Positive Health Online

Abstract

LI and colleagues, Institute of Qigong Research, Guangzhou University, People's Republic of China, explored the potential of Qi Gong to aid in the detoxification of individuals addicted to heroin .

Background

Qi Gong is a traditional Chinese movement discipline believed to promote general health and facilitate healing and recovery from ill health/disease. The authors were able to identify a limited amount of scientific literature on Qi Gong and its effectiveness, but none on its use in treating substance addiction.

Methodology

Subjects for study were 86 men aged 18 to 52 years who were addicted to heroin (according to the substance addiction criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd Edition Revised) and had a history of heroin usage for between 6 months and 11 years . The subjects were residents at a mandatory drug treatment centre in China. They were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: 1) Qi Gong treatment (n=34); 2) medication (n=26); 3) no treatment (control group; n=26). The Qi Gong group undertook daily practice of Pan Gu Qi Gong and received Qi adjustments from a Qi Gong master. The medication group received detoxification treatment with lofexidine-HCl, with gradual dose reduction over 10 days. The control group received basic care and medications to treat severe withdrawal symptoms. Effects of treatments were assessed by the following measures taken before and during the 10-day treatment period: urine morphine test; ECG recording; Hamilton Anxiety Scale scores; and a withdrawal symptom evaluation scale.

Results

The Qi Gong group showed more rapid reduction of withdrawal symptoms than the other 2 groups. Mean symptoms scores were significantly lower for the Qi Gong group from Day 1 than for the other 2 groups (p<0.01). Anxiety scores were significantly lower for the Qi Gong and the medication groups than for the control group (p<0.01), and were significantly lower for the Qi Gong group than the medication group (p<0.01). Before treatment, the urine morphine test was positive for all subjects. By Day 3 of treatment, 50% of the Qi Gong group, 23% of the control group and 8% of the medication group had negative urine tests (p<0.01). 100% of the Qi Gong, medication and control groups achieved negative urine tests by Day 5, Day 9 and Day 11 respectively.

Conclusion

Qi Gong appeared to be an effective alternative to detoxification drug treatment or symptomatic treatment of withdrawal symptoms for heroin addicts and had no side effects . The authors acknowledged that it was not possible to completely eliminate the possibility of a placebo effect in this study.

References

Li M et al. Use of qigong therapy in the detoxification of heroin addicts. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 8 (1): 50-4, 56-9. Jan-Feb 2002.