THE ANCIENT CHINESE HEALING TECHNIQUE TUI NA  

FEB 27, 2019 @10.24AM

Tui Na literally meaning pinch and pull is actually acupressure massage that is used to relieve multiple disorders.

The term Tui Na pronounced as twee nah has been gaining attention in Malaysia for several years. A form of therapeutic massage and body work offered by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), it was used in China for more than 5,000 years to address a wide variety of conditions. 

Forevercare Treatment Centre Chinese physician Sun Yong (pix) who specializes in pulse reading to diagnose various internal medical conditions, says that Tui Na is a wide area of practice and can be done on both adult and children. 

“However, it is very seldom that the Chinese physician would practice this on children. Tui Na is actually acupressure massage that is used to relieve multiple disorders including insomnia, constipation, headaches, stiff neck, sore back, migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, premenstrual syndrome and emotional problems. It can also treat disorders related to digestive, respiratory and reproductive systems.”

“Literally meaning pinch and pull, the strength of the massage is based on the conditions of the patients. However, you can’t simply pinch and pull. Tui Na is also not recommended if there are injuries in certain areas.” 

“Normal massage is more for comfort and relaxation, whereas in Chinese medicine, we believe in ‘Qi’. If there’s a blockage there, higher pressure would be applied and this can cause some pain. The application of high pressure is to address medical conditions. It also follows the meridian points,” he said. 

Tui Na, along with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, are the main components of TCM. As such, Tui Na can be used to treat specific areas or it can be used to improve the overall Qi or energy flow throughout the body. Because Tui Na is a complete system, the treatment often helps both these components at the same time. 

Acupuncture
Acupuncture involves releasing and connecting energy at 12 specified points throughout the body through the use of tiny needles to various depts. 

“It is used to stimulate the nerves and in Chinese principle of medicine, is to emulate the flow of ‘Qi’. 

Similarly, Tui Na addresses the same points using manual stimulation. Tui Na rectifies anatomical abnormalities of both inner and outer surfaces by altering the energy levels of the biological system and adjusting the bio-information of the body.
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Because it employs the same principles, Tui Na can also be used as a complement to acupuncture treatment. 

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