TCM massage is also known as Tui Na. It is an effective therapy that was created by ancestors of the Chinese people using the system of Traditional Chinese Medicine through long-term practice and is used to preserve health. Tui Na therapy refers to a method used to treat diseases or to keep good health by applying of continuous skillful actions of the hands or fingers to the skin or muscular tissues of oneself or others and can be combined with healing liniments, using Dit Da Jow with Tui Na is becoming common practice among practitioners. As a treatment, it is economical, safe, effective, easy, and convenient to perform with no need of drugs or medical apparatus. Tui Na is particularly applicable for old people ill with certain chronic diseases.

Tui Na has a long history. It was already in wide medical use in China more than 2,000 years ago, and it has kept developing ever since. Today a complete theoretical system has been formed along with a set of practical and effective manipulative maneuvers. Because it can cause local or general responses of the body and thus regulate the body’s functions and overcome pathogenic factors, Tui Na is used as a therapy to treat diseases and as a method to preserve health.

Using Dit Da Jow With Tui Na

According to TCM theory, massage manipulation applied to the human body may balance yin and yang, regulate functions,readjust the actions of the meridians, strengthen the body’s resistance, eliminate pathogenic factors, promote blood circulation to remove blood stasis, and invigorate the bones and muscles, this healing can be accelerated when using Dit Da jow with Tui Na.

The powerful herbal healing powers in Dit Da Jow are accentuated when used with Tui Na as both activate Qi and as the herbs enter the body quicker  in a transdermal manner with Tui Na, healing picks up at a very fast pace.

The general principle of Tui Na is based on the concept that one must search for the primary cause of diseases in treatment. Choice and performance of manipulative maneuvers depend upon such factors as the patient’s age and constitution and the nature and course of the disease.

Tui Na massage is too broad a subject to discuss in this article. We will concentrate on a brief introduction to some techniques of TCM massage.

TCM massage can be classified as active massage and passive massage. If one performs massage manipulative maneuvers on one’s own body to keep in good health, it is termed active massage. If a doctor performs massage manipulative techniques on a patient as a treatment, this is termed passive massage, which is primarily employed to treat diseases. Difference in performing manipulative maneuvers exists between schools of different views. There are, therefore, various manipulative techniques in practicing Tui Na. In general, the following techniques can be found in clinical practice:
• Pushing {Tui)
• Symmetric pinching (No)
• Pressing {An)
• Palm-rubbing {Mo)
• Rotatory kneading {Rou)
• Mobile figer-pinching {Nie)
• Rolling {Gun)
• Rubbing {Co)
• Acupoint finger-pushing {Yun)
• Foulaging {Cuo)
• Holding-and-twisting {Yao)
• Rotating {Nian)
• Scraping {Gua)
• Clapping {Pai)

Piling (Die)
• Fingertip-pressing {Dian)
• Pulse-pressing {Ya)
• Moderate pulling (Chen)
• Finger-flicking (Tan)
• Separating (Fen)
• Uniting (He)

The following is a brief description of how to perform the more popular techniques.

Pushing Technique. Press with a finger, palm, or elbow on a definite part of the patient’s body and move it straight and uni-direction-ally along a certain line for a desired distance. The exertion of strength should be steady and slow, and contact must be maintained. This maneuver can be applied to any part of the body. It increases the excitability of the muscles and promotes blood circulation.

Symmetric Pinching Techniques. Hold between the fingers and thumb a certain part or point of the patient’s body and pinch and release. The performance should be in a moderate and continual way, and any interruption should be avoided. Symmetric pinching can produce such effects as expelling wind and clearing away cold, causing resuscitation and relieving pain, and remitting spasm of the muscles and tendons.

Pressing Technique. Press a certain part or acupoint of the patient’s body with the fingers or the palm-base and gradually exerts strength downward while rotating. This maneuver has the following modes: thumb-pressing, palm-base pressing, four-finger pressing and two-finger pressing. The pressing can provide a relatively strong stimulation, and it is frequently combined with rotary kneading, forming a compound maneuver known as pressing rotatory kneading.
Thumb-pressing can be applied to any part of the body; palm-base pressing to the back, waist, and the lower limbs; four-finger pressing to the neck or the costal part; and thumb-and-forefinger-pressing to the fingers or the parts with slim and soft muscles. This maneuver can produce such effects as alleviating pain through inducement, relieving syndromes of stroke, easing constipation, relaxing the muscles, and correcting spinal deformity.

Palm-rubbing Technique. Place the palm or the palm surface of the forefinger, middle finger and ring finger on a certain part of the patient’s body and perform rhythmic circular rubbing. When performing this maneuver, be sure that the elbow joint flexes slightly, and that the wrist is relaxed, and that the fingers stretch straight naturally. The rubbing palm or finger surface should move in a circular way under traction of the wrist and forearm. Natural exertion of strength is needed, and the rubbing must be mild and harmonious at a rate of about 120 circles per minute. Palm-rubbing provides mild stimulation and is frequently applied to the thoracic abdominal part of the body. This technique can produce such effects as normalizing the function of the stomach, promoting digestion, removing stagnated food, and regulating peristalsis of the intestines.

Rotatory Kneading Technique. Using the palm surface, knead in a rotating manner a certain part or acu-point of the patient’s body. The pressure should be gentle and soft at a speed of 120—160 circles per minute. This maneuver provides just a mild stimulation, and it can be applied to any part of the body. The main effects of this maneuver include relieving stuffiness of the chest and regulating the flow of Qi, promoting digestion, removing stagnated food, activating blood flow, subduing swelling, and alleviating pain.

Mobile Finger-pinching Technique. Hold between the finger and the thumb a muscle or tendon of the patient s body; pinch or squeeze
tightly and release. Repeat this as many times as necessary. Mobile finger-pinching is usually applied to the thigh, calf, shoulders, or back. It can produce such effects as relieving rigidity of the muscles and dredging the channels and collaterals, promoting the flow of qi and activating blood circulation.

Rolling Technique. Place the back of your hand on a certain part of the patient’s body, and roll the hand back and forth under the drive of the wrist joint. To do this properly, keep the wrist joint relaxed and flex the elbow joint slightly forming an angle of about 120 degrees with the arm and shoulders. The pressure applied should be even, and the manipulation must be harmonious and rhythmic at 120—160 rolls a minute. This maneuver can be applied to the shoulders, back, waist, buttocks, or limbs. The rolling maneuver can produce such effects as relieving rigidity of the muscles and joints, activating the flow of blood, alleviating spasms, promoting the circulation of blood, and helping one to recover from exhaustion.

Rubbing Technique. Place the palm surface of the hand on a certain part of the patient’s body and rub back and forth along a certain line. It is important that the exertion of pressure be steady and not interrupted. This maneuver is characterized by mild and warm stimulation and is effective when used with Dit Da Jow. Rubbing promotes the flow of qi by warming the channels and collaterals, subduing swelling, and alleviating pain. It also strengthens the spleen and stomach, lifts local temperature of the body, and promoting the circulation of blood and lymph. Palm rubbing is mostly applied to the abdomen, shoulders, back, waist, and lower limbs.

Clapping Technique. Shape your palm like a cup, and clap the body surface of the patient. The clapping should be steady and rhythmic. This maneuver can be applied to the shoulders, back, and lower limbs. It can relieve rigidity of muscles and tendons, activate collaterals, promote the flow of qi and blood, alleviate spasms, and help one to recover from exhaustion.

Fingertip-Pressing Technique. Press certain areas of the patient’s body with one or two fingertips. This maneuver can provide very strong stimulation.This maneuver is usually applied to those areas where there are few and/or thin muscles. It relieves the syndromes of stroke, eases
constipation, activates the flow of blood, alleviates pain, and regulates the function of Zang and Fu organs.

Pulse-Pressing Technique. Press a certain part of the patient’s body like a pulse-beat with the fingers or palm. Finger-pressing can be performed with the middle finger or other fingers and is applicable to the face or other parts of the head. Palm-pressing can be performed with one or two palms and is applicable to any part of the body trunk. This maneuver can relax the muscles, activate the circulation of blood, and relieve pain and like with some of the other techniques can be enhanced with an application or two of Dit Da Jow.