Although not proven conclusively from a Western Medical stand point, qigong is an accepted treatment option in the fields of complementary and alternative medicine. Qigong treatment is also used extensively in China as part of Traditional Chinese Medicine and has been included in the curriculum of Chinese universities. Qigong practice serves both a preventive and curative function. It is considered to be effective in improving the effects of many chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, allergy, asthma, arthritis, degenerative disk disease, cancer, depression, anxiety and addiction. Qigong works by improving the practitioners’ immunity response, increasing a person’s self-healing and self-recovery capabilities and enhancing one’s self-regeneration potential.
The major uses of qigong therapy are:
General health maintenance
Physical rehabilitation
Stress management and associated ailments such as hypertension
Bone Density and Balance
Cancer Treatment
Arthritis
Back pains
In 2003, the Chinese Health Qigong Association,[113] a member of the All-China Sports Federation, officially recognized four Health Qigong exercises:
Yì Jīn Jīng (tendon-changing classic)
Wu Qin Xi (frolics of five animals 五禽戲)
Liu Zi Jue (the art of expiration in producing six different sounds)
Ba Duan Jin (Eight Pieces of Brocade, eight excellent movements)