For those who have a basic idea about qigong, the term medical qigong may pose a series of questions. So lets start off by exploring the history of medical qigong.
Medical qigong is an ancient form of medicine that is branching out from Chinese traditional medicine. It may be a contemporary of acupuncture but is not as widely known around in the world. The term qi gong itself bears meaning to what people try to achieve by its practice. "Qi" essentially means the life force running through the meridians (energy pathways) of your body while, "gong" simply refers to a skill that is acquired through practice in order to discipline the Qi. So what medical qigong teach us is ways and means of guiding and directing the qi for better health and for healing.
When it comes to medical qigong, the practice can be divided in to 3 types:
1. Physical therapy with a focus on healing for specific disorders and to maintain health
2. Exeternal qi healing with Chinese therapeutic touch
3. Stress management and relaxation exercises
Apart from encouraging deep breathing and stretches that are slowly administered with occasional quick movements, medical qigong also focuses on posture, coordination and flexibility of muscles. Medical qigong's physical therapy aspect is in particular useful for people with birth defects pertaining to fine and gross muscle movement, those with epilepsy and related disorders.
When it comes to treating heart diseases, obesity and asthma, medical qigong uses specialized techniques to address the issue. For example, it is Shu Xin Ping Xue Qigong that is used for treating heart diseases.
Wai qi liao fa, known as the external qi healing method is when the healer exerts his or her own qi energy to adjust the energy of the person receiving the healing. However, external qi healing is not used as a mainstream method of healing against diseases and illnesses. Rather it is used as a complementary healing choice or as a last resort. The fact that external qi healing succeeds in giving out results shows evidence to its effectiveness despite the unanswerable questions surrounding the technique and its basis.
Lastly, Medical qigong also involves the stress management component which allows individuals to live a happy and lasting life. Most relaxation breathing exercises that we now use as part of holistic healing programs which are western oriented in fact have borrowed the concept from Medical qigong. They are not only effective in stress management but has also proven to be worthy of anxiety relief, muscle tension and fatigue.