You wake with your neck pulled to one side, a tug down the back of it when you turn. By afternoon, sitting too long, the lower back feels held in a fist. At night you lie down and that patch between the shoulder blades simply will not let go. We see these signals nearly every day in our Richmond room. At Sky TCM Acupuncture Clinic, tuina for neck and back pain is not about pressing until you cry out. It is about finding the band that is genuinely tight, the point that spreads into a whole sheet when pressed, and easing it loose at a pressure that fits.
What tuina for neck and back pain works on
Long sitting, hours bent over a phone, repetitive strain. Most modern neck and back pain is not something that suddenly broke, but the day-on-day buildup of muscle tension, fascial adhesion, and posture gone off balance. Tuina (推拿) works the hands through those tight muscles and fascial layers, drawing on points along the channels, to ease stiffness, improve local qi and blood (气血) circulation, and release the parts that have been over-compensating.
We want to be clear about this first: tuina helps to ease and to regulate; it makes no promise to cure. For the soreness and stiffness of desk-bound strain, it usually brings real release and improvement, but everyone is different and results vary from person to person.
The neck, shoulder, and back issues we see most
- Stiff neck: from long hours looking down, a crick on waking, restricted turning, a tight nape
- Sore shoulders: tightness around the joint, awkward reaching, a knot inside the shoulder blade
- Lower back strain: the ache after sitting or standing too long, a board-stiff back
- Tight legs: sluggish lower-body circulation from too much sitting, aching, heavy hips and legs
- Posture imbalance: the left-right asymmetry that compensation builds up
We adjust technique and pressure to the area and to what you can take. More pain is never our measure of more benefit.
How Dr. Judy and the team approach pain
Dr. Judy Chu, R.Ac is a Chinese medicine practitioner registered with the CTCMA of BC. Facing pain, her first step is to sort it out: is this plain muscle-and-fascia strain, or something that may involve the joints or nerves? The first is well suited to tuina; for the second, she will ask you to get further checks first. Once it is clear, the trained team applies the matching hands-on work, with acupuncture or bone-setting and sinew-release (正骨) where they help.
One important note. If your pain comes with marked radiating numbness or weakness, or if a disc problem or nerve compression is suspected, we will ask you to see a Western doctor and get imaging first, such as an X-ray or MRI. Once there is a clear diagnosis, we can decide whether tuina is suitable. Safety always comes ahead of everything else. And if you ever notice loss of bladder or bowel control, rapidly worsening leg weakness, saddle numbness, or pain that wakes you at night and keeps escalating, please seek urgent medical care or go to the emergency room. These are red flags that need prompt medical attention, not tuina.
Who it helps
- Office workers facing a computer all day, neck and shoulders stiff
- The phone-down-all-day crowd and the neck trouble that goes with it
- Anyone whose lower back aches easily after long sitting or standing
- People with old injuries and chronic strain that keeps coming back
- Anyone who would rather not take pills and prefers a natural, hands-on release
For the full range of our bodywork, see Richmond tuina massage; to pair it with acupuncture, see acupuncture and tuina together.
Clinic location and hours
3779 Sexsmith Rd, Unit 1138, Richmond BC V6X 3Y6
Above Aberdeen Plaza
778-681-8886
Daily 10AM–6PM, by appointment
Walkable from Aberdeen Station on the Canada Line, with parking at Aberdeen Plaza below.
Tuina for neck and back pain FAQ
Can tuina fix my neck or back pain for good?
We avoid words like “cure” or “fix for good.” Tuina can help ease stiffness, improve local circulation, and release tight muscle. Desk-bound strain usually improves noticeably, but it needs posture changes alongside, and results vary from person to person.
I think I have a herniated disc. Can I just come in for tuina?
Please see a Western doctor and get imaging for a clear diagnosis first. Where a nerve compression or disc problem is involved, a doctor should assess it, and once it is confirmed safe we will decide whether tuina suits you.
How soon will I feel a release?
Many people feel the neck and shoulders loosen a little after a single session. But chronic strain builds up over time, so it usually takes a few sessions in a row, with everyday posture changes, before things settle.
Will the tuina hurt?
Pressure is set together with you, aiming for a bearable, effective ache rather than pressing you past what you can stand. Tell us about any discomfort and we adjust right away.
What should I watch for that day?
Drink plenty of water, and avoid hard exercise or long stretches of sitting straight afterward. A few people notice a little local soreness that settles within a day or two. We will give you specific advice based on your situation.
Book tuina for neck and back pain
Caught up in neck, shoulder, or back ache and looking for someone to take a proper look? Come in for an assessment. Dr. Judy sorts which category the problem falls into first, then sets a tuina plan that suits you.
Dr. Judy Chu, R.Ac at Sky TCM
3779 Sexsmith Rd Unit 1138, Richmond BC · 778-681-8886 · Daily 10AM–6PM
Book a consultation · About Dr. Judy · Richmond acupuncture
