Svetlana Shipetko had visited Hainan, located in South China’s tropical island, to cure her lower back pain as well as enjoy the cold Siberian weather. In place of painkillers, the traditional Chinese therapists applied tuina therapy on Shipetko, which is alternatively known as ‘push-and-pinch’ as well. At the Sanya Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shipetko used to receive this treatment every morning. Once the therapy is over, she used to spend the rest of the day bathing in the sun.
Shipetko through an interpreter said, ‘It is great! No pills, no injections, but I feel much better.” Each year, thousands of Russians visit Hainan for this purpose. As per the statistics, the island province has received more than 800,000 Russian tourists in the last seven years. Some or the other unique form of traditional Chinese therapy was availed by more than 80 percent of the visitors during their stay. They applied the therapies either to treat a particular disorder or simply for wellness, health authorities said. Also called TCM, these traditional Chinese techniques have gained immense popularity in this modern world, majorly dominated by Western medicine. These types of clinics have grown in numbers outside China as well. However, acquiring those precious herbs across the border or attracting and hiring experienced professionals to work overseas become strong challenges on these cases. As a consequence, more international visitors are coming to China for TCM treatment
