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What is Massage (Tuina)?
Massage involves working and acting on the body with pressure – structured, unstructured, stationary, or moving – tension, motion, or vibration. Massage can be applied with the hands, fingers and elbows.
Tuina (pronounced twee-nah) massage originated in ancient China and is believed to be the oldest system of bodywork. It’s one of the four main branches of traditional Chinese medicine, along with acupuncture, qi gong, and Chinese herbal medicine.
It’s based on the theory that imbalances of qi, which is the body’s vital life force or energy, can cause blockages or imbalances that lead to symptoms such as pain and illness. Tuina massage stimulates the flow of Qi to promote balance and harmony within the body using many of the same principles of acupuncture.
It’s similar to acupuncture in the way it targets specific acupoints, but practitioners use fingers instead of needles to apply pressure to stimulate these points. Tuina massage is often used in combination with acupuncture.
Benefits
1 / Boosts blood circulation
One of the main intentions of tuina massage is to boost blood circulation by stimulating the body’s energy flow.
2 / Reduces neck pain
Tuina massage relieves neck pain and the accompanying tension, tightness, and irritation.
3 / Relieves low back pain
Tuina massage can relieve lower back pain, especially when treatment is paired with core exercises.
4 / Treats depression
Focusing on whole-body healing is essential for people with depression, since the causes can be both physical and emotional.
5 / Promotes healthy lactation
Tuina massage is used to encourage postpartum lactation.
6 / Treats osteoarthritis
Tuina massage can relieve lower back pain, especially when treatment is paired with core exercises. Patients saw improvement in pain, stiffness, and function.
7 / Eases carpal tunnel syndrome
People with carpal tunnel syndrome who received warm-needling acupuncture in addition to tuina massage showed significantly more improvements than people who were treated using hormone block therapy and medication.
8 / Treats musculoskeletal disorders
Tuina massage is often used to improve function and reduce pain affecting the joints, bones, and muscles.
9 / Benefits foot issues from diabetes
Tuina massage can be beneficial for people with diabetes who have foot issues.
People who received tuina massage and a foot bath in addition to conventional medicine showed significant improvements compared to people who received only conventional medicine.
10 / Improves quality of life in cancer patients
Tuina massage is a viable option for people with cancer who want to manage symptoms related to the disease and its conventional treatment.
When combined with acupuncture, tuina massage was effective in improving quality of life in people with terminal cancer. Tuina massage was also shown to be effective in relieving stomach discomfort.
Massage is used to promote relaxation and well-being, and is beneficial in treating sports injuries and other problems affecting the musculature of the body such as postural misalignment and many painful conditions.
Peer-reviewed medical research has shown that the benefits of massage include pain relief, reduced trait anxiety and depression, and temporarily reduced blood pressure, heart rate, and state of anxiety. Additional testing has shown an immediate increase and expedited recovery periods for muscle performance. Theories behind what massage might do include blocking nociception (gate control theory), activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which may stimulate the release of endorphins and serotonin, preventing fibrosis or scar tissue, increasing the flow of lymph, and improving sleep quality.