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Ägeri valley
ALTERNATIvE mEDICINE
IN THE AEGERI vALLEY AND
AROUND THE WORLD
As an American living in Unterägeri,
people often ask me what brought me
to Switzerland. And after they learn
that I practice Traditional Chinese Medicine
(TCM) here, the next question
they usually ask after «Does it hurt?»
is «What can it treat?» So I thought
an interesting way of exploring that
question would be by relating a few
examples of how TCM is being used
around the world.
Did you know doctors in Iraq
are doing acupuncture?
When doctors in war-torn Iraq were unable
to get ample supplies of a drug they needed,
they instead reached to acupuncture
out of necessity. Oxytocin is a drug often
given to mothers just after caesarean section
births to help the womb contract and
to cut the risk of bleeding. However, doctors
in Bagdad realized they could reduce
or completely replace the need for the drug
by stimulating acupuncture points on the
feet and ankles of the new mothers. «These
acupuncture techniques, born out of necessity,
have proved useful in overcoming the
deficiency of modern drugs and equipment,»
stated an anesthesiologist working
at the Red Crescent Hospital for Gynecology
and Obstetrics.
Did you know acupuncture can
increase sex drive?
In Detroit, Michigan, a study released
recently by the Henry Ford Hospital showed
that acupuncture had a long-lasting effect
on the reduction of hot flashes and night
sweats for breast cancer patients receiving
hormone therapy. In addition to a course of
chemotherapy, such patients are routinely
treated with hormones for up to five years.
These drugs can lead to nausea, hot flashes
and night sweats, dry mouth, decreased
appetite, and constipation. The study found
that both the hormone group and the acupuncture
group initially experienced a 50
percent decline in hot flashes and depressive
symptoms. Two weeks post-treatment,
however, the drug therapy group had a
significant increase in hot flashes, while
hot flashes in the acupuncture group did
not increase until three months after being
treated. Women in the acupuncture group
also reported improvement in their energy
and clarity of thought, and in some cases,
an increase in their sex drive.
Did you know that acupuncture
is being used on the battle field?
Meanwhile, acupuncture is being utilized
in a rather unlikely place: the US military,
and is called, fittingly, «battlefield acupuncture».
Leading this revolution is Dr. Richard
Niemtzow, a retired Air Force colonel. This
technique involves inserting five needles
around the auricle of the ear, and instead
uses very short needles to better fit under
combat helmets so soldiers can continue
their missions with the needles inserted to
relieve pain. Another military doctor, Col.
Arnyce Pock, said acupuncture not only
works quickly to treat pain, but also works
without the side effects that are common
after taking traditional painkillers, such as
narcotics. This allows the doctors to make
a better assessment of any underlying brain
injury the soldiers may have.
Did you know that practicing ‘tai qi’
can improve breathing?
In Hong Kong, a recent study suggests that
tai chi – special slow movements accompanied
with breathing – twice a week for
60 minutes may help improve symptoms
of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD). These patients have difficulty breathing
due to damaged airways and too
much mucous in the lungs. The COPD patients
in this study were randomly assigned
to one of three groups: a tai chi group, an
exercise (breathing techniques plus walking)
group, or a control group that maintained
their normal activities. After three months,
participants in the tai chi group reported
significant improvements in their lung function,
in a six-minute walking test, and had
a reduction in their COPD episodes. In the
exercise group, participants reported no
changes, while lung function got worse in
the control group.
Did you know that many cruise lines
offer acupuncture?
Before moving to practice acupuncture in
Switzerland, I spent about one year cruising
around the world treating people on
board cruise ships. Most people expect to
see massage services on a ship, and are
often surprised to find Chinese medicine on
board, as well. While at sea, I would often
treat people 3 – 6 times over the course of a
10-day cruise for everything from sea sickness
and pain to insomnia and stress. The
combination of the needles and the water
provided a special combination in helping
to resolve many conditions.
Did you know Switzerland has
the highest number of complementary
practitioners per capita in the world?
17,200 in total at last count. Japan is reported
to have the highest per capita consumption
of herbal medicine in the world.
I hope these recent studies and short
accounts could provide you an interesting
perspective into how TCM is being used
not only in Switzerland, but also around the
world today.
Report: Thaddeus Ekdahl
Thaddeus Ekdahl was raised in the USA
and relocated to Unterägeri in 2008 to
be with his Swiss wife, Evelyne.
Ägeritaler III / 2011 5