Traditional Chinese medicine can effectively treat intradialytic hypotension — low blood pressure during dialysis — and female infertility through the use of medicinal herbs and acupuncture, the Taipei Chinese Medical Association said yesterday at a press conference to present clinical research into the traditional doctrine.
The number of people on dialysis in Taiwan is increasing steadily each year, association president Tsao Yun-tson (曹永昌) said.
“One of the factors causing this increase in dialysis patients are pirate radio stations that advertise and sell harmful pseudo-medicines with unknown ingredients. Many elderly people are taken in by these stations and unwittingly take the unlicensed drugs, which are often a questionable mix of herbal and Western medicine that harms them and leads to dialysis,” Tsao said.
Chen Jiun-liang (陳俊良), director of the Division of Internal and Pediatric Chinese Medicine at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, agreed with Tsao.
Citing recent comments by toxicologist Lin Chieh-liang (林杰樑), Chen added that the recent tainted starch scandal also indicates that the nation’s high prevalence of dialysis may have resulted from people ingesting large amounts of maleic acid by consuming tainted food products.
Chen said that a paper he co-authored that was published in the Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine journal demonstrates that herbal medicine — Korean red ginseng in this case — can improve blood pressure stability in patients with intradialytic hypotension, which is “a common complication which occurs in 20 percent to 30 percent of all dialysis treatments.”
Meanwhile, Lai Jung-nien (賴榮年), director of the Chinese Medicine Division at the Taipei City Hospital’s Yang-Ming branch, said that recent studies show that acupuncture helps women with infertility problems.
“Acupuncture can complement Western treatments for female infertility as it improves circulation in the pelvic area and maintains a stable endometrial thickness, which is beneficial since many women seeking medical attention for infertility are suffering from endocrine disorders or ovulation problems,” Lai said.
Acupuncture has also been shown to ameliorate anxiety, which is seen as a root cause of infertility issues among women attempting in vitro fertilization.
Data show that “patients who receive acupuncture before undergoing in vitro fertilization have a rate of conception that is 15 percent higher than those who have not,” Lai added.
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
RSS