Acupressure Massage (Tui Na)

When a person is suffering from something, the usual remedy he seeks is in the form of a pharmacological agent. But upon admission, his doctor would recommend more than that. He (the doctor) will suggest alternative and complementary therapies that millions of people around the world have benefited from, and one of which is acupressure massage.

It is defined as an ancient healing art, which utilizes the fingers to produce pressure on certain points on the body to arouse the body’s self-curative abilities. Tui Na, as it is commonly called in China, utilizes primarily the hands that involve stroking, pressing, kneading, rubbing, and rolling actions along the muscles or directly on the joints.

Traditional Chinese medicine would state that the philosophy behind acupressure massage or Tui Na is the creation of clear pathways along the twelve meridians of the human body for the Qi, a positive energy to pass along. Ancient Chinese beliefs would explain that once a certain part of the meridian is blocked, the flow of energy will stop and the person will feel the pain or symptom.

There are 365 to 700 acupoints that are being utilized or pressed during this therapy. These acupoints are also similar sites for needle pricks in acupuncture. In fact, acupressure is oftentimes referred to as “acupuncture without the needles”.

This is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy, which is used by health care professionals for a number of conditions, but mainly in the treatment of pain. Here are other indications of acupressure massage that are widely accepted in health care settings:

• Musculoskeletal disorders, such as arthritis, sciatica, strains, and sprains.
• Post-surgical nausea and vomiting
• Fortifies the immune system to fight against infections and common colds
• Respiratory disorders, such as acute rhinitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, and bronchial asthma
• Eye disorders, such as acute conjunctivitis and cataract
• Mouth disorders, such as stomatitis, gingivitis, post-tooth extraction pain, and pharyngitis.
• Gastrointestinal disorders, such as hyperacidity, gastrointestinal reflux disease, ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, colitis, 
• Neurovascular disorders, such as migraine, stroke paralysis, Meneire’s disease, nocturnal enuresis, pain in the ribs and spinal cord.
• Cancer and other malignant tumors.
• Relaxation modality for those who are suffering from anxiety and other acute mental problems.

Although the regular session may last for about 10 to 15 minutes, or even up to an hour, the massage session, however, varies among children and adults, as well as, for people who can and cannot tolerate the massage pressure.

It is important that before acupressure massage therapy, or any other therapy to begin, a thorough assessment regarding the history of the person’s condition has been gathered. This is to guide the therapist of some important reminders, such as the areas where pressure application is contraindicated, especially those that have lacerated wounds or edema.

Acupressure massage, if performed correctly, can help the patient reduce his demands for medications or other pharmacological agents, especially pain medications. This will help him avoid drug dependence and for chemical interaction to occur in his system that oftentimes results to adverse reactions that can worsen his conditions.

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