Our acupuncturist Michelle Alley utilizes Tui Na as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. For this reason, Tui Na is not available as a standalone treatment.

If you do desire a full session of massage we have four highly skilled massage therapists available who can tailor your session to your specific needs.

What is Tui Na?

To a Westerner, Tui Na is the form of Asian bodywork most closely resembling conventional western massage. Many of the techniques are similar—gliding (known as effleurage or Tui), kneading (petrissage or Nie), percussion (tapotement or Da), friction, pulling, rotation, rocking, vibration, and shaking. Despite the similarities, the intent of Tui Na is more specifically therapeutic than the simple relaxation of a Swedish-style massage. Tui Na uses rhythmic compression along energy channels of the body, as well as a variety of techniques that manipulate and lubricate the joints. Like acupressure, Tui Na directly affects the flow of energy by holding and pressing the body at acupressure points.

One of Tui Na's advantages over simple massage is its ability to focus on specific problems, especially chronic pain associated with the muscles, joints, and skeletal system. It's especially effective for joint pain (such as arthritis), sciatica, muscle spasms, and pain in the back, neck, and shoulders. It also helps chronic conditions such as insomnia, constipation, headaches (including migraines), and the tension associated with stress.

As with other styles of Asian bodywork, Tui Na is designed to prevent problems, not just correct them. By keeping the body's energy in balance, health is maintained. This is true not just for physical health, but for mental and emotional well-being as well.

What can I expect during a Tui Na session?

In a typical session, the client, wearing loose clothing and no shoes, lies on a table or floor mat. The practitioner examines the specific problems of the client and begins to apply a specific treatment protocol. The major focus of application is upon specific pain sites, acupressure points, energy meridians, and muscles and joints. Advanced Tui Na practitioners may also use Chinese herbs to facilitate quicker healing. Sessions last from 30 minutes to 1 hour. Depending on the specific problems of the client, they may return for additional treatments. The client usually feels relaxed but energized by the treatment.

Tui Na vs. Chiropratic

While chiropractic therapy may reliably reduce misalignments in bony structures, it generally does not spend adequate time treating the muscles surrounding the bony structures before and after re-alignment. As a result, many patients of chiropractic complain of a rebound effect following treatments. Tui-Na, however, treats the muscular tension surrounding bony structures in such a way as to minimize the rebound effect immediately following treatments.