Neurasthenia Treated by Qigong Combined with Massage

Objective: To investigate the effect on the neurasthenia treated by Qigong combined with massage.
Methods: 20 subjects including 12 males and 8 females came from the clinical department between 1990-1994. Their ages ranged from 21 to 53, with the average ages 39.5. The course of the disease was between 3 and 10 years, 5.6 years averagely.
They all received massage for about 40 minutes every morning, soft manipulation of massage was used mainly on the acupoints of the head, the arms and the back.. In the evening the subjects were asked to practice Qigong for about 40 minutes.
The key points of practicing Qigong were inhaling by nose, while exhaling by mouth with deep and slow breath. Every 20 days was considered one treatment course. All subjects received two courses.
When inhaling, the subjects should imagine all symptoms coming down to the foot with fists and feet tightly held. When exhaling, the subjects should imagine all disease coming out from the mouth with fists and feet relaxed.
All symptoms including headache, dizziness, lassitude and sleeplessness ameliorated obviously, which was taken as distinct effect samples; all symptoms ameliorated, which as effective samples; and there was no change of the symptom, which as no effective samples.
Results: After two courses of treatment, 16 cases belonged to the distinct effect samples; 4 cases belonged to the effective samples.
Conclusions: It is suggested that Qigong combined with massage is an effective treatment for neurasthenia.