Chinese Massage Training

Chinese massage, or Tui Na, is an ancient medical treatment dating back 4,000 years. Chinese physicians typically accepted apprentices who studied Tui Na massage along with other medical practices. Today training for Chinese massage is still often combined with herbalism, acupuncture and nutrition. The field of massage therapy is growing, including Tui Na massage, which means more career opportunities for new students in the field.

History

• Tui Na, literally translated as “grasping, pushing,” was first used sometime in the 11th century under its original name, Anmo. References to treating illnesses with massage have been found on tortoise shells and bones that the ancients used for divinations. An early biography of a great Chinese physician named Bian Que states that he was a master at Anmo which he used to cure diseases without the use of decoctions. Tui Na has remained a standard practice in many Chinese hospitals. It survived the Cultural Revolution because it is an inexpensive alternative to Western medicine that is easy to distribute among the people. Tui Na massage is just beginning to gain ground in the United States.

Function

• Tui Na massage training functions as an adjunct training in many Chinese medicine programs. It is used with musculoskeletal complaints, joint issues, psychological disturbances, to disperse bruising and scarring and improve movement. It is a deeply penetrating technique that is used for healing purposes, not as a relaxing alternative to Swedish massage. It is often combined with herbal treatment, acupuncture or topical ointments. The massage training requires an understanding of the Chinese system of meridians in the body and how to manipulate them.

Significance

• The proper term for Chinese massage is Tui Na.

  Tui Na massage training can give a practitioner techniques that will have a direct health benefit for their clients. It is also used throughout China in pediatric medicine. In fact, the name Tui Na was first coined in a Chinese medical classic about pediatric treatment. A great deal of research has been done in China documenting the benefits of Tui Na; unfortunately, much of it has never been translated in English.

  A survey done in 1997 states that 80 percent of Americans with health insurance were “likely” to use a massage therapist. Tui Na training can help offset a massage professional's repertoire as her profession grows.

Schools

• Some schools that offer Tui Na training are: Pacific College of Oriental Medicine (located in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles), American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, East-West Healing Arts Institute and Southwest Institute of Healing Arts. Most Tui Na training programs are part of Oriental medicine training. Oriental medicine studies may take anywhere from three to five years to complete. Massage licensure programs that include Tui Na may require one to two years.

Benefits

• The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine states, “There are approximately 1,500 massage therapy schools and training programs in the United States. In addition to hands-on practice of massage techniques, students generally learn about the body and how it works, business practices and ethics.” Some of these training programs include Tui Na techniques as a part of their curriculum.

  Tui Na training could expand the scope of currently practicing massage therapists or give new students health career opportunities that are suspected to grow every year.