Tui Na Bodywork and Massage
Tui Na is the name for bodywork therapies in Chinese Medicine. Tui Na can be done with the hands, like massage or acupressure, or with tools, as with cupping and gua sha. Massage and body work are important parts of any holistic therapy. The power of touch is in itself healing and revitalizing. Using the principles of meridian and channel theory, body work is a potent tool with impressive results.
Acupressure and Tui Na Massage
Acupressure and Tui Na are massage techniques using meridian theory. The acupressure style used at Eastern Spirit is called Jin Shin Do and uses light pressure on acupuncture points to produce effects similar to acupuncture without the use of needles. Tui Na incorporates brushing, kneading, rolling/pressing, and rubbing techniques and works at the muscle level of the meridians and attempts to open the channels and improve Qi and blood circulation. Both are important components of our healing technique and are used often in treatment.
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Cupping
Cupping is a technique creating local suction on the skin with glass cups. Drawing up the skin is believed to open the skin’s pores, which helps stimulate blood flow, breaks up obstructions (e.g. scar tissue), stimulates Qi flow, and creates an avenue to draw toxins out of the body. It is used to help improve circulation to relieve acute and chronic pain, among other things.
Depending on the condition being treated, the cups will be left in place from 5 to 10 minutes. Several cups may be placed on a patient’s body at the same time. Cupping can cause some swelling and bruising on the skin. These bruises are usually painless, however, and disappear within a few days of treatment. |
Gua Sha
Gua Sha literally means to “scrape sand” and is a rubbing technique used for similar reasons as cupping. Gua sha involves repeated pressured strokes over lubricated skin with a smooth edge. Often, a Chinese soup spoon, animal horn or jade tool is used. The rubbing can cause “sha,” a reddish, spotted rash (aka petechiae) that usually takes 2-4 days to fade. The colour of sha varies according to the severity of injury – appearing from light pink to a dark blue-black – but most often is a shade of red. Sha will only appear on skin if there is an underlying injury. Therefore, the severity of the colouring can be used as a way to track the progress of healing in the tissues.
Gua sha is indicated for many conditions, especially chronic muscle tension, muscular problems and pain from increased scar tissue. |