The level of training that a true medical qigong practitioner undertakes is important (thousands of hours) and is absolutely essential to properly assess and heal your personal health. As with all medical qigong practices, internal qigong recipes come from a differential diagnosis rooted in the theory of Chinese medicine. Although there is ongoing clinical research on the potential health effects of qigong, there are few financial or medical incentives to support high-quality research, and still a limited number of trials meet the accepted medical and scientific standards of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). [2] [73] Clinical research on Qigong has been conducted for a variety of conditions, including bone density, cardiopulmonary effects, physical function, falls and related risk factors, quality of life, immune function, inflammation[73], hypertension[75], pain[78] and cancer treatment. [2] [79] The 2021 reviews did not include a small 2021 randomized controlled trial with 128 participants hospitalized with severe COVID-19 in China. This study found that adding a rehabilitation program with acupressure therapy and qigong exercises to standard care shortened hospital stays and improved lung function and symptoms such as shortness of breath and cough. Data were only collected when participants were in hospital, which averaged 20.8 days for participants receiving standard care and 18.5 days for participants receiving the supplementary rehabilitation program. Medical qigong is the specialized ability to apply the principles of qigong in the theory and diagnostic parameters of Chinese medicine. The number of studies on qigong including older adults is limited. Two 2019 reviews examined the effects of qigong on the physical and mental health of older adults. Some of the results were positive, suggesting a potential benefit of qigong for older adults. Practitioners believe that qigong healers need to maintain their personal health in order to effectively release qi to heal others.
Therefore, they continuously practice self-healing qigong to regulate their personal health. The practice of Qigong teaches that without self-healing, the ability of the Qigong healer to heal and his own health decreases. In a 2011 review of systematic reviews of controlled clinical trials, Lee et al. concluded that “the effectiveness of qigong is mainly due to poor research quality” and “it would therefore be unwise to draw firm conclusions at this stage.” [68] Although a comprehensive 2010 literature review found 77 peer-reviewed RCTs,[73] Lee et al.`s review of systematic reviews of specific health conditions revealed issues such as sample size, lack of appropriate control groups, lack of blinding associated with high risk of bias. [68] If you are considering medical qigong training, take the time to do your research and carefully consider the nature of a particular program of study. Johnson, Jerry Alan (2000). Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy: A Complete Clinical Text. Pacific Grove, California: International Medical Qigong Institute.
Medical qigong is the use of qigong for medical purposes. The practitioner supports the patient by redirecting, purifying and restoring the patient`s vital energy according to the principles of Chinese medicine. During a medical qigong treatment, the patient is usually lying or sitting on the treatment table while the practitioner uses various hand movements and mental images to perform the energy healing process. Often, the patient may feel certain things in the body, both physically and emotionally. Sometimes the patient simply feels a feeling of deep relaxation and well-being. The treatment experience will be different for each patient. No invasive techniques are used and little or no physical contact is required. Qigong seems to be a safe form of activity. Many studies have shown no negative side effects in people who practice qigong, including people with chronic diseases and the elderly. A review of adults with neck pain included two studies that found that qigong and other exercise groups had side effects similar to those seen in less than 10% of adults and included muscle pain, aches and headaches. Qigong teachers do not need to be licensed, and the practice is not regulated by the federal government or individual states.
There is no national standard for Qigong certification. Different Qigong organizations offer training and certification programs – with different criteria and levels of certification for instructors. Medical qigong as a modality may be particularly effective for chronic, debilitating, and idiopathic disorders considered abstruse or resistant to conventional treatments. Powers. It should seem obvious, and yet it must be said: anyone who teaches medical qigong should have the background and references for it (actual medical training, etc.). The amount of research on qigong for Parkinson`s disease is small. A review of 7 studies (325 participants) in 2020 found that qigong-based exercise helped improve movement, walking ability, and balance in people with Parkinson`s disease (more in young adults than in older adults). The improvement in movement and walking ability was similar to other forms of exercise, such as walking and using a stationary exercise bike. However, improvements in balance were greater in Qigong than in other types of exercises. Qigong exercise programs ranged from 8 to 48 weeks, with 30 to 120 minute sessions two to seven times a week. Qigong for self-cultivation can be classified in terms of traditional Chinese philosophy: Taoist, Buddhist and Confucian. A small 2010 study of 70 healthy pregnant women in Korea found that adding a qigong-like practice to routine prenatal care resulted in several benefits: greater maternal/fetal interaction (the behavior of a mother that sets the stage for the mother-child bond before birth, such as gentle movements, reading books aloud or talking to the unborn), fewer depressive symptoms of the mother and a decrease in maternal physical discomfort.
The procedure, called the Qi exercise, included postures (various stretching, strengthening, and balance exercises while standing, sitting, or lying down), breathing techniques, and meditation. Women in the intervention group participated in two weekly 90-minute sessions for 12 weeks. Some contraindicated practices during a certain period of pregnancy have been avoided. There was no mention of side effects in pregnant women during the study. People practice qigong for many different reasons, including for recreation, exercise and relaxation, preventive medicine and self-healing, meditation and self-cultivation, and martial arts training. Practitioners range from athletes to the physically disabled. As it is less stressful and can be practiced lying down, sitting or standing, Qigong is accessible to people with disabilities, the elderly and people recovering from injuries. [4] Medical Qigong as an internal practice uses and enhances your innate ability to heal.
The popularity of qigong grew rapidly during the Deng and Jiang era after Mao Zedong`s death in 1976 until the 1990s, with estimates ranging from 60 to 200 million practitioners across China. With the popularity and sanction of the government came controversies and problems: claims of extraordinary abilities bordering on the supernatural, pseudoscientific explanations for building credibility,[20] a mindset called qigong deviation,[19] the formation of cults and the exaggeration of claims by masters for personal gain. [8] [21] In 1985, the state-run National Organization for Qigong Science and Research was established to regulate the country`s qigong denominations. [22] In response to the widespread revival of ancient traditions of spirituality, morality, and mysticism and perceived challenges to state control, the Chinese government took steps in 1999 to strengthen control over the public practice of qigong, including closing qigong clinics and hospitals and banning groups such as Zhong Gong and Falun Gong. [10]: 161–174 [23] Since the 1999 crackdown, Qigong research and practice has only been officially supported in the context of health and traditional Chinese medicine. The China Health Qigong Association, founded in 2000, strictly regulates the practice of qigong in public, restricting public gatherings, requiring state-recognized training and instructor certification, and restricting the practice to state-recognized forms. [24] [25] The ancient practice of qigong is a treasure trove of Chinese culture that focuses on creating health and vitality. It has a long history and has been found among the oldest Chinese medical texts in the Ma Wangdui tombs, which date back to the Warring States period of the Zhou Dynasty from 475 BC to 221 BC. In these ancient tombs, there are more than 40 illustrations of people performing qigong movements. T`ai Chi Ch`uan (Taijiquan) is a widely used Chinese internal fighting style based on Taiji theory, closely related to Qigong, and usually involves more complex choreographed movements coordinated with breathing, performed slowly for health and training, or quickly for self-defense.
