Nearly three decades since it was founded, the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM) in Paola has provided people in Malta with an alternative medical system to treat pain and illness. The staggering results enjoyed by many patients have earned it a solid reputation that is worth noting.
Diplomatic relations between Malta and China go as far back as 1972, with cooperation in the medical field taking real shape in 1994, when the MRCTCM was set up. Over the years, acupuncture clinics were also introduced at Mater Dei Hospital and the Gozo General Hospital to cater for a wider audience of patients.
So far, the MRCTCM has welcomed a total of 17 medical teams deployed to Malta by the Chinese government. The teams, which change annually, consist of top professionals in TCM and bring a first-class medical service to the local community. Leading the active team for the current term is the renowned and popular Dr Chen Weifeng.
To date, these medical practitioners have treated nearly 220,000 patients in Malta. This impressive number includes Maltese locals, resident foreigners and even members of the Chinese community living in Malta. What’s more, over the past 29 years, patient feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and no negative feedback has ever been received following treatment. Needless to say, such a reputation has greatly expanded the influence of TCM in Malta.
The MRCTCM offers a variety of physical therapies, including acupuncture, massage, cupping, cervical and pelvic traction, and ear acupressure. For anyone scared of needles, Dr Chen recommends acupressure massage as a good alternative to relieve pain, although he admits that acupuncture yields quicker results. He adds that acupuncture is also very effective at helping people lose weight faster, remarking that obesity is a common problem among the Maltese.
These therapies are used to treat a multitude of health issues – ranging from disorders such as arthritis of the neck, slipped disc, and neck, shoulder, leg and lower back pain – to others like insomnia, allergic dermatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, urinary tract infections, functional constipation, irregular menstruation, and many others. As Dr Chen explains, “Our treatments deal with most of the illnesses that people face in everyday life.” The list even covers mental and emotional issues like depression and anxiety, which he treats with Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques.
Dr Chen recounts how a recent patient of his – a woman in her thirties – underwent a complete transformation after just three sessions of acupuncture, breathing regulation exercises and other methods that he used to help her deal with debilitating anxiety and fatigue. The patient, who also suffered from consistently poor-quality sleep, had taken her fill of medication in the past. Nothing had ever worked – if anything, the side effects from the medicine only made things worse and she had lost her zest for life.
“Our treatment worked very well,” shares Dr Chen, relating how she went from feeling hopeless and depressed to blossoming with confidence and a newfound energy.
Dr Chen acknowledges that no matter which medical system they are trained in, the goal for all doctors is the same – to help resolve their patients’ health issues. Likewise, all a patient really cares about is the outcome of their treatment, irrespective of their medical history and the therapies they have used in the past.
With this in mind, Dr Chen encourages people to consider TCM in their journey towards better health. He asserts that: “TCM offers patients very safe, simple and highly effective therapies that provide excellent results.” While the efficacy of the treatment depends on patients’ symptoms, a session typically lasts 30-45 minutes, and many issues are resolved in one-to-three sessions. Without any side effects to fear, acupuncture is even safe to perform on children.
Given such a promising track record, there clearly is nothing to lose in giving TCM a try. As Dr Chen points out, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
Anyone interested in learning more about TCM and the services offered by MRCTCM can get in touch via the Centre’s website at https://mrctcm.mt/ or via their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MRCTCM/.