Tuina ( pronounced as “Twee-naa”) is a form of manual medicine, which has been used widely in traditional medicine clinics and hospitals in China for thousands of years. Tuina doctors in China perform the work of massage, acupressure, chiropractic and physical therapy combined. The techniques can be superficial and gentle or they can be deep and penetrating. Tuina is used to promote circulation, heal soft tissues and sports injuries, reset the relationship between bones and their surrounding tissues, increase joint flexibility, and balance yin-yang function of internal organs.
Tuina doctors are trained in five-year educational programs in traditional medicine colleges in China. After graduation, they serve additional apprenticeships under the supervision of experienced Tuina doctors.
Tuina doctors diagnoses specific problems by palpating meridians and performing orthopedic testing, and then treat all the problems simultaneously. For example, pain is usually not caused by meridian obstruction, muscle strain, bone or joint misalignment alone. Because of this, tuina doctors usually address all the problems together to achieve the best results.
It is a unique medicine used for preventive, as well as therapeutic purposes, for both chronic and acute diseases. Diseases and conditions addressed in the U.S. by tuina practitioners include: arthritis, bone spurs, tendonitis, muscle tightness, bursitis, neck pain, back pain, sciatica, herniated disc, degenerated disc, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel, numbness and tingling in the arm and hand, hip pain, knee pain, foot pain, insomnia, fatigue, stroke recovery, poor childhood appetite, childhood asthma, as well as other ailments.
Dr. Lu was very well trained in tuina in China and he has been teaching tuina at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine since 1997. Dr. Lu also authored the book Tuina: A Handbook for Students and Practitioners. This book is currently being used as a textbook by several acupuncture schools in the U.S.
At Dr Yan Lu’s acupuncture and massage clinic in Portland and Vancouver, tuina is the major modality used in conjunction with acupuncture to treat musculoskeletal pain.