Choice

Looking after our body, mind and spirit is becoming an accepted way of making crucial changes to the way we live our lives. For many students studying Tui na at LCTA (The London College of Traditional Acupuncture Oriental Medicine), the benefits they have received from Chinese medicine have spurred them on to make huge changes in their lives and careers.

Tui na is the most recent branch of Chinese medicine to reach the UK and its popularity is growing at an ever-expanding rate. Literally meaning pushing and grasping, Tui na is based on the same principles of Chinese medicine as acupuncture. Tui na practitioners use specific massage techniques to work on the meridians of Qi, and even on specific points, to harmonise the balance of Qi in the body, allowing the body to heal itself naturally.
Tui Na is a type of Oriental bodywork which has been used in China for more than 2,000 years. Tui Na methods include the use of hand techniques to massage the soft tissue (muscles and tendons) of the body, acupressure techniques which directly affect the flow of Qi, and manipulation techniques to realign the muscles and ligaments. As such, the experience of Tui Na could be described as a cross between physiotherapy, shiatsu and acupressure.
Practitioners develop a special awareness of the Qi, which they work with directly on the patient's body, and usually through clothes. Treatment can be either relaxing or stimulating depending on the condition and is an excellent complement to an acupuncture treatment: it offers a unique system of hands-on treatment, which has profound effects. Alongside acupuncture, herbal medicine and nutrition, Tui na completes the system of Chinese medicine, which has worked so beautifully for thousands of years

Tui Na is increasingly taught as a separate but equal field of study in Chinese medicine colleges and is the most recent branch of Chinese medicine to gain popularity in the UK. In the Tui Na profession, people have worked hard to establish the professional body - the British Tui Na Association (BTNA), using the experience and professional standards which are embodied in acupuncture and Oriental herbal medicine. When the BTNA becomes formally constituted, it too will work towards a full system of accreditation. We are aiming for a situation in the UK where Tui Na practitioners receive the same demanding training as acupuncturists and herbalists and enjoy the same level of professional respect.
Neil Archer, former musician trained in Tui na with LCTA says: "I am now in the final year of their acupuncture course and I also follow their course in herbs. LCTA is a really lovely place to be: it is cosy and full of knowledge, as well as being an excellent learning environment with great energy.
"I am a hands-on person and Tui na is the perfect expression of that. Although I originally learnt massage, I wanted to work with people in a deeper way, which is why I started training in Chinese medicine. Using my hands is really important to me and I find most people love the human touch, which is why I decided to study Tui na alongside acupuncture.
"I see herbs as the final part of my training and I'm looking forward to being a fully-rounded practitioner, using all branches of Oriental medicine. I want to be able to offer my clients the best possible treatment and for me that means combining acupuncture, herbs, Tui na and qi gong.
"I currently practise Tui na four days a week, which fits in well around my training. Within a year of starting my practice, I was seeing around 40 patients a week! I don't always choose to do this, but it's nice to know that I can."

LCTA is a leading private college in Finchley, North London that specialises in fully-accredited professional courses in Acupuncture, Oriental Herbal Medicine, Tui Na massage, Nutrition and Qi Gong. On their Tui na course students not only learn all the Tui na massage techniques but they also receive the same in-depth knowledge of Chinese medicine as students on their Acupuncture degree course. Students develop skills in the various techniques, including compound techniques, passive movements and methods of tonification and sedation. They also cover the Chinese medicine actions of these techniques and apply learning in a supervised clinical setting. In addition, this course includes the study of yang style Shaolin Neigong and yin style Healing Sounds Qi Gong.
Like many practitioners in his field, Neil is intensely passionate about his profession. He added: "I have a lot of experience with Qi and lots of passion and vigour for Chinese medicine. My musical and life experiences are important and I project these through my interaction with fellow practitioners. In the future I plan to use my musical background to create healing music."

In a typical session, the client, wearing loose clothing and no shoes, normally lies down. The practitioner explores the problem and uses massage techniques on acupressure points, energy meridians, muscles and joints. Sessions can last anything from 30 minutes to an hour and a half and, depending on the specific problems, your practitioner may recommend that you return for treatment as frequently as once a week. You will usually feel relaxed but energised by the treatment.
Tui Na is well suited for the treatment of muscle and joint pains as well as deeper internal problems such as digestive difficulties, asthma and breathing problems, and female problems, to name but a few. Treatment can be quite deep and occasionally uncomfortable, although the discomfort is often described as "a nice pain"!
Musculoskeletal conditions - such as tennis elbow, wryneck, frozen shoulder, lower back ache, sciatica, arthritis and rheumatism - come under the category of what is known in Chinese medicine as Bi Syndrome. Bi means obstruction and, as the old Chinese saying states, "where there is obstruction, there is pain".
Tui na is renowned for its highly effective treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. In hospitals in China the Tui na departments are without doubt the first port of call for all problems of this nature. In the West, Tui na is still in its infancy and people are just beginning to discover the benefits of this form of treatment. Sarah Pritchard, one of the UK's leading experts in Tui Na says "In my practice, I treat many people who have already trodden the paths of physiotherapy, chiropractic and osteopathy. Their musculoskeletal problems have been hanging around for months, and often even years. Tui na consistently comes up with excellent results, totally clearing or, at the very least, producing a lasting reduction in both acute and chronic pain, and frequently in a surprisingly short time. The approach of Tui na is holistic and it offers many benefits to the overall health of an individual as well as relief from pain."

It works

1.	Everybody loves Tui na so you will not have a shortage of patients - LCTA's Tui na clinic is always full!
2.	If you are a hands-on person, Tui na is the perfect way to use your skills
3.	Tui na is usually carried out through clothing, saving people's blushes