Tuina techniques Flashcards
Pressing
gentle-strong gentle, perpendicular
Finger pressing
Use thumb, use over small areas
Palm pressing
Over large areas (abdomen & back)
Elbow pressing
Over buttock area (GB 30), use if not enough pressure
Continuous pressing
Similar to pressing, use thumb, palm or olecranon, over back or lower back, perpendicular
Pointing
Use fingers, used to achieve stronger stimulation
Nipping
Make hollow fist, use thumb tip, perpendicular, gradually increase the pressure, for first aid & emergency cases (Du 25, Du 26, PC 6, PC 9, Lao Long)
Palpation through the touch
Feel with fingers or hand to inspect
Cupping
Palm is placed on the chest or abdomen and kept still
Warm covering
Two palms are rubbed together until warm, then placed gently on the body and kept still
Pushing
Use finger, palm or elbow, single-direction, straight line
Thumb pushing
Use thumb, push slowly and in one direction
Fist horizontal pushing
Make a fist, use PIP of finger to push
Finger horizontal pushing
Use fingers to push
Palm pushing
Use the palm on surface, used over large areas
Elbow pushing
Use elbow to push the larger area (gluteal area)
Thumb pushing along Qiao Gong Xue
Use with thumb, push in one direction, start from SJ17 to ST 12
Separating with thumbs
Thumbs are used to separate the region, starting from center, then move outwards, use both thumbs in opposite directions
Separating with palms
palms are used to separate the region, starting from center, then move outwards, use both palms in opposite directions
Rubbing-srubbing
Use palms or fingers on body, two-way, straight movements until heat
Straight rubbing
Use palms or fingers on body, two-way, straight movements until heat, on back, shoulders, limbs
Side to side rubbing
Use palms or fingers on body, two-way, straight movements until heat, around neck, knees, joints
Palm rubbing
Use palms on the skin, allow palms to move back and forth, large areas (chest, back, limbs)
Great thenar rubbing
Use thenar eminence, move back and forth, keep wrist straight, use on chest abdomen, anterior areas
Hypothenar rubbing
Use hypothenar eminence, move back and forth, keep wrist straight, use on shoulder, back, posterior areas
Wiping, mopping
Technique 1:
Use thumbs of both hands over patient’s forehead, make upward, one-way movements from Yin Tang to Du 24
Technique 2:
Use fingers or palms and move back and forth, up and down, left and right, or along arc-shaped lines bilaterally
Sweeping, scattering
- Drops the shoulders, relaxes elbows, start at temple, following the arch of ear to the back of neck (GB channel)
- Use the tips of four fingers, running along scalp while moving forearm actively, back and forth or one direction
Tweezering
Use index and middle fingers at PIP and clamps patient’s fingers or toes, squeeze and slide away
Skimming
Use whorl side of each four fingers and gently glide over the skin
Scraping
Uses whorl side of each four fingers with a heavy force, much stronger than skimming and pushing, similar to linear pushing
Circular rubbing
Use palms or fingers on surface, one-way circular movements
Finger circular rubbing
Use finger, mainly used on small areas and points
Palm circular rubbing
Use palm, mainly used on large areas and channels
Palm-root kneading
Use the palm, makes one-way, circular movement with pressure, mainly used on smaller areas and channels
Great thenar kneading
Use the great thenar, makes one-way, circular movement with pressure, mainly used on smaller areas and joints
Finger kneading
Use the finger, makes one-way, circular movement with pressure, mainly used on smaller areas and specific points
Thumb kneading (finger kneading)
Use the thumb, makes one-way, circular movement with pressure, mainly used on smaller areas and specific points
Middle finger kneading (finger kneading)
Use the middle finger, makes one-way, circular movement with pressure, mainly used on smaller areas and specific points
Index finger kneading (finger kneading)
Use the index finger, makes one-way, circular movement with pressure, mainly used on smaller areas and specific points
Three fingers kneading (finger kneading)
Use the three fingers, makes one-way, circular movement with pressure, mainly used on smaller areas and specific points
One finger meditation
Use tip of thumb, exert force, relax and drop shoulder, loosen the hand, make a hollow fist, flex and extend the thumb joint, allow altering light and heavy pressure
Thumb pushing with side tip
One finger meditation applied to the face, head, chest or hypochondriac region, slightly flex the wrist and extend the fingers, place the radial side of thumb tip on patient, swing back and forth
Double flying of butterfly
Used on GB 20, use both thumbs to stimulate the points, swing forward and back
Rolling
Flex and extend the joint, rotate the forearm; relax the shoulder and wrist joint, place hypothenar eminence
Rolling with metacarpophalangeal joint
Similar to rolling but uses bony prominences of metacarpophalangeal joints, flex and extend wrist joint
Rolling with proximal interphalangeal joint
Similar to rolling but uses bony prominence of proximal interphalangeal joints
Pinching
Hold and lift patient’s skin, create a type of roll, move forward and alternate with thumb and fingers
Three fingers pinching
Pinching with thumb, index and middle fingertips, do it along du channel
Two fingers pinching
Pinching with thumb and index fingers, do it on shoulder
Grasping
Use thumb with either index and middle fingers, or with all four fingers, hold and lift certain parts of body in rhythmic way
Seizing
Use all fingers and “grasp”, often used on the head, shoulders, and limbs
Three fingers seizing
Use thumb, index and middle fingers and “grasp”, used on the neck and shoulders
Five fingers seizing
Use all fingers and “grasp”, often used on the head and limbs
Plucking
Extend the thumb, index, and middle fingers, apply pressure, make a deep, short, one-way movement without lifting
Joining
Places both palms on opposite sides of the joint, push the joint directly to center
Joining method 1: Taiyang to Taiyang
Join with fingers or palms
Joining method 2: Taiyang (L) to GB20 (R)
Join with fingers or palms
Joining method 3: Taiyang (R) to GB 20 (L)
Join with fingers or palms
Joining method 4: Forehead to occiput
Join with fingers or palms
Holding-kneading, “twiddling”
Take patient’s fingers/toes between pads of the thumb and fingers, apply pressure, make circular movement, begin, move proximally and then distally,
Twisting
Hold the patient’s limb snugly with both palms, twist and rub one way and other, move up and down along axis of the limb
Twisting on the shoulder joint
Patient is seated, anchor the shoulder using both palms, one on the front and other on the back
Twisting on the upper limb
Patient is seated, grasp the limb with two palms, perform foulage from upper limb to the wrist
Twisting on the hypochondriac region
Use two hands to perform twisting on hypochondriac region
Vibrating
Uses both finger and palm vibrating, abduct the shoulder about 30 degrees, and flex the elbow about 140 degrees.
Palm vibrating
Slightly extends the wrist and with fingers relaxed, place the palm on body. Use shoulders, muscles of the forearm and hand, create intense, high frequency vibrations
Finger vibrating
Slightly extends the wrist and with fingers relaxed, place the finger on body. Use shoulders, muscles of the forearm and hand, create intense, high frequency vibrations
Waving with ulnar side of the hand
Place ulnar side of the hand on the body, make motion similar to a moving fishtail, flexing and extending the wrist, use it on abdomen and leg
Waving with radial side of hand
Use the radial side of the hand, make motion similar to a moving fishtail, flexing and extending the wrist, use it on arm and arm joints
Lifting-trembling
Combine grasping and vibrating, fingers are open, semiflexed, hold the muscles and skin gently with thumb, index and middle fingers
Swinging
Based on lifting-trembling, but increases the range of trembling while simultaneously reducing the frequency. Only applied to abdomen.
Joining-vibrating applying to the joint using acupressure
Combine two manipulations, use palms to push the joint from opposite sides while applying vibrations, and press down for acupressure
Joining-vibrating only on the joint
Combine two manipulations, use palms to push the joint from opposite sides while applying quickly vibrations up down or left and right rapidly
Knocking
“knock” on a part of body, use bony part of hand or back of a hand, closed first. Heel or the hand or palm (in neutral) is also used
Thumping
Make hollow fist to drum the body, use ulnar side of the fist, relax the fist, exert force from elbows. Used on back, legs, heel, upper gluteal region.
Chopping
Fingers are together, palms flat, “chops” at the patient’s body with ulnar sides of hand
Chopping with alternating two hands
Chop using two hands, ulnar side, alternate two hands
Chopping with one hand
Chop using ulnar side, only one hand
Chopping with “sword fingers”, two hands-two fingers
Both hands join together, looks like a “gun”
Chopping with alternate technique for the patient’s hands
Chop into hands
Closed palms tapping
Fingers are straight, palms are closed together, use ulnar side, used on shoulder, back, chest, hypochondriac area
Flexed fingers tapping
Fingers are semiflexed, use dorsa of the proximal interphalangeal joints of the index and middle fingers, suitable for children
Patting
Fingers are together, make a cup with a palm, then “pat”
Pecking with fingertips of both hands
Use pecking, should involve fingertips of both hands
Pecking with fingers closed together
Use pecking, fingers should be closed together
Pecking with “raining”
With fingers separated and relaxed, quickly move the fingers, as if playing a piano on patient’s body
Supporting
Supine position, palpate and finds he outline of great curvature of stomach, straighten and close the index, middle, ring and little finger, use the whorl side of fingers as well as ulnar edge of the palm. Hold and support the stomach in counterclockwise direction
Inserting
Prone position, hold left shoulder with left hand, straightens and closes index, middle, ring and little fingers. Insert fingers into space between scapula and chest wall
Hooking
Supine position, flex the index, middle, ring, and little fingers of right hand, palpate the inferior border of patient’s costal border. During inhalation, pressure is applied slightly. During exhalation, pressure is reduced.
