Tuina is a Chinese word that means manipulation and massage of the human body. Many manipulating techniques have been developed in Tuina in the past few thousand years. They cover a wide range of procedures from the very gentle to the firm or vigorous. Some of these techniques are quite simillar to what the massage therapists, physiotherapists and chiropractors use today. Acupressure is one of these techniques, which gives gentle but firm pressure on some points of the body. As a healing art, tuina is as old as instinct itself - the spontaneous manipulating of a place on the body that is aching, wounded, or tense.

More than five thousand years ago, the Chinese discovered certain points on the body which - when pressed, punctured, or heated - had a beneficial effect on some ailments. Gradually, through trial-and-error and the sharing of experience, more and more points were discovered, and the Chinese noticed that points with similar functions lined up to form 14 meridians in our body. Stimulation of these points or meridians not only alleviated pain but also influenced the functioning of certain internal organs. Now it has been proven scientifically that these points have a lower skin resistance, that is, they transmit a greater current of human energy that is necessary for staying health.

Tuina has much in common with acupuncture. They use the same theory of points and meridians to promote healing through the release of tension and the increase of blood circulation. The fundamental distinction lies in the needles used in acupuncture and the skilled hands used in Tuina.

Although Tuina, especially the acupressure, can stimulate the meridiands and points to relieve various health problems, its most advantage is on its passive movement techniques on any structure as a form of treatment for musculoskeletal disorders. Frequently, tuina is used for soft tissue and joint injuries, relaxation, and preventive maintenance. In some instance, tuina or acupressure is used for replacement of acupuncture for those patients who can not take needles like haemophliliacs.

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