Touch and go: Tuina handles an ailing body

Touch and go: Tuina handles an ailing body

Elvera N. Makki, Contributor, Jakarta

At a glance, tuina might look similar to ordinary massage but it
should never be taken as merely a fun rubdown. The Chinese
consider it serious business for health, and it's now available
in Jakarta.

You may be bemused by the term "hand-manipulation" the same way I
was when I first heard of tuina, an ancient Chinese healing
method developed about 2,000 years ago.

But, whatever you do, don't call it massage.

Generally, tuina -- from tui meaning pressing and grabbing and
na for grasping -- can be defined as a series of pressing,
tapping and kneading movements to remove blockages along the
meridian system of the body. This stimulates the Qi (chi) energy
flow and blood to promote healing of disorders related to the
bone and nerve system, like osteo-arthritis, specific
musculoskeletal disorders, insomnia, migraine, cervical vertebrae
and orthopedics.

Tuina technique, which can be painful for some people, varies
from light stroking to deep-tissue work. It often looks similar
to ordinary massage but it should never be considered a fun,
relaxing massage.

"That is why they (the practitioners) tend not to call it
massage, especially in Indonesia where massage is mostly
associated with the pamper yourself kind of thing," said Fenny, a
Chinese-Indonesian woman whose father often travels to Beijing
for tuina treatment.

He is one of many ethnic Chinese here who still travel to
China for traditional Chinese medicine, including tuina, even
though there are many shin-se (traditional Chinese health
practitioners) in Jakarta.

"We sometimes question the quality of shin-se here although
they claim, for example, to be certified acupuncture
practitioners," Fenny said. "We also don't know the quality of
the medicine, whether it comes directly from China or is
artificially made in Jakarta."

In China, there are formal schools of traditional Chinese
medicine where graduates are given the title OMD -- Oriental
Medical Doctor, formally on par with MD.

Yet perhaps Fenny and her father can think again about going
abroad, as Beijing Tong Ren Tang Indo (BTRTI), a franchise of
China's Beijing Tong Ren Tang, established in 1669, opened here
in June.

The Beijing Chinese medicine hall is well known for its unique
traditional recipes to produce the best medicine using high
quality materials and advanced technology, as well as exporting
raw and processed materials.

When visiting the clinic, one is immediately struck by the
strong Chinese atmosphere, including the aroma of herbs. The left
side houses a spacious traditional pharmacy where there are
approximately 500 types of natural medicines -- all imported from
Beijing -- stored in hundreds of wooden-made drawers.

The pharmacists mix and dispense raw materials in a
traditional way, based on prescriptions written in Mandarin from
a medical practitioner.

"We do not sell the natural herbs without a prescription from
a doctor or outside shin-se. We are very particular on that, it
is not just an ordinary clinic but similar to Western clinics."
said general manager Liem Sian Tie.

It's only been open a couple of months, but already a steady
stream of patients has come for treatment, he added.

"At first I came here because I couldn't move my hand as I had
fallen at home two years ago. I went to Singapore and other
places with no result, but after three tuina treatments at this
place, my hand is back to normal," said 64-year-old Wien, a
frequent patient, adding that the treatment was painful but
worked effectively.

Liem said the company hired Chinese medicine doctors, with
more than 30 years of experience in the field, with Dr. Song
Sheng Yuan as the tuina specialist.

Dr. Song has 35 years of experience in clinical treatment,
combining Tiongkok and Western medication. He worked at prominent
hospitals in Beijing before coming to Jakarta.

"Excellent!" said Wien of Dr. Song's treatment.

But since Dr. Song cannot speak English or Indonesian, France
Chandra, a young Indonesian Chinese medicine graduate who is the
clinic's operations manager, or Liem himself acts as translator.

Are there any side effects to the treatment?

"Treatment sessions lasting from 30 minutes to an hour have no
(negative) side effect. Patients often return for additional
treatments, usually for chronic conditions," Dr. Song explained

Just like most "energy-based" treatments, the patient usually
feels either relaxed and tired, or surprisingly energized by the
treatment and release of pain.

Before undertaking the treatment, it is wise to understand
that tuina is not used for disorders involving compound
fractures, open sores, external wounds or with infectious
conditions like hepatitis.

Moreover, tuina should not be performed on the abdominal
portion of a woman during her period or pregnancy, and it is not
used to treat malignant tumors or tuberculosis.

Since the doctor concentrates on specific acupressure points,
energy trigger points, muscles and joints surrounding the
affected area, the patient should not eat at least an hour before
the treatment.

Beijing Tong Ren Tang Indo
Jl. Hos Cokroaminoto No. 73-75, Menteng
Central Jakarta 10350
Tel. 021-3919088