Preface

Tuina, also known as massage, is an important component of traditional Chinese recovery therapy in which diseases are cured by the operator's manipulations, on the patient's body to stimulate the meridians, collaterals and points. The earliest record of tuina treatment in China was seen in The Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic, a medical treatise published in the fifth century B.C. "Blood, Qi, and Mental-Physical Conditions" is a chapter relating to tuina treatment of diseases. It points out, "When a person is in frequent shock and the passages of the meridians and collaterals are blocked, disease attacks him mostly in the form of numbness, and it should be treated by massage." This indicates that tuina therapy is able to promote the circulation  of qi and blood, remove the obstruction of the meridians and collaterals, and benefit joint movement. The biophysical and biochemical changes of the muscles resulting form massage are evident. These biological changes invigorate lymphatic flow, facilitate blood circulation, and strengthen the metabolism, thus reducing swelling, preventing hemorrhage and old bleeding (also called "eliminating the stale and the stagnant" in the Internal Classic), tonifying the tendons and bones, strengthening the contraction of the ligaments, and playing a bilateral function in sedating the nerves and inhibiting analgesia. All these facts have proved that tuina therapy is able to relieve organic diseases and to eliminate functional disturbance. This Therapy is simple, economical and free  form side-effects.  sparing not only infants form the bitterness of medication and the pain of injections, but also their parents from worry. Infants cooperate with and easily accept this therapy because the manipulations produce comfortable sensations on their body surfaces.

I have engaged in clinical and theoretical research on traditional Chinese recovery for more than forty years. I was pleased to read the new book Infantile Tuina Therapy written by  Dr. Luan Changye and was deeply impressed by his concern for the health of the people. The theories of the book are well grounded, the methods of treatment numerous and the results effective. Dr. Luan Changye has been working in tuina for thirty years. His clinical experience is abundant and his academic achievement great. He has written Massage Therapy, Tuina Therapy and The Illustrated Infantile Tuina Therapy. His Hanging Charts of Tuina Therapy is the first coloured edition for adults in China, and fills a gap in the field of tuina science in China. He has made a definite contribution o the development of traditional Chinese recovery. I am  pleased to have had this chance to preface this book. I am confident that readers will  gradually experience he true essence of this book and will find it inspiring and instructive. I heartily recommend this book in China and abroad, and I trust that is will benefit infants all over he globe.

Professor Hu Bin

Member of the Specialist Information

Committee, China Academy of

 Traditional Chinese Medicine

December3, 1985

Contents

I. Background and Introduction to Infantile Tuina Therapy

1. A Sort History of Infantile Tuina Therapy

2. Characteristics of Infantile Tuina Therapy

3. How Tuina Therapy Works

4. Physiological and Pathological Features of Infants

II. Diagnosis of Infantile Patients

1. Four Diagnostic Methods

2. Analysis and Differentiation of Pathological Conditions in Accordance with the Eight Principal Syndromes

III. Commonly Used Manipulations in Infantile Tuina Therapy

IV. Points Frequently Used in Infantile Tuina Therapy

1. Points on the Head and Face

2. Points on the Back

3. Points in the Thoracic and Costal Regions

4. Points in the Medial Aspect of the Upper Limbs and Palm

5. Points Along the Lateral Aspect of the Upper Limbs and the Dorsum of the Palm

6. Points of he Lower Limbs

V. Indications of the Commonly Used Points and Prescriptions for Common Infantile Diseases

VI. Precautions

1. Mediums to Be Used

2. Reinforcing-Reducing Method and

Reinforcing-Reducing Intensity

3. Position

4. Tuina Sequence

5. The Principle of Treatment and Prescriptions

VII. Classification Table for the Commonly Used Tuina Points