The Malta Independent on Sunday
Free weekly acupuncture treatments in Gozo
Fiona Vella Since 1994, several Chinese medical teams have been offering medical treatment to the Maltese public from the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine in Kordin. This professional service extends also to Mater Dei Hospital and the Gozo General Hospital.
I accompanied Dr Xiao Ming Yang and Wei Han on their weekly visit to Gozo General Hospital.
“Every Wednesday afternoon, I treat an average of 24 patients with acupuncture. Many of the patients book the treatment at the hospital, however, I do not mind treating also those individuals who happen to come by,” explained Dr Yang.
Dr Yang and Han’s dedication to their work is impeccable. They take the responsibility to carry with them all the required material from Malta to Gozo. From time to time, they also provide the patients with bonus treatments to take home with them.
“Acupuncture treatments are provided free of charge according to an agreement which was made between the Maltese and the Chinese governments. This is a way of showing the mutual respect which exists between the two countries.”
Around 30 patients were waiting for Dr Yang at Gozo General Hospital. The relationship between the Chinese doctor and his Gozitan patients was clearly amicable as he went round each patient and applied the required acupuncture treatment.
The popularity of this treatment is definitely pushing for more adequate space in order to provide this service to all those who need it. For a more effective benefit of this Chinese traditional therapy, several patients have also expressed their wish to increase the frequency of the doctor’s visit to at least twice a week.
After the acupuncture treatment, Han, the Chinese interpreter at the Centre, prepared five different herbal teas for those who attended. She also shared interesting information about the benefits of these teas.
“Chinese herbal teas have been used for centuries to provide healthy refreshment. Drinking herbal teas is a natural and effective way to gain various health benefits. Each tea can have one ingredient or many with different benefits,” revealed Han.
“Jasmine tea is one of the most popular flower teas among foreigners because of its pleasant scent and taste. In ancient times in China, this tea was mainly reserved for royalty since it has so many health benefits. The high level of antioxidants in the tea help to boost the body metabolism making exercise more effective. This may result in weight loss and in improvement in the digestive process. Moreover, for those with cardiovascular problems, jasmine tea can be a huge help as it aids to lower cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, thereby reducing the risk of heart attacks and maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. This tea is also ideal for people suffering from chronic discomfort, such as back pain, joint pain and arthritis, because it has anti-inflammatory properties which can help reduce swelling and inflammation of joints.”
“Rose tea is used to relieve menstrual discomfort or heavy period. It can also regulate the sleep cycle and pattern. For those who suffer from insomnia or have disturbed sleep, drinking rose tea before going to bed might be a great option. Rose tea can also improve digestion, detoxify the body and relieve respiratory infections.”
“Buckwheat tea is a kind of grain tea and it can reduce blood glucose and cholesterol. It really has significant cardiovascular benefits and helps to lose weight.”
“Rhodiola tea is made of dry flowers, leaves and roots of a wild plant called Rhodiola Rosea, which grows best in the high, cold mountains, such as Tibet, Siberia and Arctic areas. It has good effects on anti-aging and longevity. In ancient times, Chinese emperors used to send expeditions to remote areas in search of this golden root to make pills of immortality. This tea can also protect human cells especially skin cells from aging, so a lot of beauty products use it as one of their ingredients.”
“Jujube is a kind of sour date. Thanks to its special healing properties relating to insomnia, it is regarded as the ‘Oriental sleeping fruit’. Jujube seed tea can calm the mind and smooth the nerves. Therefore, it is often used to treat insomnia, night- mares, night sweats, restless sleep and neurasthenia.”
At the end of this meeting, participants were also provided with a packet of tiger balm, green oil and plasters. Tiger balm has been in use in China from the 1870s and serves to relieve back pain, joint pain, stiffness, sprains, arthritis, headaches, sinus congestion and discomfort from mosquito bites. Green oil has the same effect as tiger balm. Plasters are mainly used to relieve back pains, joint pains, arthritis, chronic sprain and rheumatism. For more information one can contact the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine in Kordin on 2169 1799 or the Gozo General Hospital on 2210 6000.