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Objective: Powerful adjuvant strategies are required to improve the survival of patients with completely resected stage ΙΙΙA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to compare the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment versus observation after adjuvant chemotherapy in these patients., Methods: Eligible patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either oral decoctions based on Qi-Yin syndrome differentiation (TCM group) or observation (observation group). The intervention lasted for 12 months. The primary endpoint was 1-year disease-free survival (DFS). Secondary endpoints were DFS, quality of life, regulatory T cells (Tregs), and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) on the surface of Tregs in peripheral blood. We used EORTC QLQ-LC43 to evaluate quality of life., Results: Between Apr 29, 2019, and Nov 11, 2021, 75 patients were randomly assigned to oral decoctions based on Qi-Yin syndrome differentiation (n = 38) or observation (n = 37). The full analysis set included 35 patients in the TCM group and 35 in the observation group. After a median follow-up of 24.2 months, oral decoctions based on Qi-Yin syndrome differentiation improved DFS compared with observation (HR 0.378, 95% CI: 0.157-0.912; P  = .03). One-year DFS was 82.1% in the TCM group and 61.9% in the observation group ( P  = .06). Three months after randomization, scores of total health, role function, emotional function, and social function in the TCM group were higher than those in the observation group ( P  < .01 for all), scores of fatigue, pain, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation, cough, and chest pain were lower than those in the observation group ( P  < .05 for all); there was no significant difference in the proportion of Tregs between the TCM group and the observation group ( P  = .58); the proportion of CTLA-4 + Tregs in the TCM group was lower than that in the observation group ( P  = .046). There were no adverse events that occurred in both groups., Conclusions: Oral decoctions based on Qi-Yin syndrome differentiation after adjuvant chemotherapy prolonged DFS, reduced the risk of disease recurrence and metastasis, improved quality of life, and down-regulated the proportion of CTLA-4 + Tregs in completely resected stage ΙΙΙA NSCLC patients., Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Register, No. ChiCTR1800019396. Date of registration: 9 November 2018., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

We examined the effect of the Qi-invigorating Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) herb Panax ginseng ( P.G. ) on mitochondrial functions and cellular antioxidant capacity in different organs of mice. We found that the P.G. extracts had a significant effect on tissues of mice, with the generation of total adenylate pool (TAP) enhanced in all visceral tissues, but not for the brain. The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and antioxidant capacity reflected by superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) increased only for the meridian tissues that P.G. belongs to including Heart, Spleen and Lung. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), as a combined result of the increased energy metabolism and antioxidant capacity, varied in different organs. We concluded that: 1) the Qi-invigorating TCM herb P.G. had a significant effect on mice by enhancing TAP production in all of the visceral tissues examined, except for the brain; 2) for the meridional tissues of P.G. (Heart, Spleen and Lung), the P.G. extracts not only promoted the TAP production, but also boosted the antioxidant capacity demonstrated by the simultaneous increase in TAP, and SOD and GSH.

Objective: The aim of this multicentre randomised controlled trial was to investigate the contribution of de qi to the immediate analgesic effect of acupuncture in patients with primary dysmenorrhoea and the specific traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis cold and dampness stagnation ., Method: Eighty-eight patients with primary dysmenorrhoea and cold and dampness stagnation were randomly assigned to de qi (n=43) or no de qi (n=45) groups and underwent 30 min of SP6 acupuncture. The de qi group received deep needling at SP6 with manipulation using thick needles; the no de qi group received shallow needling with no manipulation using thin needles. In both groups the pain scores and actual de qi sensation were evaluated using a visual analogue scale for pain (VAS-P) and the acupuncture de qi clinical assessment scale (ADCAS), respectively., Results: Both groups showed reductions in VAS-P, with no signficant differences between groups. ADCAS scores showed 43/43 and 25/45 patients in de qi and no de qi groups, respectively, actually experienced de qi sensation. Independent of original group allocation, VAS-P reductions associated with actual de qi (n=68) were greater than those without (28.4±18.19 mm vs 14.6±12.28 mm, p=0.008)., Conclusions: This study showed no significant difference in VAS-P scores in patients with primary dysmenorrhoea and cold and dampness stagnation immediately after SP6 acupuncture designed to induce or avoid de qi sensation. Both treatments significantly reduced VAS-P relative to baseline. Irrespective of group allocation, patients experiencing actual de qi sensation demonstrated larger reductions in pain score relative to those without, suggesting greater analgesic effects., Trial Registration Number: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-TRC-13003086); Results., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Introduction: Electrophotonic imaging (EPI), also known as gas discharge visualization, is a technique of capturing images of phenomena not quantifiable by the naked eye. Different sectors at the tip of fingers represent various organs and systems as per the Chinese system of acupuncture. The images from these fingertips can be used to determine the state of health. This is done with the help of a CCD camera fitted in the EPI equipment and the specific software relevant for analysis., Aim: To observe the correlation between EPI parameters and fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels in normal, prediabetic, and diabetic study participants., Materials and Methods: A total of 102 participants were selected for this study from various yoga camps and Arogyadham at Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana Yoga University, Bengaluru, India. The selected participants belonged to 3groups-normal, prediabetic, and diabetic-depending on the FBS levels. The distribution of participants was 29 normal, 13 prediabetic, and 60 diabetic., Results: Regression analysis in the case of prediabetics showed a significant relationship of FBS with pancreas and right kidney. In the case of normal participants, a significant relationship of FBS was found with area and form coefficient of the EPI gram. For diabetics, regression analysis showed significant relationship of FBS with immune organs, left kidney, area, intensity, and entropy of EPI grams., Conclusion: FBS correlates differently in the normal, prediabetic, and diabetic groups. In the prediabetic group, correlation of FBS with EPI parameters pancreas and right kidney is noteworthy and in line with latest findings in medical research.

Acupuncture is a therapeutic treatment that is characterised by the insertion of a needle at a particular location on the body. Acupuncture stimulation includes sensory-discriminative and affective-social touch dimensions. In this review, we discuss the role of touch during acupuncture stimulation with an emphasis on the therapeutic, sensory-discriminative and affective-social aspects. In the discriminative dimension, de qi, which is associated with needling, includes a combination of various sensations, such as heaviness, numbness, soreness and distension. Achieving the appropriate de qi sensation appears to be fundamental to the therapeutic outcome following acupuncture treatment. In the affective dimension, the acupuncture procedure typically includes gentle manual touch stimulation, which induces feelings of calm and well-being, perhaps by activating C tactile fibres. Enhanced activity of C tactile afferents may induce a 'limbic touch' response, resulting in emotional and hormonal reactions. Because acupuncture is a 'therapist intensive' and complex intervention, it is necessary to understand the role of social touch between the practitioner and patient. Both sensory-discriminative and affective-social touch aspects play an important role in the therapeutic effect of acupuncture treatment in clinical practice., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of prenatal Qi exercise on mother-infant interaction and the behavioral state of the infant. A prospective, quasi-experimental design was used in 70 healthy pregnant women of more than 18 weeks of gestation. Pregnant women in the intervention group received 90 minutes of prenatal Qi exercise twice a week for 12 weeks. Prenatal Qi exercise group's Nursing Child Assessment of Feeding Scale scores was higher in mother's sensitivity to cues, responses to distress, socioemotional growth fostering, and cognitive fostering and for children in responsiveness. There was no significant difference in Anderson Behavioral State Scoring System scores between groups. The results suggested that prenatal Qi exercise is a valuable approach to positively influence mother-infant interaction postdelivery., (© The Author(s) 2014.)

In spite of billions of dollars spent on cancer research each year, overall cancer incidence and cancer survival has not changed significantly in the last half century. Instead, the recent projection from the World Health Organization suggests that global cancer incidence and death is expected to double within the next decade. This requires an "out of the box" thinking approach. While traditional medicine used for thousands of years is safe and affordable, its efficacy and mechanism of action are not fully reported. Demonstrating that traditional medicine is efficacious and how it works can provide a "bed to bench" and "bench to bed" back approach toward prevention and treatment of cancer. This current review is an attempt to describe the contributions of traditional Korean medicine (TKM) to modern medicine and, in particular, cancer treatment. TKM suggests that cancer is an outcome of an imbalance of body, mind, and spirit; thus, it requires a multimodal treatment approach that involves lifestyle modification, herbal prescription, acupuncture, moxibustion, traditional exercise, and meditation to restore the balance. Old wisdoms in combination with modern science can find a new way to deal with the "emperor of all maladies.", (© The Author(s) 2013.)

Objectives: De qi is a sensation experienced by a patient or an acupuncturist during acupuncture treatment. Although de qi is considered to be important in acupuncture treatment, there are not many studies about de qi and its character. The purpose of this study is to review de qi questionnaires and evaluate the relationship between de qi and acupuncture points, stimulation and treatment effects., Methods: A search was conducted using three English-language databases (PubMed, Cochrane and ScienceDirect) and seven Korean databases with the keywords 'de qi' and 'needle sensation'. The included studies were then categorised as following: (1) de qi measurement tools, (2) the relationship between de qi and acupuncture points, (3) the relationship between de qi and stimulation, (4) the relationship between de qi and treatment effects and (5) attitudes and opinions toward de qi., Results: Several questionnaires have been developed to evaluate de qi, and the most frequent sensation in those questionnaires was 'heavy' and 'numb'. Although a few studies showed specificity to acupuncture points, information is still lacking to be able to draw a clear conclusion about the relationship between de qi and acupuncture points. Also, greater de qi was elicited in real acupuncture than placebo acupuncture in many studies. The relationship between de qi and treatment effects was controversial., Conclusions: It seems that real acupuncture induced greater de qi than sham acupuncture, and the relationship between de qi, acupuncture points and treatment effects was controversial. However, the current literature evaluating de qi is not sufficient to derive clear conclusions. Further studies with more objective indices and rigorous methodologies are needed.

Background: Studies on the relationship between de qi intensity and activity changes in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) are scarce. This study investigates the physiological responses associated with de qi. The relationship between de qi intensity and such responses was determined., Method: This was a single-blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. A total of 36 subjects (19 men, 17 women), aged 34.5±4.6 years, were randomly assigned to group 1 (electroacupuncture at 2 Hz, 0.4 ms to right LI4 and LI11 for 30 min), group 2 (electroacupuncture stimulation to bilateral patellae) or group 3 (sham electroacupuncture to right LI4 and LI11 but over Duoderm pads). Heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and HR variability by low/high frequency (LF/HF) were recorded 5 min before, during and 5 min after the intervention. Needle sensations were quantified by the Modified Massachusetts General Hospital Acupuncture Sensation Scale - Chinese version (C-MMASS) and the C-MMASS index was computed., Results: A significant increase in LF/HF, MAP and HR was observed in group 1. A small and significant increase in LF/HF was observed in group 2 but the changes in MAP and HR in groups 2 and 3 were not significant. The C-MMASS index was highest in group 1 (5.3±1.3), moderate in group 2 (3.5±0.7) and lowest in group 3 (0.77±0.2). A positive correlation between de qi intensity and changes in LF/HF, MAP and HR was observed., Conclusions: This study suggests that de qi is associated with physiological changes, and that de qi intensity increases with an increase in sympathetic discharge of the ANS.

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) offers various treatment modalities guided by TCM diagnoses. In the United States, acupuncture is a commonly employed TCM method for treating a variety of chronic illnesses. Three systematic reviews have been reported recently, reaching differing conclusions about the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of fibromyalgia (FM). Among the FM acupuncture studies considered in these reviews, none used TCM diagnosis as an inclusion/exclusion criterion or adjusted treatment based on TCM diagnosis. Overlooking TCM diagnosis may be a reason for such disparate results., Primary Study Objective: To obtain TCM diagnoses in a sample of women meeting 1990 American College of Rheumatology criteria for FM who were recruited for a yoga study and to investigate whether there is significant variability., Methods/design: Two TCM practitioners conducted baseline TCM diagnostic examinations on 56 women with FM. A consensus diagnosis was reached based on standardised history, palpation and examination. Canonical discriminate analysis identified two baseline items which predicted TCM diagnosis., Setting: School of Nursing, Oregon Health & Science University., Participants: Women, ages 23-75, with FM recruited to a yoga intervention study., Results: Three primary TCM diagnoses were found in the population: Qi and Blood Deficiency (46.4%, CI 33.0% to 60.36%), Qi and Blood Stagnation (26.8%, CI 15.8% to 40.3%), and Liver Qi Stagnation (19.6%, CI 10.2% to 32.4%)., Conclusion: It is likely that previous studies of FM were treating a heterogeneous study population where variable results might be expected. Future acupuncture studies should either control for TCM diagnosis or consider its usefulness as an inclusion/exclusion criterion.

Background: Although acupuncture sensation (also known as de qi) is a cornerstone of traditional acupuncture therapy, most research has accepted the traditional method of defining acupuncture sensation only through subjective patient reports rather than on any quantifiable physiological basis., Purpose: To preliminarily investigate the frequency of key sensations experienced while needling to specific, quantifiable tissue levels (TLs) guided by ultrasound (US) imaging., Methods: Five participants received needling at two acupuncture points and two control points at four TLs. US scans were used to determine when each TL was reached. Each volunteer completed 32 sets of modified Southampton Needle Sensation Questionnaires. Part one of the study tested sensations experienced at each TL and part two compared the effect of oscillation alone versus oscillation+rotation., Results: In all volunteers, the frequency of pricking, sharp sensations was significantly greater in shallower TLs than deeper (p=0.007); the frequency of sensations described as deep, dull and heavy, as spreading, and as electric shocks was significantly greater in deeper TLs than shallower (p=0.002). Sensations experienced did not significantly differ between real and control points within each of three TLs (p>0.05) except TL 4 (p=0.006). The introduction of needle rotation significantly increased deep, dull, heavy sensations, but not pricking and sharp sensations; within each level, the spectrum of sensation experienced during both oscillation+rotation and oscillation alone did not significantly differ between acupuncture and control points., Conclusion: The preliminary study indicates a strong connection between acupuncture sensation and both tissue depth and needle rotation. Furthermore, the new methodology has been proven feasible. A further study with an objective measurement is warranted.

Background: Insertion of an acupuncture needle into an acupuncture point typically generates a range of sensations called 'de qi'. Most acupuncturists are taught that obtaining de qi is important when treating patients with pain but this can be quite uncomfortable for patients., Objective: This study assesses the importance of the strength of de qi, on the clinical outcome in osteoarthritic pain., Method: This study was part of a larger randomised, single-blind, multifactorial trial involving three interventions: real acupuncture (RA), Streitberger needle (SN) and mock electrical stimulation for the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip and knee. Patients were treated twice a week for 4 weeks. The two outcomes relevant to this study were pain reduction assessed by visual analogue scale and the Park needling sensation questionnaire, both measured at completion of the study. Two arms of the trial were analysed (RA and SN). Reduction in pain was correlated against strength of de qi for both RA and SN. Those who felt de qi were compared with those who did not., Results: 147 patients were recruited to the study (140 completed) with a mean pain reduction of 15.2 mm and mean de qi score of 6.2. There was no significant correlation between the strength of de qi and improvement in pain (p=0.49). There was also no significant difference in pain relief (p=0.52) between those who felt de qi and those who did not using the de qi subscale of the Park questionnaire., Conclusion: These data suggest that the presence and intensity of de qi has no effect on the pain relief obtained for patients with OA. This result may have implications for both acupuncture treatment and for future trial methodology.

During acupuncture some patients experience distinct sensations which are often referred to as needle sensation. Needle sensation may be related to treatment outcome, although what constitutes adequate acupuncture needle sensation is not known. In this paper, we debate the possibility of using the self-report of the overall intensity of needle sensation as a predictor of analgesic outcome to acupuncture. We describe how our approach to establish criteria to determine adequacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation interventions in clinical trials has been used to inform our search for markers of adequacy of procedural technique for acupuncture. We describe previous research which has focused on developing tools to capture the nature of the descriptors used by patients when they self-report needle sensation and reveal that little attention has been given to its role in outcome. We demonstrate that needle sensation is a complex phenomenon with subjects using multiple descriptors to report their experience. We argue that the intensity of the overall experience of needle sensation may prove useful as a gross marker of the adequacy of acupuncture. We briefly describe our research which isolates individual components of needling technique, such as depth of needle penetration and bidirectional needle rotation, in order to assess their contribution to overall needle sensation intensity.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms can reduce quality of life and impair daily functioning. This study examined the effects of Korean hand acupuncture therapy (HAT) and hand moxibustion therapy (HMT) on symptom severity in Korean women with PMS. This quasi-experimental pilot study based on the khi, yin, yang, and the five elements theory used a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Experimental groups received 10 sessions of either HAT or HMT treatment. Outcome measures included menstrual symptom severity as measured with the Menstrual Symptom Severity List and skin temperature change measured with Digital Infrared Thermographic Imaging. Both experimental groups had significantly reduced overall PMS symptom severity scores following therapy as compared to women in the control group. The HMT but not the HAT group showed improved flow of khi and balanced skin temperature in symmetric body areas. HAT and HMT may be effective strategies for women to reduce PMS symptoms.

Background: The double blind, non-penetrating placebo needle is effective in masking patients who are not informed that they may receive a placebo needle. In this study, we aimed to examine whether such needles are effective in masking subjects who have been so informed., Methods: One hundred and fourteen informed, consenting, healthy volunteers were recruited. An experienced acupuncturist applied one of the following needle pairs - penetrating/non-penetrating, non-penetrating/non-penetrating, penetrating/penetrating - randomly at bilateral TE5 points in subjects who were informed that they would receive either a non-penetrating or a penetrating needle. After the application of a pair of needles, the subjects reported for each arm on whether they identified the needle as non-penetrating or penetrating. The patients also rated skin penetration/penetration-like pain and the deep dull pain (de qi) associated with the needle application on a visual analogue scale (VAS). The chi squared goodness of fit test was used to determine the probability of the number of correctly and incorrectly identified needles. Statistical comparisons for VAS scores for skin penetration pain and de qi were made using Mann-Whitneys U test., Results: Of the 114 non-penetrating needle applications, the subjects identified 64 incorrectly and 50 correctly, fitting a probability of 0.5 (chi2=1.72, P=0.19). Most interestingly, the subjects identified 36 (32%) of 114 penetrating needle applications incorrectly. Skin penetration/penetration-like pain and de qi scores did not differ significantly (P=0.87 and P=0.17, respectively) between the 114 non-penetrating and 114 penetrating needles., Conclusion: The non-penetrating placebo needle was effective in masking fully informed subjects. When used together with the matched penetrating needle, it has potential for use in double blind (patient and practitioner blind) studies.

In an experiment on one of the authors, we used ultrasound to visualise an acupuncture needle completely perforating the median nerve at the acupuncture point PC6. During this procedure only a slight sensation occurred, and no pain. We conclude that, in individual cases, the median nerve might be perforated without causing pain or neurological problems.

Critical approaches within health psychology continue to explore new methods of working and new theoretical ideas from other disciplines. One area that remains under-explored is the potential links with the arts. This special issue contains a selection of empirical and theoretical reports on the linkages between health psychology and the arts. It includes arts and health projects in clinical, community and educational contexts; projects with young and old people, projects with people from different social and ethnic background and projects using different forms of art. This article introduces the special issue and uses a dialogic format to consider some of the broader issues.

Introduction: Point injection as a therapeutic technique is well documented, but its physiological effects have not been formally compared with traditional acupuncture. One aim of this study was to compare the effects of the two techniques at one acupuncture point, as a step towards understanding the mode of action of point injection and validating its clinical use. A second aim was to explore whether repeated point injection at the same site might provide a way of increasing the dose of stimulation, in the hope of identifying a dose response curve which could be an alternative strategy to placebo control in demonstrating the biological effects of acupuncture., Methods: Sixty nine healthy subjects (age range 18-56 years, mean 29.9; 48 females) completed the study, which employed a counterbalanced experimental design with two stimulation sessions of LI4 approximately one week apart. One half of the participants received point injection first, and the other half received traditional acupuncture first. Baseline physiological data were recorded, then measurements were made before, during and after stimulation; each subject also reported needle sensation (de qi). The measures were heart rate, derived pressure rate product and mean arterial pressure., Results: Although stronger sensations of de qi were reported with point injection, no significant differences were found for mean heart rate (HR), pressure rate product (PRP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) before and after stimulation by the two techniques. No subject gender or age bias was encountered and previous exposure to acupuncture had no effect on outcome. Power spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) made on data from a small subset (n=10) of this cohort also showed no significant differences in autonomic response., Conclusion: Point injection and traditional acupuncture seem to provoke similar physiological responses, although the greater needle sensation seen with point injection might indicate it could have more powerful clinical effects. Further studies of repeated point injection are necessary to indicate whether this technique may provide a method of increased strength of point stimulation, as an alternative to traditional needling in acupuncture research.

Introduction: While de qi, the acupuncture needling sensation, has been considered as an important component of acupuncture, little is known of the acupuncture patient's experience and beliefs about de qi in clinical settings. The aim of this study was to describe Chinese acupuncture patients' perceived sensations of, and beliefs about, acupuncture needling., Methods: We developed a questionnaire and conducted a survey study at two time periods among 200 subjects at six outpatient acupuncture clinics in Beijing, China., Results: Respondents were 55% female and had a mean age of 41 years. The most common types of needling sensations reported by subjects were the terms 'distended' (94%), 'sore' (81%), 'electric' (81%) and 'numb' (78%). Eighty-nine percent of subjects reported that the needling sensation travelled away from the puncturing points or travelled among the needling points. Eighty-two percent of subjects believed that the needling sensation was very important for acupuncture treatment, and 68% further indicated that the stronger the needling sensation, the more effective the therapy. Eighty-one percent of subjects found the acupuncture process to be very comfortable and relaxing., Conclusion: Chinese acupuncture patients described the common characteristics of de qi and its migratory nature. The sensations were believed to be important in producing clinical efficacy by most patients. Measuring the sensations described as de qi in future prospective studies will help us understand the degree to which this phenomenon has an effect on the physiological outcome and clinical response to acupuncture. There appears to be a limit to the number of sensations that can be discriminated by each individual patient, and further development of the questionnaire is planned.

Introduction: For many women, undergoing assisted reproductive technology can be a difficult experience, and can result in changes in physical and emotional health and wellbeing. Recent research has suggested that acupuncture may be helpful for women undergoing assisted reproductive technology. To date, there is no information describing the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes seen in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology, or relationships between TCM and Western medicine diagnoses., Objective: To examine the health status of women undergoing assisted reproductive technology from both Western and Chinese medicine perspectives., Methods: One hundred and eighty women were included in the study. All underwent a TCM diagnosis, 177 (98.3%) completed the quality of life questionnaire SF36. Information about Western medicine diagnosis was collected from case notes and was available for 176 (97.7%) women., Results: Women in the trial reported poorer health on several domains of the SF36 compared with the South Australian population. The most common TCM diagnosis was 'Kidney Yang deficiency', diagnosed for 53.9% of patients. A TCM diagnosis of Qi or 'Blood stagnation' was associated with poorer quality of life on the mental health, emotional role function and social function domains of the SF36. No associations were found between TCM diagnosis and physical or general health components of the SF36., Conclusions: Associations between TCM and reproductive health diagnoses were demonstrated. Emotional health and wellbeing is an important aspect of patient care that needs to be addressed in clinical practice and research studies, as the findings suggest that this aspect of their health is often poorer during assisted reproductive technology.

The use of complementary therapies in the United States is growing. One complementary therapy that has received little attention in the nursing literature is Qigong. Qigong is the cornerstone of traditional Chinese medicine and consists of gentle flowing body movements, breathing, and quieting the mind. Qigong facilitates the movement of qi, the vital life energy, throughout the body, thereby enhancing health and healing disease. Preliminary research indicates that Qigong may be an effective complementary therapy for promoting health and wellness in older adults and an effective adjuvant intervention for managing chronic conditions in older adults. This article provides an overview of Qigong, reviews the English-language research literature on the therapeutic effects of Qigong, discusses the implications of Qigong as a complementary therapy for older adults, and suggests directions for further research on the use of Qigong as a therapeutic approach for older adults.

A philosophical inquiry into the concept of energy revealed two ideas of energy across multiple disciplines. Analysis of the conceptual models of Nightingale, Levine, and Rogers supported the presence of two paradigmatic views of energy in nursing science that, while divergent, share a common theme. The outcome of this inquiry leads to the tentative belief that there is unity in diversity and may perhaps lead to refinement of existing nursing theory and a more congruent framework for scientific inquiry. This article specifically addresses the nursing theoretical implications related to ideas of energy arising from the inquiry.