Young people trying ancient cures

A patient in the Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine undergo acupuncture treatments. Photo: Cai Xianmin/GT

A practitioner performs cupping therapy on a man in Yueyang Hospital. Photo: Cai Xianmin/GT

Twenty-nine-year-old Huang Jiajia sat on a chair outside the Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of TCM's Massage Department one morning this week. Like Huang, several other patients were waiting for their turn for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapies. Huang was waiting for tuina massage (a massage based on acupuncture theories) for her neck and waist. "I have been suffering pain in my neck and back since I became a mother." The pain might be the result of the constant hugging and lifting she does with her 18-month-old son - a year ago she was diagnosed as suffering cervical and lumbar spondylosis.

First she tried tuina treatments at a beauty salon but then she decided to follow her husband's advice and began attending the Longhua Hospital. "I have been here 10 times. Although the doctor wants me to come at least once a fortnight I have only been here 10 times in the past year because I can hardly get any spare time in between work and looking after my boy."

Huang's treatment usually involves 30 minutes of tuina and 10 minutes of cupping. "After treatment the pain goes away and I feel relaxed and comfortable," she told the Global Times.

Huang's treatment features two standard TCM practices - tuina and cupping. These, along with herbs, acupuncture and moxibustion are the most popular therapies at city TCM hospitals.

A 20 percent jump

She is not alone in seeking treatment from the 2,000-year-old medical systems. Shanghai's three major TCM hospitals, Longhua, the Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine and the Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine are reporting a 20 percent annual jump in patients over the past five years and doctors are noting a remarkable increase in the number of young people seeking these treatments.

TCM is based on the theory of meridians. The body's vital energy flows through the meridians and massage, cupping, acupuncture and moxa moxibustion can help the circulation of qi removing obstructions in the meridians and stopping stagnation or qi deficiency. Practitioners do this by stimulating key points (the acupuncture points) on the body.

In tuina massages, practitioners use their thumbs, fingers and hands to apply pressure to key points on the body. Sometimes a patient will also be prescribed TCM herbs or Western medicine.

For cupping practitioners place small glass cups on key areas of the body, lighting a match inside the cup before it is put on the skin. The heat creates a vacuum which sucks the skin - creating a sort of reverse pressure point.

In acupuncture needles are inserted into the skin to help qi flow better through the more than 300 acupuncture points in a body. Sometimes moxibustion is prescribed which involves burning the mugwort herb on acupuncture points though these days most practitioners attach the burning herb to acupuncture needles.

The head of the Longhua Hospital's Acupuncture Department, Pei Jian, told the Global Times that these treatments had proven effective in curing or helping improve a host of symptoms. Pei said the treatments are commonly used to help spinal problems, obesity, joint pains, headaches, dyspepsia and infertility. Pei said that his department has recently been treating young people suffering from insomnia and depression. Many older patients have been treated for depression, neuralgia or speech problems.

New TCM patients have to first register at one of the hospitals - which can cost up to 100 yuan ($16.41) or more depending on whether the patient wants to choose a specialist or an ordinary practitioner. After diagnosis the patient will be treated in a private room.

In these three hospitals, cupping and moxibustion are often offered in a therapy package to be received after acupuncture or massage. Treatments last up to half an hour depending on the disease and the treatment.