Tuina and Zheng gu
First gain control of your body. Then gain control of your mind. Retain one-pointedness then the harmony of heaven will come down and dwell in you. You will be radiant with life. You will rest in the DAO.
Zhuang zi (4th century B.C., China)
Tuina, Chinese Therapeutic Massage
Tuina is one of the oldest therapeutic modalities and an important complement to Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. The earliest records of Tuina date back to the bone fragments (1800 B.C.) which describe massage methods for treating infants. The Huang di Neijing 250 B.C., one of the oldest Chinese medical texts, lists Tuina as a major treatment modality. The Wei and Jin Dynasties (220 B.C. – 420 A.D.) saw Tuina recognized as an official speciality in the government health care system. In the Sui dynasty (581 A.D. – 618 A.D.) the title of doctor of Tuina was formed; by the Tang dynasty (618 A.D.) Tuina became a major speciality in medical colleges.
Finally in 1956, the Academy of Traditional Medical Massage was formed by the Chinese Ministry of Public Health.
Medically, Tuina rectifies anatomical anomalies, alters inner states of energy, relaxing muscles, tendons, and ligaments, dissolving blood stasis and improving blood circulation as well as the motility of internal organs.
Tuina treats soft tissue injuries as well as rheumatic pain, lack of energy, as well as symptoms caused by stress and emotional issues.
Tuina is an appropriate therapy for seniors, adults, infants, athletes and anyone needing rehabilitation or suffering from orthopedic issues.
Tuina remains the basis of many of today’s manual therapies – acupressure, shiatsu, body massage, deep tissue massage, massage, lymphatic drainage to name but a few.
A path is made by walking on it.
Zhuang zi (4th century B.C., China)
Zheng gu shu (Chinese Structural Osteopathy)
Chinese society, with a history that spans over 5000 years was not only an agrarian society but also a militarized society. War wounds, construction accidents, agricultural accidents called for an expansion of classical acupuncture to include Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) and Zheng gu (the art and science of bone seating). Today extremely serious musculoskeletal and articular injuries requiring surgery are best treated by orthopedic surgeons; however, less serious injuries involving correcting bodily structure, musculoskeletal, soft tissues injuries can be very effectively treated by practitioners of Zheng gu, China’s equivalent of osteopathic medicine. As a matter of fact, many of today’s manual therapies, chiropractic, osteopathic medicine, physiotherapy have identical roots to Zheng gu/Tuina. Immumed practitioners are trained in both Chinese therapeutic massage and Chinese osteopathy, as well as in western osteopathic medicine, offering patients an extremely effective therapeutic venue.
