Oriental Therapy Helpful During Epidemic

Qigong, an oriental therapy, can help chronically ill people stay strong and reduce stress levels during epidemics, says a Hong Kong study.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing, found people who practiced the Oriental art of Qigong — which combines gentle exercise with breathing techniques, meditation and visualization — reaped considerable benefits during the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Hong Kong.

Chronically ill people, like the ones in our study, were particularly at risk during the outbreak, which affected 1,755 people in Hong Kong and killed 299, lead author Judy Yuen-man Siu of The Chinese University of Hong Kong said in a statement.

The chronically ill were seen as a super virus spreader and heavily discriminated against during the crisis.

The study looked at 168 people, mostly in their 40s and 50s, enrolled before and after SARS — all suffered from chronic health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, musculoskeletal problems, cancers and kidney disease. None became infected with SARS.

The alternative therapy made many of the study participants feel more in control of their health during the SARS outbreak because they felt they were doing something positive, according to the study.