Tui Na Massage

Tui Na is a full body-work healing treatment from the same tradition as acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine — and it shares their underlying principles.

How does Tui Na work?

Traditional Chinese medicine describes a network of meridians running through the body: twelve pairs, with one of each pair on the right side of the body and its corresponding partner on the left, completed by two unpaired meridians encircling the head and running down the midline. These meridians are best understood as key energy pathways rather than physical structures.

Located along these meridians are specific points — the same “acu” pressure points used in acupuncture. Stimulating them with pressure, needles or heat influences the flow of energy through each meridian, and the effect can appear at different points from where the stimulus is applied. Problems arise when the flow of energy through the body is interrupted: the resulting imbalance can produce pain, stiffness and ill health.

Tui Na is an effective technique for developing and maintaining the body’s energy balance. At first it may feel like an extensive workout of the soft tissues and joints, but an expert practitioner goes much deeper — concentrating on each meridian pairing and on selected acupressure points to create an effect that is specifically tailored to you.

What can Tui Na help with?

In China, Tui Na is typically used to treat the kinds of issues that osteopathy, chiropractic and physiotherapy address here, and it can also be used as an alternative to certain medications. It is particularly suited to:

• Recurring pain, especially from musculoskeletal ailments and injuries
• Neck, shoulder and back pain
• Stiffness and immobility
• Sciatica and tennis elbow
• Headaches and migraines
• IBS, constipation and PMS
• A range of emotional troubles

What to expect at your appointment

Tui Na is a hands-on, vigorous form of massage, with every technique merging movement with focused pressure. You may feel some soreness after your first session — this is perfectly normal, and most people’s bodies quickly adjust and adapt to the deep pressure techniques applied during treatment.

The after-effects vary widely from person to person and treatment to treatment: some people leave feeling light-headed, some pleasantly tired, and others feel positively supercharged. Your practitioner will tailor each session to your condition and let you know what to expect as your course of treatment progresses.