Qigong
Mind/Body Techniques for Accelerated Healing
Employing a mind/body practice can speed up healing and dramatically increase quality of life
Qigong is one of many mind/body techniques we recommend for patients. Other interventions include yoga, other forms of meditation, stretching, listening to birdsong, and personalized strengthening exercises based on your individual needs.
An underutilized variable
Qigong is uniquely suited for ill patients
Qigong is one of many mind/body techniques we use in our practice. Qigong is a form of moving meditation that originated in China many thousands of years ago.
Through focus, meditation, and slow movements, Qigong has been clinically shown to help heal patients faster and more completely than through the use of conventional treatments alone. [1] Dr. Lum specifically recommends the practice of Spring Forest Qigong which has been demonstrated in published research to be effective in treating medical conditions like chronic pain. [2]
Dr. Lum employs Qigong techniques to harness the body's natural healing abilities and recommends specific movements and meditations to address your individual health situation so that you can heal quickly and completely.
What we’re known for
Optimizing with a purpose - going beyond the elimination of symptoms and toward the life you want
How does Qigong help you heal?
For over a decade, Dr. Lum has specialized in helping patients with the most hard-to-treat, long-term, and complex illnesses. Often, these patients were told by others that there was no hope and many had seen more than 20 other doctors and specialists.
Dr. Lum's experience in treating these patients showed him that even the most tailored, state-of-the-art treatments were not 100% effective for everyone. Even patients with a single symptom often achieved mixed results when employing the 'right' treatment.
Recent studies have confirmed that factors like trauma and stress can result in certain biological pathways being stuck in the 'on' position which results in a cycle of pain, symptoms, and chronic conditions.[3]
In many cases the experience of long-term or severe illness is itself traumatic, giving many patients post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). [4]
Dr. Lum has found that the implementation of Spring Forest Qigong techniques combined with his expertise in treating complex illnesses resulted in faster healing times.
Benefits of Qigong
The benefits of Qigong are similar to those of other practices like yoga, meditation, and Tai Chi. However, unlike those practices, Spring Forest Qigong was created for those who are recovering from illness with the purpose of regaining health. Patients have reported:
Greater ability to handle stress
Faster Recovery
Reduced Stress Chemicals
Reduced Pain
Reduced Symptoms
Greater Reported Happiness
Physician-led Meditation
Qigong is not a religion and you do not need to believe in anything for it to work.
Qigong can be as simple as focusing on an organ in your body with the intent of it being surrounded by healing energy while doing a few gentle movements.
During an appointment, Dr. Lum often asks patients to tap on or stimulate certain parts of their body to enhance nervous system function.
This application draws on the medical traditions of ancient China, which use the knowledge of energy (qi) pathways to remove blockages and improve health. Similar points are utilized in acupuncture, and acupressure and are recognized as 'referral points' in medical schools in the West today.
The stimulation of certain points can help accelerate healing processes in addition to alleviating certain symptoms like poor digestion, menstrual cramping, anxiety, or headaches.
Often, Dr. Lum will recommend simple exercises for you to practice on your own. As with his patients who are treated solely using functional medicine, no two treatment plans are alike.
If a patient chooses to try Qigong healing, Dr. Lum can walk them through an intention-based healing meditation session using Spring Forest Qigong techniques.
This type of 'external' Qigong healing using Spring Forest techniques has been clinically shown to produce demonstrable results in patients. [5]
NEUROLOGICAL REWIRING
Qigong works by 'rewiring' pain networks and dysfunctional organ communication that has been reinforced through a long-term or severe illness.
It also improves health through stress reduction, emotion regulation, strengthening of respiratory muscles, reduction of inflammation, and enhanced immune function. [6]
Often, lingering symptoms and pain can persist far beyond an illness and last for years even when the patient has recovered and is otherwise healthy.
This is due to the overuse of certain neural pathways that were very active during the original illness.
However, overused neurological pathways can be redirected. These pathways are just like the path a sled makes when it runs down a snow-covered hill over and over. The more you ride the sled down the hill, the more icy and solidified the pathway gets.
The edges of that path seem rigid, but once the sled breaks free onto fresh snow, it is easy to create a new path and reinforce it. Qigong helps in the establishment of new neural pathways and new biological habits.
Dr. Lum does not believe people need to be fixed or are broken. This kind of healing retrains your body, enhances communication between organ systems, and restores healthy function gently and effectively.
Evidence of Successful Qigong Treatment
Many peer-reviewed studies validate the efficacy of Qigong. Published studies recommend Qigong for the prevention and recovery of patients with Covid-19. [7] [8]
Qigong is recommended for cancer patients while they receive treatment, as a standalone therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome, in treating high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes mellitus, arthritis, and autoimmune disease, to name only a few. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]
There are also studies that highlight the benefit of practitioner-administered qigong healing, specifically using Spring Forest Qigong techniques (the type we use and recommend). [15] [16] [17]
Patient Examples
Dr. Lum has had success with a wide variety of symptoms and conditions.
An infant had a benign tumor on the left side of her neck that limited her movement so that she could not turn her head. At that point, her mother had tried intense physical therapy for months, had seen many doctors, and was in consultation for possible surgery.
After two Qigong treatments in one week, the infant could turn her head 75% more, and the tumor had shrunk by 60%. Dr. Lum administered three additional treatments, after which the tumor completely disappeared, and the infant had a full range of motion.
Patients have noted rapid improvement in kidney stones, conditions of the liver, eye conditions, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, skin issues, and chronic digestive issues.
Dr. Lum has also had success in helping patients recover from acute and chronic infections like flu, Epstein-Barr Virus/EBV, Lyme, parasite infections, small intestine bacterial overgrowth/SIBO, Covid-19, and 'Long' Covid.
Patients have also noted the success of Qigong treatments in addressing anxiety, depression, memory loss, and the effects of a concussion.
Mobility issues like muscle weakness, knee pain, shoulder pain, hip pain, and nerve pain are also well suited to this therapy, especially when other interventions have had no effect.
Many of Dr. Lum's patients come to him with long-term, 'mysterious', undiagnosable symptoms that were never classified into a diagnosis. Often, they have normal bloodwork but have serious and debilitating symptoms. This type of patient is well suited to Qigong therapy.
How Does it Work?
You can choose to incorporate Qigong healing seamlessly into your treatment schedule. It is not mandatory - some patients choose the more traditional route of bloodwork, testing, functional medicine diagnostics, and follow-up appointments.
The price of a New Patient Appointment or a Follow-Up Appointment with Qigong Healing or without is the same as we charge by time and not by service.
Qigong healings are done remotely, either over the phone or through video conferencing. Dr. Lum does not teach you the entire form of Spring Forest Qigong but leads you in a physician-guided healing meditation.
If you would like to attend classes to learn the traditional form of Spring Forest Qigong, we recommend Master Gadu Doushin, who leads online classes most days of the week.
In Chinese, 'Master' means teacher or guide. In Spring Forest Qigong, it also indicates that Gadu has reached the highest level of mastery. You can register for Gadu's classes here.
Gadu also teaches Spring Forest Qigong Healing Training Levels 1-3.
To view the cost of Dr. Lum's services, just click on the 'Book Online' button below, and you will be directed to a page with all of our prices. You can also order a stand-alone Qigong healing appointment.
If you are still wondering if an appointment with Dr. Lum is right for you, you can book a Free 15-minute consultation in which you can ask him specific questions about becoming a patient.
Getting Started
Your 'new patient' Functional medicine appointment
During your hour-long Functional Medicine consultation, Dr. Lum will go into detail about your symptoms, medical history, family history, diet, lifestyle, and any other factors that may have led up to your condition.
Dr. Lum will also review any recent blood testing, questions you may have, current medications, supplements, or anything else you would like to bring or talk about.
At the end of your appointment, a personalized treatment plan will be given to you which will be updated at each appointment. Dr. Lum may then order additional tests to further identify imbalances and dig deeper into your health condition.
What next?
During your treatment, Dr. Lum will be available if you need to email him any additional questions you may have.
Unlike many clinics, you do not have to sign a contract for a certain number of appointments per month nor do you have to sign up for a 'plan.' You pay for each appointment as you have them.
While testing can be very helpful in certain circumstances, it is not required. We are now 100% online and we are helping patients all over the world.
You can talk to Dr. Lum directly by scheduling a
Free 15 Minute Consultation with the link below
or you can call or text the office directly at 816-728-5291.
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[1] Zhang, Y. P., Hu, R. X., Han, M., Lai, B. Y., Liang, S. B., Chen, B. J., Robinson, N., Chen, K., & Liu, J. P. (2020). Evidence Base of Clinical Studies on Qi Gong: A Bibliometric Analysis. Complementary therapies in medicine, 50, 102392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102392
[2] Vincent, A., Hill, J., Kruk, K. M., Cha, S. S., & Bauer, B. A. (2010). External qigong for chronic pain. The American journal of Chinese medicine, 38(4), 695–703. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0192415X10008160
[3] Vanitallie T. B. (2002). Stress: a risk factor for serious illness. Metabolism: clinical and experimental, 51(6 Suppl 1), 40–45. https://doi.org/10.1053/meta.2002.33191
[4] Jackson, J. C., Jutte, J. E., Hunter, C. H., Ciccolella, N., Warrington, H., Sevin, C., & Bienvenu, O. J. (2016). Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after critical illness: A conceptual review of distinct clinical issues and their implications. Rehabilitation psychology, 61(2), 132–140. https://doi.org/10.1037/rep0000085
[5] Vincent, A., Hill, J., Kruk, K. M., Cha, S. S., & Bauer, B. A. (2010). External qigong for chronic pain. The American journal of Chinese medicine, 38(4), 695–703. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0192415X10008160
[6] Feng, F., Tuchman, S., Denninger, J. W., Fricchione, G. L., & Yeung, A. (2020). Qigong for the Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of COVID-19 Infection in Older Adults. The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 28(8), 812–819. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2020.05.012
[7] Feng, F., Tuchman, S., Denninger, J. W., Fricchione, G. L., & Yeung, A. (2020). Qigong for the Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation of COVID-19 Infection in Older Adults. The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 28(8), 812–819. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2020.05.012
[8] Badakhsh, M., Dastras, M., Sarchahi, Z., Doostkami, M., Mir, A., & Bouya, S. (2021). Complementary and alternative medicine therapies and COVID-19: a systematic review. Reviews on environmental health, 36(3), 443–450. https://doi.org/10.1515/reveh-2021-0012
[9] Kuo, C. C., Wang, C. C., Chang, W. L., Liao, T. C., Chen, P. E., & Tung, T. H. (2021). Clinical Effects of Baduanjin Qigong Exercise on Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Randomized Controlled Trials. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2021, 6651238. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6651238
[10] Chan, J., Ng, S. M., Yuen, L. P., & Chan, C. (2019). Qigong exercise for chronic fatigue syndrome. International review of neurobiology, 147, 121–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.irn.2019.08.002
[11] Dong, X., Shi, Z., Ding, M., & Yi, X. (2021). The Effects of Qigong for Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2021, 5622631. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5622631
[12] Li, X., Si, H., Chen, Y., Li, S., Yin, N., & Wang, Z. (2020). Effects of fitness qigong and tai chi on middle-aged and elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. PloS one, 15(12), e0243989. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243989
[13] Marks R. (2017). Qigong Exercise and Arthritis. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland), 4(4), 71. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines4040071
[14] Sawynok, J., & Lynch, M. E. (2017). Qigong and Fibromyalgia circa 2017. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland), 4(2), 37. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines4020037
[15] Vincent, A., Hill, J., Kruk, K. M., Cha, S. S., & Bauer, B. A. (2010). External qigong for chronic pain. The American journal of Chinese medicine, 38(4), 695–703. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0192415X10008160
[16] Coleman J. F. (2011). Spring Forest Qigong and chronic pain: making a difference. Journal of holistic nursing : official journal of the American Holistic Nurses' Association, 29(2), 118–131. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898010110385939
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