Asian Bodywork IIIClass 1

Timur Lokshin LMT, CPT, LAc.

Diagnostic Methods

• Observation• Hearing and Smelling• Interrogation• Palpation

Observation• Shen or Spirit (with or without)• Body Type (associated with element) • Color (red, pale, yellow, green, blue)• Eye (dull, red, yellow, swelling, grey)• Nose (tip, discharge, flaring)• Ears (color, size, swelling)• Mouth & Lips (color, sores, breathing pattern)• Teeth & Gums (color, swelling, moisture)• Throat (color, sores, swelling, moisture)• Limbs (swelling, edema, flaccidity, tremor)• Skin (dry, papules, color, itchy)• Imbalances (right to left, top to bottom)• Tongue…

Tongue Diagnosis

Tongue Body Diagnosis

• Color• Pale: Deficiency: Cold or Qi

and Blood • Red: Heat: interior excess or

deficiency• Deep Red: Extreme Heat• Purple: Blood Stasis: Cold,

Heat, Blood

• Shape• Swollen: Excess or Deficiency:

Sp or Kd Yang, Heat, Toxicity• Thin: Deficiency: Qi, Blood, Yin• Cracked: Excess or Deficiency:

Heat, Blood• Flaccid: Deficiency: Extreme qi

and blood, Yin collapse

Tongue Coating Diagnosis

• Quality• Thickness: Severity, Progression• Moisture: Fluids: Deficiency, Excess,

Harmful Water and Damp• Sticky: Retention of Damp, Phlegm,

Food• Peeled: Partial or Entire: St Qi and

Yin

• Color• White: Interior or Exterior Cold• Yellow: Interior heat, deeper yellow

more severe• Grey: Prolonged or Retention of

Heat or Cold• Black: Extreme Heat, Excess Cold

with Yang Deficiency, Usually progression of Yellow or Grey

Tongue Diagnosis Cont.

Hearing and Smelling

• Voice• Breathing• Coughing• Belching, Hiccup, Borborygmus• Odors

Interrogation (10 Questions)

• Hot or Cold (interior or exterior)• Sweating (body area, difficulty, time of day)• Head and Body (pains, aches, difficulty, temperature)• Chest and Abdomen (pain, aches, breathing, sensations)• Ears and Eyes (tinnitus, pain, moisture)• Food and Drink (cravings, eating habits, fullness, thirst)• Sleep (difficulty, manifestation)• Bowel Movement and Urine (frequency, color, difficulty)• Gynecology and Libido (menstruation, leukorrhea , pregnancy, child birth) • History (Pediatric)

Interrogation Cont.

• Pain (quality, location, sensation)• Emotional (depression, anxiety, worry)• Energy Level (chronic tired, bouts of tiredness)• Sexual Symptoms (ask with Gynecology)

Palpation

• Abdomen (tightness, tenderness)• Skin, Limbs, Chest (tightness, tenderness)• Channels and Points (tightness, tenderness)• Pulse…

Pulse Theory

Tui-Na

Soft Tissue Techniques• Pressing• Squeezing• Kneading• Rubbing• Stroking• Vibration• Thumb rocking• Plucking• Rolling• Percussion

Joint Manipulation Techniques• Shaking• Extension and Flexion• Rotation• Pushing and Pulling• Stretching

Pressing

• Pressing is basic to all Tui Na techniques. Using the palm, the heel of hand, the elbow, the thumb, and even the foot, a skilled therapist will apply precisely the right amount of pressure to the area being treated. When using heavier pressure, communicate with your patient.

• Benefits• Stimulates the sense organs in the skin• Aids qi flow through underlying tissues• Stimulates the flow of lymph• Pressing with the thumb or elbow has acupuncture like effects on specific points• Relieves pain

Squeezing

• The “Na” is Tui Na is translated from the Chinese as squeezing, pinching, grasping, pulling or grabbing. In a squeeze the tissues are held in a way that subjects them to pressures from opposite directions. Every squeeze pulls or lifts up to some extent the area being massaged. As for all techniques involving deep pressure, you should begin gently and increase gradually.

• Benefits• Stimulates the flow of lymph• Stimulates blood flow• Strongly affects qi flow• Helps looses adjacent muscles• Affects the connective tissue sheath around muscles

Kneading

• Kneading involves pressing with movement. Unlike rubbing, your hand or elbow must not slide your patients skin. The kneading movement may be to and from or circular. Limited only by the looseness of the skin. A skilled therapist can create a range of different pressures delivered with subtle nuances of direction and force. The Chinese use the fleshy heel of the thumb when kneading the face. Kneading can produce very gentle, relaxing pressure, or very deep stimulation. The massage effects results from the skin moving with pressure over underlying tissue.

• Benefits• Relieves tensionAssists the flow of blood• Stimulates the drainage of lymph to help flush away toxins• Assists relaxation• Creates favorable conditions in the tissues for the diffusion and balance of qi

Rubbing

• The Chinese describe rubbing technique as pushing, scrubbing, chafing, pressing and dragging. Rubbing involves movement over the skin surface, creating friction which generates heat. It can vary from very gentle to and from movement to a vigorous scrubbing. Ru being can be in a line or a circle, and involves larger sized movements and those used in kneading.

• Benefits• Generates warmth, stimulates circulation• Promotes flow of qi in the surface tissue

Stroking

• This is a long rub in one direction, more like a surface push that conventional stroking. It is the “Tui” part of the Tui Na. The hands follow the course of Meridians with a strong feeling for the energy being moved. The stroking action is usually away from the centre of the body.

• Benefits• Moves qi through surface tissues• Stimulates the flow of lymph• Induces a feeling of relaxation

Vibration and Thumb Rocking

Vibration

• For this technique the hand quivers, sending vibration into the tissue.

• Benefits:• Stimulation of surface tissue

Thumb Rocking

• This technique applies penetrating thumb pressure to acupuncture point.

• Benefits• Produces acupuncture like effects

on qi balance

Plucking and Rolling

Plucking• This technique is a shearing

action, using very deep, controlled sideways movement across muscles or muscle groups.

• Benefits

• Relaxes the muscles• Promotes qi flow• Eases chronic pain

Rolling• Rolling is a fairly modern technique,

only introduced this century, but it is very effective and important in Tui Na.

• Benefits• Increase flow of qi• Stretches muscles and tendons• Aids relaxation• Helps to balance qi

Percussion

• These percussive techniques apply pressure for a very short time, the amount of pressure depends on the force used and the area over which it is applied. Percussion is mostly used to apply penetrating pressure to areas of the body with thick layers of muscles, such as buttocks, lumbar region, and the trapezius muscles across the shoulders.

• Benefits

• Aids muscles relaxation• Loosens ligaments and cartilage• Stimulates blood and lymph circulation• Enhances the flow of qi

Joint Manipulation TechniquesShaking

• The shake is used to treat the arms and legs. First loosen the muscles with a full soft t issue massage of the limbs. Shake only on arm at the time, legs can be shaken together.

• Benefits• Extends the muscles surrounding the joint• Stimulates the flow of blood in the joint region• Improves the distribution of qi in the tissues • Removes qi blockages• Tones major muscles

Extension and Flexion

• These techniques are used on hinge joints.

• Benefits• Aids joint mobility• Tendon stretches induce muscle relaxation• Improves joint function• Increases blood circulation in the joint tissues• Relieves pain

Rotation

• This technique is for the shoulders, hip joints, ankles and wrists. Do not attempt to rotate the neck, as it is easy to cause damage. The shoulder joint rotate almost in a full circle, but it's mobility varies enormously from one person to another. Even strong, healthy sportspeople may have severely restricted movement in the shoulders and hips.

Always massage the soft tissue in the area before attempting a rotation, to aid the flow of blood and qi and release muscle tension.

• Benefits• Aids mobility of the joints• Relieves pain in the joints • Frequent, gentle rotation benefits even severe arthritis

Pushing and Pulling

• These manipulations create two equal forces working in opposite direction: one “pulling” at a place on the body distant from the “pushing”. The techniques flex and twist the joints to a greater degree than normal, improving their mobility. Carefully control the amount of force you use, feel for any resistance.

• Benefits• Releases tension in muscled areas• Increases mobility of joints• Enhances body flexibility

Stretching

• These are spinal stretches which ease back strain relieve the pressure on damaged intervertebral discs. Even those who have no back problems find these trenches very soothing and relaxing.

• Benefits• Relieves strain and spasm• Relieves associated chronic pain