has a more specific therapeutic effect than the basic relaxation you get from a Sauna or Swedish massage.

Tui Na’s ability to target specific problems, especially chronic pain related to the skeletal system, joints, and muscles, is one of its biggest advantages over basic massage. It is very helpful for arthritis; joint pain; pain in the shoulders, neck, and back, muscle spasms, and sciatica. It is also useful for chronic problems such as stress-related tension, migraines, headaches, constipation, and insomnia.

While it is often used to relieve painful joints, bones, and muscles, tui na also works at a deeper level with the Chi or energy of the body. The practitioner is able to evaluate the delivery of chi and affect its flow once he senses the body of the patient with his hands.

Tui na is not just designed to correct problems, it can also prevent them from developing and happening just like the other styles of Oriental bodywork. Health is maintained or achieved by correcting or preserving the balance of energy in the body. This is not only true for physical health, but for emotional and mental well-being as well.

Tui Na is the forerunner of most modern Asian bodywork techniques. Its practice has been traced as far back as 1700 BC. As with all the Chinese medicinal systems, Tui Na practice has suffered a lot during the 1920’s upheaval in China. The Chinese government in 1929, enacted a policy of systematically erasing “traditional” medicine throughout the country. In fact, Chinese Medicine in 1936 was accused as having no scientific basis and the government banned its practice.

However, among the general Chinese population, Tui Na survived as a popular form of healing and is called Anmo, which, in Chinese, is a broad terminology for massage. The name Tui Na is a more specific term that indicates techniques based on the Chinese medicine principles.

In 1949, after the Communists came into power, the attitude towards traditional medicine changed, and it was then promoted. However, there were additional obstacles, to its use during the decade of the 60’s and 70’s.

These days, the practice of Tui Na in China is much closer to the work physical therapists, osteopaths, and chiropractors than to that of massage therapists. It is learned as an equal but separate field of study in Traditional Chinese Medicine schools, involving a similar degree of training as herbal therapists and acupuncturists.

The technique and style of tui na has changed since the practice migrated to the West and became popular. While Chinese tui na practitioners in Spokane are trained in the art of bone setting, most western trained practitioners have no such training in this area. Western Tui Na practice can be seen as a complementary therapy to Western massage, focusing on balancing and restoring energy.