Introduction;

Medical Qigong is an ancient form of Chinese energetic medicine; it is one of the four main branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), along with acupuncture, herbal medicine, and medical massage.

The Principle – how Qigong acts:

It is believed that disruptions in the electromagnetic energy of the body happen throughout our lifetime as a result of poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, injuries, surgery, suppression of emotions, and aging. The goal of qigong is to correct these bio-energetic imbalances and blockages. This enables the body to strengthen and regulate the internal organs, the nervous system and the immune system, relieve pain, regulate hormones, and strengthen and release deep-seated emotions and stress. What the Qigong practitioner does is he regulates the patient’s Qi energy and brings the patient back to health.

Medical qigong therapy consists of treatment by a practitioner to regulate the client’s qi. After the treatment the client will be given qigong prescriptions to assist in their ongoing healing. Tailored specifically to the client’s medical qigong exercises use physical movement, breathing methods and mental intention to correct and restore the function in the body.   Like any other system of health care, qigong is not a cure-all but a highly effective health care practice. Qigong as an important form of complementary and alternative medicine.

Common reasons for referring someone to Qigong instruction or therapy:

• Management of chronic illness
• Wellness promotion/preventative medicine
• Stress management
• Inability of Western medicine to clearly diagnose an illness or condition i.e. strange or bizarre symptoms that don’t conform to any known Western pattern of disease.
• Patient requests for holistic or natural treatment options
• Unacceptable risk (to patient or physician) of proposed medical interventions
• Terminal illness: palliative or therapeutic stages

Some diseases that Qigong treats:

Hypertension: benefits include improved blood pressure control. decreased medication use, decreased mortality by offsetting of the progression of cardiovascular lesions and retinopathy .

Asthma: disorders which are affected by emotional components or stress are very amenable to Qigong.

Allergies: Studies show Qigong can affect the immune system and stabilize the effects of stress and emotions.

Stress and stress-related disorders:  Vague. Fatigue, tension headaches, poor concentration, difficulty sleeping, problems with appetite, vague aches and pains are amenable to Qigong therapy.  

Cancer: Many studies have been presented at scientific meetings about the beneficial effects of Qigong on cancer cells and tumors.

AIDS: It can ameliorate the effects of AIDS especially in the last stages.

Gastro-intestinal: Irritable bowel, peptic ulcer disease, poor appetite, constipation, hemorrhoids, etc are successfully treated with Qigong.

Chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia: These syndromes can be frustrating to treat with Western medicine. Qigong can help these patients rebuild their stores of Qi and balance their energy circulation.

Diabetes: There is evidence that Qigong can alter hormonal levels in the body. Specific Qigong techniques exist for diabetes mellitus.

Arthritis: Qigong appears to benefit rheumatoid as well as osteoarthritis. The exercises are gentle and generally easy to learn.

Musculoskeletal pains and sports injuries: Acute or chronic musculoskeletal injuries. Best used under the guidance of a trained Qigong practitioner to avoid further injury.

Low energy states: If Western medical investigations reveal no clear cause for fatigue or low energy states, it is likely due to Qi deficiency.

Conclusion:

Qigong therapy is a great alternate medicine tool for many vexing problems that the Western orthodox medicine cannot solve.