Chinese Medicine Gaining Popularity

After his Wednesday morning appointment at Dr. Hung Lü's acupuncture clinic in Bonn, Thomas Weimann grabs his suit jacket and passes an oriental wall tapestry on his way out of the treatment room, while Lü prepares for the next patient in her office. "See you on Friday," he says as he heads to work.

Weimann has been receiving treatments for his back and shoulder pain from Lü for about two months. "Call it a Chinese miracle, I don't know -- my pain disappeared," he said.

A middle-aged account manager for an auto supplier, Weimann had tried various treatments, including massage and pills, to ease his pain, with only partial results. Although his pain decreased with hospital treatments, it never really went away. Frustrated, he searched the Internet for alternative medical treatments and discovered traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Weimann made his first appointment without hesitation. "It was a totally unemotional decision and I wasn't afraid," he said, having been convinced that it would do the trick.

Like many in Germany, Weimann has turned to TCM for the age-old healing powers of acupuncture, herbal remedies, relaxation and detoxification treatments.

TCM is rooted in age-old Chinese healing remedies. Lü, whose mother is a doctor in China and who herself has practiced TCM since shortly after coming to Germany 18 years ago, said, "It's an important part of Chinese culture."

Importing age-old traditions

As the number of patients seeking alternative treatments increases, more and more German doctors are beginning to offer TCM techniques. Dr. Angela Redlich, who runs a TCM practice in Berlin and studied TCM in China, said people seek out TCM if other more mainstream methods haven't worked, or if they want something that doesn't have side effects.

The most common ailments treated are migraines, bronchitis, aches and pains of the back and joints as well as gastro-intestinal problems. Practitioners sometimes combine acupuncture, herbs and nourishment treatments as well as suggest Quigong, a popular type of relaxation exercise. The duration also varies from one to 20 or more treatments.

Continue reading to see what insurers say about TCM

Personal prescription

Each patient is different, so the initial examination, involving discussing the symptoms and patients' lifestyles as well as examining their tongues and how they walk, helps to determine the treatment plan, Lü explained. In Weimann's case, he experienced major relief after his first treatment, but Lü warned that it would take a while to get rid of the pain completely.

"It was never as bad as it was before," Weimann said. After about seven treatments involving acupuncture and a circulation-enhancing and detox technique known as "massage cupping," Weimann is convinced of TCM's effectiveness.

And doctors are responding to their patients' desires. Dr. Heidi Rausch, a TCM instructor, said TCM has grown enormously since she became a member of the German Doctors' Association for Acupuncture in 1985. In the last 15 years alone, membership in the organization has grown 10 times and has now reached 11,000. Likewise, membership in the Consortium for Classical Acupuncture and TCM, which includes non-medical practitioners, has almost doubled in the last six to seven years, according to Birgit Ziegler, the group's deputy chairwoman.

Covering the costs

Despite the increased interest, insurance companies are only cautiously embracing TCM. German health care provider Deutsche Betriebskrankenkasse expressed doubts about just how popular TCM has become.

"It's exaggerated," spokesman Rainer Brenker said. "A study in the 1990s found that 5-10 percent of our clientele were interested in alternative healing treatments."

Other insurers are more open, even if the financial coverage is not always available for patients. "We have limited financial means and what's optimal for us is what works," said Innungskrankenkasse spokesman Joachim Odenbach.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to pay for TCM treatments is up to the board representing doctors, insurers and patients and it is likely to remain limited in any case.

While insurance coverage is a factor for patients, most, including Weimann, whose insurance covers his treatments, "would rather do without something else than have to go around with pain."

Does it work?

Seeking to evaluate the ability of acupuncture to alleviate chronic pain, German insurance companies funded the so-called Gerac studies -- the largest scientific investigation of acupuncture ever -- which were carried out from 2001-2004. The results showed that traditional acupuncture (48 percent) produced better results than Western medicine (27 percent). But 44 percent of patients given fake acupuncture also reported improvement, thus showing a placebo effect.

For those helped by TCM, like Weimann, the study results have little relevance. "Even if it is just a placebo, it still works," Weimann said.