Features of treatment in China: concepts, clinics, directions

Treatment in China is a harmonious combination of traditional medicine, pharmacology and ancient Chinese philosophy. The success and effectiveness of the methods used is ensured, among other things, by the perception of a person as a unique organism - a small universe that requires an individual integrated approach, taking into account not only internal processes, but also interaction with the outside world. What, where and how is treated in China, let's figure it out in detail.

Chinese Medicine Concepts and Approaches

All the methods of treatment in China stem from the ideas of Chinese healers about the existence of two principles - Yin (female) and Yang (male), which are in constant interaction. In their opinion, one part of the organs belongs to the female principle (liver, heart, kidneys, spleen, lungs), the other to the male (gallbladder, stomach, large intestine, bladder, small intestine). The state of human health will depend on how successfully the balance between the two is maintained.

Alternative medicine in China, in fact, like the traditional approach to treatment, is built on the concept of the existence of the "five elements": fire, wood, earth, metal and water. It is believed that these 5 elements, interacting in nature, balance each other.

In addition, each of the elements is responsible for a specific group of organs:

• fire - heart and small intestine;
• earth - spleen and stomach;
• metal - lungs and colon;
• tree - liver and gallbladder;
• water - kidneys and bladder.

When violations occur in these 5 groups of organs, the development of diseases begins. Doctors in China are also guided by the following postulates:

1. The life of a person and the activity of his body is in close connection with daily, seasonal and other natural cycles.
2. All organs are connected by channels, and on the body there are certain points responsible for them. Chi energy flows through these channels, and the points are used in treatments such as acupuncture, moxibustion and massage.
3. Illness is just a symptom of an imbalance in the human body. Based on this, the emphasis in the course of treatment is on what caused its occurrence.
4. Negative emotions can provoke illness, but positive ones, on the contrary, contribute to recovery.

The effectiveness of this approach can be judged by the fact that the population of China is considered to be centenarians. The average life expectancy for men is 74 years, for women - 77.6 years.

Diagnostic methods

Before choosing where to go for treatment in China, you need to figure out what and how is being treated in this country, what prices are offered by sanatoriums and resorts, which includes rest in Chinese health resorts. The choice of treatment methods is preceded by a diagnosis, which includes 4 stages:

• Visual - involves examining the eyes, mouth, tongue, ears and nose of the patient, the condition of his skin. In China, these organs are called "windows of the body."
• Auditory - listening to sounds made by the patient's lungs, heart, intestines and stomach.
• Oral - includes a survey of the patient regarding his condition, nutrition, lifestyle, habits. In this case, not only the story of a person is assessed, but also his voice, the smells that the body emits.
• Tactile - palpation of the body, pulse measurement. This stage takes quite a long time, since Chinese doctors pay special attention to it.

The Chinese Ministry of Health is also actively promoting innovations and advances in modern medical science that complement the above methods. These include:

• Computer diagnostics of the energy of the body - allows you to determine the energy potential of organs and detect their predisposition to various kinds of disorders.
• Iridology - the identification of pathologies in the iris of the eye, on which all our organs have projection zones.
• Auriculodiagnostics - determination of electrical resistance at points located in the auricle.

Medicine in China for Russians and patients from other countries is also a full range of modern diagnostic measures characteristic of the Western world:

• PET-CT and PET-MRI;
• Ultrasound;
• X-ray examination;
• laboratory diagnostics.

With this combination of modern and traditional Chinese techniques, it is possible to make the most accurate diagnosis.

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What treatments are used in China

All Chinese medical institutions apply an individual set of methods for influencing the disease on patients. These include:

• Massage. During the massage, the doctor focuses on the intersection points of the energy circulation channels.
• Vacuum therapy. It was invented in ancient China. Today this method is actively used by doctors of various specializations and cosmetologists. Vacuum massage is carried out with the help of special cans, which are placed on different parts of the body, affecting the necessary points.
• Acupuncture in Chinese medicine (acupuncture). A method of influencing different points on the human body using needles. In total, Chinese doctors identify about 300 such points.
• Herbal medicine is an application for the treatment of various diseases of plants collected at one time or another of the year in the Chinese provinces. The guideline for their application is the treatise "The Code of Roots and Herbs", which contains a description of 1734 medicinal plants.
• Gymnastics qigong. A national type of exercise that is practiced by almost the entire population of the country. It has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart, kidneys, circulatory system, and the functioning of the body as a whole.
• Nutrition. Chinese spas and sanatoriums must include a balanced diet plan in the treatment regimen. If in Europe the emphasis is on counting calories and the presence of vitamins and microelements in food, then in the East more attention is paid to the harmony of taste, taking into account gender and age.

How much does treatment cost in China

Today in China, along with public hospitals, there are a large number of private clinics, which are often preferred by foreign tourists. Free medicine in China existed only until the early 70s of the last century. After a series of reforms, it became paid.

The course of the current government has changed somewhat - the country's authorities plan that by 2021 all residents will be provided with primary health care at the expense of budget funds.

As for medical tourism, the minimum cost of a trip for the purpose of recovery is about $ 500 for 14 days (a 20-day voucher will cost $ 890). Tour prices can vary dramatically depending on what the program includes. If it is an "all inclusive" package (accommodation, meals, treatment), then one day will cost from $ 125.

The price also depends on:

• hospital status;
• seasons (the most expensive tours are sold for March – May, October – December);
• length of stay.

You can also book an inexpensive hotel near the sanatorium and buy only the procedures you are interested in. An approximate price list looks like this:

• diagnostics - $ 2;
• aroma massage - $ 5;
• massage - $ 6;
• acupuncture - $ 3;
• Chinese massage - $ 2-5;
• cosmetic procedures - $ 5-7;
• foot massage - $ 2.

Transfer, visa and insurance are usually paid separately. Not included in the price and cost of drugs. The total amount of funds that you need to carry with you can range from $ 1,200 to $ 5,000.

Visa issue

In order to be able to undergo diagnostics, improve health or just relax in the Middle Kingdom, you will definitely need a visa permit. It is necessary to ask for it for adults and children, the patient himself and the persons who will accompany him.

Visa to China for medical treatment is divided into two categories:

• S1 - issued to those who need to stay in the country for more than 180 days;
• S2 - for patients whose treatment will not last more than 180 days.

For multiple border crossings, you will need to provide the visa service with a detailed treatment plan. To submit to the consulate, you need to prepare:

1. An invitation from a medical institution. His clinic staff must prepare in advance and send the original and a copy of this document to the Consul General in the country where the visa is requested. The invitation must contain information of the following order:

• information about the clinic or medical center;
• patient data (full name, passport series and number, date of birth);
• terms of travel and treatment;
• purpose of the visit;
• signature of the responsible person, seal.

The invitation is valid for 3 months.

1. Visa application form (form V. 2021).
2. An international passport with two blank pages and a validity period of at least 6 months from the date of departure from China.
3. A copy of your international passport (spread with a photo and a page with Chinese visas, if any).
4. Two photos.
5. A copy of a civil passport (spread with a photo and registration).
6. A certificate from work, which must indicate the amount of the leaving person's wages.
7. Bank statement on the availability of funds on it.

For children, you need to prepare a birth certificate, copies of the passports of both parents and the consent of the one who remains at home.

Where is the best place to get treatment?

Medical tourism to the Middle Kingdom is gaining momentum every year. The best clinics in China provide a full range of services, building treatment based on the key principles of Chinese medicine.

It should be remembered that the Chinese techniques that have penetrated the Western market and those used in China itself may differ slightly. The first is more of a marketing product, the second is what patients go to China for.

So, we choose the place where it is best to undergo treatment.

What Beijing offers

The city gained popularity among foreign patients due to a combination of several factors:

• here, as the capital of a great power, the best doctors have always sought;
• a wide range of areas - diseases of the endocrine system, central nervous system, genitourinary, cardiovascular system. The fight against cancer deserves special attention. Those who are interested in the treatment of the musculoskeletal system in China can also choose one of the clinics in Beijing;
• the city has a large selection of private and public medical centers;
• the opportunity to combine treatment with exciting excursions.

What to look for:

1. Jensin Clinic. Specializes in the treatment of diseases of the joints, digestive system, dry eyes, diabetes. The clinic is attended by a large number of professors from the Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The official website is available in English and Russian. A large number of promotions and discounts are available in the clinic.
2. National Center for Tibetan Medicine. It was opened on the initiative of the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee in 1989 after his trip to Tibet. Here they treat:

• gout and rheumatism;
• diabetes;
• hepatitis;
• oncology;
• allergies;
• disorders in the immune system;
• infertility;
• metabolic disorders;
• diseases that are difficult to diagnose.

1. Tong Shan Tang Clinic is an international center with a foreign patient service department. The clinic is located in a picturesque place, and the wards are divided into villas, apartments, rooms with all conveniences. Specialization - treatment of kidneys without the use of medications and injections. The hospital has offices in 32 countries around the world.
2. Clinic Arkan-Baiwang (Beijing Erkang Baiwang Hospital). The translation of the name means "children's treatment". People come here with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, Down's syndrome, autism, the consequences of head injuries.
3. Cancer clinic at the Academy of Sciences. The largest institution in China in the field. Here they take on any type of cancer. The hospital has 10 main departments and 11 auxiliary departments.

Treatment in Hainan

Treatment on the island of Hainan can be combined with relaxing by the sea and visiting the sights of Buddhist culture. Most of all positive reviews can be found about the following sanatoriums:

1. "Source of health". Offers 55 programs to improve all systems of the human body. The appointment is led by the renowned doctor of traditional Chinese medicine Li Wei.
2. Mineral spa treatments at Mission Hills Resort Haikou. The area with thermal springs is divided into 5 zones depending on the part of the world: Oceania, Europe, Asia, America, Africa and the Middle East. Each of them offers a wide range of baths and treatments.
3. Longevity Garden - located in Dadonghai Bay. The doctors of the clinic successfully cope with problems in the work of the musculoskeletal system, respiratory system, and gastrointestinal tract. People come here to rejuvenate the body and relieve stress.

Dalian clinics

This region is considered one of the most environmentally friendly in the country. About a third of Dalian's territory is covered with parks. The following sanatoriums deserve special attention:

• Seaside military hospital in Dalian. Has been working since 2006. Specialization: diseases of the musculoskeletal system (radiculitis, intervertebral hernias), cardiovascular system. Popular with athletes who come here to undergo injury rehabilitation.
• Concorde is located on the shores of the East Sea. There are gynecological, therapeutic, dental, oncological, dermatological, health departments.
• Dental Clinic "Ten Yang" - offers dental treatment in Dalian, prosthetics, implantation, aesthetic dentistry services.
• Kerren is a spa center that deals with hot spring treatments. It has been scientifically proven that the composition of local waters is ideal for the treatment of asthma and other diseases of the respiratory tract, digestive tract and organs of movement. Neurology is one of the leading areas.
• "Shengou" - the center has departments of urology (particular success has been achieved in the treatment of prostatitis), ophthalmology, gynecology, otolaryngology, psychology. The results of treatment attract patients here from Japan, Korea, Western and Eastern Europe.
• Sanatorium "Lotos" - one of the first, which began to focus on Russian tourists. Those who are interested in the treatment of the spine in China, skin diseases, diabetes mellitus, gout, hemorrhoids, asthma, diseases of the digestive and cardiovascular systems come here.

Treatment in Hunchun

This city in the Chinese province of Jirin is very convenient for tourists from Russia due to its close location to the Russian-Chinese-Korean border, and in particular for the residents of Khabarovsk. One of the largest medical institutions in the city is Xihe Hospital.

Profile directions:

• gynecology;
• dentistry;
• general medicine;
• neurotherapy;
• ophthalmology;
• cardiology;
• plastic surgery.

The doctors of the clinic have achieved the greatest success in dental prosthetics, non-surgical treatment of intervertebral hernia, joint pathologies, cleansing of blood vessels and liver from toxins.

This clinic has an official representative in Russia. This means that you can buy a tour and become a hospital patient without intermediaries.

What is being treated in Heihe

The border town of Heihe is famous for its well-developed dentistry.But dental treatment and prosthetics are far from the only area in which local medicine works. Here you can get help with the following health problems:

• joint treatment in Heihe;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• neurological diseases;
• cardiology.

The only government agency in the city is the Chinese Medicine Hospital. It is famous for its large department of orthopedics and modern dentistry.

You can also get urgent dental care or undergo planned treatment at the Mercy and Hui Min clinics.

Treatment in the city of Sanya

Sanya is one of the most popular cities in Hainan Island. This became possible, among other things, due to the presence of thermal springs in this region. The following centers deserve attention:

1. Taiji is one of the largest health resorts in Sanya. Diagnostics and treatment, SPA and cosmetic procedures are carried out here. They come here with metabolic disorders, problems of the musculoskeletal system, with issues of weight loss and cleansing of the body, rehabilitation after strokes.
2. Sanya Traditional Medical Retreat Center is one of the largest modern government hospitals. Here they treat back diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, arthrosis, coxarthrosis, ankylosing spondylitis. For those who are interested in the treatment of cervical osteochondrosis in China, this clinic cannot be found in a better place.

Clinics of Urumqi

The settlement of Urumqi is located on the slopes of the Tien Shan mountain range. The city is a center for the study of the traditions and practices of Uyghur medicine (a key branch of the Chinese traditional method). It is based on the idea that stress and anxiety are the cause of all diseases.

The treatment process on this postulate is built by the following institutions:

• City hospital;
• Uyghur hospital;
• Hospital of Traditional Medicine.

Special attention should be paid to the Urumqi Children's Clinic, where people come with diseases of the digestive system, respiratory system, heart and blood vessels.

The city also has a cosmetology center where you can do face and breast plastic surgery, and an oncology center. How much treatment in Urumqi costs depends on the choice of a medical institution, the complexity of the disease and the chosen treatment method.

Treatment in Udalyanchi

Udalianchi is a resort town located in Heilongjiang Province in the National Park of the same name. The natural wealth of the city is cold springs, the composition of the water of which is considered to be unique.

For many years the largest health resort in the city was the Rabochy sanatorium. It has seven branches and is reasonably priced. For example, infertility treatment here will cost only $ 103 per session. The number of sessions is determined by the attending physician.

Today, the competition to the "Rabochiy", whose funds are already outdated, is the "Xing Hua" boarding house. It was opened in 2021 and is now the largest health center in Udalyanchi.

For treatment in Anshan

Treatment in Anshan is health improvement and relaxation in one of the most picturesque places in the country. The city is famous for its National Park and the Buddha statue, which is carved from jade, a large number of monasteries and temples (over forty). The city is located in the Liaoning province and is the third largest in the region.

Traditional Chinese methods, mild climate, hot spring waters, the only hot mud spring in Asia contribute to recovery. People come here with skin diseases, infertility, disorders in the work of the musculoskeletal system.

The Anshan Central Hospital and Anshan Hospital for Infectious Diseases and Tangganzi Sanatorium are very popular.

What is treated at the Tangantzi sanatorium

The sanatorium is located next to a thermal spring (hot and cold) and is one of the four largest physiotherapy centers in China. People come here for treatment and rehabilitation with the following problems:

• arthritis;
• violation of motor and speech functions after a stroke;
• problems with the organs of movement;
• skin diseases;
• gynecological diseases;
• joint diseases;
• trauma;
• recovery after cancer treatment.

The center is also one of the best in the country for diagnosing breast cancer. Treatment here can be considered budgetary, since the cost of procedures ranges from $ 1.5 to $ 12.

Other resorts

The list of medical institutions in China can be continued with many other health resorts. Here are just a few of them:

• Baidaihe - the main areas of the resort are spine treatment and dentistry. There are more than 20 health resorts here, where you can combine treatment and comfortable rest. Popular sanatoriums "Qigong", "Energetik", "Shakhtyorskiy".
• Sanatorium "Golden Stone" in Hainan. It occupies almost 1.6 hectares of land, has a modern hotel complex, a jade spa, and a private beach. Specialization: surgery, otolaryngology, gynecology, ophthalmology, cosmetology, pediatrics, rehabilitation.
• Harbin - it makes sense to come here for those who need rehabilitation after a stroke. The First and Second State Hospitals operate at the University of Harbin, which have specialized departments in these areas. Children with cerebral palsy and patients in need of rehabilitation after accidents and serious injuries are also brought here.

Travel Tips

A few useful recommendations for those planning to undergo treatment in China:

• You need to choose clinics and sanatoriums in which the Chinese themselves are treated, and not those that are a well-promoted marketing product.
• Before booking a tour, you need to get a free consultation with the doctor of the chosen clinic. This can be done by phone or skype. First, you need to prepare a package of documents on the disease and send them to the post office of the medical institution.
• When buying medical and health tours to China, always check with the intermediary what is included in their cost, which procedures and services will have to be paid separately.
• A truly professional doctor is unlikely to speak Russian; he simply would not have had enough time to study it. Therefore, if you are told that the best Russian-speaking doctor in the country will receive you at the clinic, you can question this.
• There are a lot of military hospitals in China. The state ones are all numbered, the private ones are not numbered.
• In a real hospital, you will never be asked to pay a fee for a treatment before it begins (unless it is an operation).

Outcomes

Chinese clinics specialize in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, respiratory system, gynecological diseases, gastrointestinal disorders and problems with blood vessels and heart. Dentistry, pediatrics, cosmetology, cancer treatment and cosmetology are well developed in the country. It uses traditional Chinese medicine techniques in combination with a European approach to treatment and diagnosis.