Tui na ([tʰwéɪ.nǎ]; Chinese: 推拿) is a form of alternative medicine similar to shiatsu.[2] As a branch of traditional Chinese medicine, it is often used in conjunction with acupuncture, moxibustion, fire cupping, Chinese herbalism, tai chi or other Chinese internal martial arts, and qigong.[3]

Tui na
"Tui na" in Chinese characters
Chinese推拿
Literal meaning"Push and grasp"[1]
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyintuīná
Wade–Gilest'uei1-na2
IPA[tʰwéɪ.nǎ]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationtēui-nàah
Jyutpingteoi1-naa4
IPA[tʰɵɥ˥.na˩]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJ掠龍lia̍h-lêng
Tâi-lô掠龍lia̍h-lîng

Background

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Tui na is a hands-on body treatment that uses Chinese Daoist principles in an effort to bring the eight principles of traditional Chinese medicine into balance. The practitioner may brush, knead, roll, press, and rub the areas between each of the joints, known as the eight gates, to attempt to open the body's defensive qi (wei qi) and get the energy moving in the meridians and the muscles.[3] Techniques may be gentle or quite firm. The name comes from two of the actions: tui means "to push" and na means "to lift and squeeze." Other strokes include shaking and tapotement.[4] The practitioner can then use a range of motion, traction, and the stimulation of acupressure points. These techniques are claimed to aid in the treatment of both acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions, as well as many non-musculoskeletal conditions.[5]

As with many other traditional Chinese medical practices, different schools vary in their approach to the discipline. In traditional Korean medicine it is known as chu na (推拏), and it is related also to Japanese massage or anma and its derivatives shiatsu and sekkotsu.[6] In the West, tui na is taught as a part of the curriculum at some acupuncture schools.[4]

Efficacy

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A collaborative study between researchers in China and Germany concluded that the use of Tui na techniques can be a safe, low-cost method to reduce back and neck pain.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Tui Na MTCP". Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  2. ^ Ernst E (2019). Alternative Medicine – A Critical Assessment of 150 Modalities. Springer. pp. 203–204. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-12601-8. ISBN 978-3-030-12600-1. S2CID 34148480.
  3. ^ a b "Tui na". Dorland's Medical Dictionary for Health Consumers. 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  4. ^ a b Claire, Thomas (1995). Bodywork: What Type of Massage to Get and How to Make the Most of It. William Morrow and Co. p. 171. ISBN 9781591202325.
  5. ^ "Orthodox Tui-Na Treatment". The World Tui-Na Association. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  6. ^ Park, Tae-Yong; Moon, Tae-Woong; Cho, Dong-Chan; Lee, Jung-Han; Ko, Youn-Seok; Hwang, Eui-Hyung; Heo, Kwang-Ho; Choi, Tae-Young; Shin, Byung-Cheul (1 June 2014). "An introduction to China manual medicine in Korea: History, insurance coverage, education, and clinical research in Korean literature". Integrative Medicine Research. 3 (2): 49–59. doi:10.1016/j.imr.2013.08.001. ISSN 2213-4220. PMC 5481700. PMID 28664078.
  7. ^ Pach, Daniel; Piper, Mike; Lotz, Fabian; Reinhold, Thomas; Dombrowski, Mirja; Chang, Yinghui; Liu, Bin; Blödt, Susanne; Rotter, Gabriele; Icke, Katja; Witt, Claudia M. (2018). "Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Tuina for Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Tuina with a No-Intervention Waiting List". The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 24 (3): 231–237. doi:10.1089/acm.2017.0209. PMID 29072931. Retrieved 14 November 2022.