Turning to Tibet

Patients line up at 3.30 a.m. to register themselves for an appointment in the clinic that opens two and a half hours later. Nearly 100 pati...

Patients line up at 3.30 a.m. to register themselves for an appointment in the clinic that opens two and a half hours later. Nearly 100 patients visit each of the three doctors in the clinic every day and over 90 per cent of the patients are Indian. The small decrepit bungalow that houses the Tibetan Medical and Astro Centre buzzes with activity till 6 p.m.

Ashok Kamal, a heart patient who also suffers from poor digestion and insomnia, has been coming here for the last three months. 8220;I feel that Tibetan medicine takes a little longer but is a surer cure. Every time I come there is an improvement,8221; he says.

In fact, it is a common complaint amongst patients that allopathy does not cure but only provides immediate relief. Many patients suffering from chronic diseases have turned to the Tibetan Centre after exhausting conventional forms of medicine. Depending on the severity of the problem, there have been cases in which Tibetan medicine is said to have cured asthma completely and brought about dramatic improvement in cases of arthritis, high blood pressure, back problems, peptic ulcers etc. Allopathic doctors from Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Delhi have been known to send their patients to the centre in the hope of some improvement in their condition.

Fourty-one-year-old Shaleen Wadhwa says, 8220;One year ago I could not work properly either at home or in office. After the medicines I not only feel younger, but I feel fresh all day long. My husband has also taken medicine for diabetes. His sugar level has decreased from 330-200 to 190-130.8221; According to Dr. T. Tamdin, the head of the Tibetan Medical Clinic in Nizammuddin: 8220;Doctors here work not for profit but for public service. The clinic is funded by a trust opened by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1982.8221;

Patients unable to afford the cost of treatment are treated free of cost, while the rest are charged a reasonable consultation fee of Rs 30 on the first visit. Medicines prescribed can be obtained from a pharmacy in the clinic. There are 33 such clinics in India and one each in Nepal and Holland. Tibetan doctors practice in Japan, England and the U.S.A., and conduct frequent tours all over the world.

Dr Sonam Lhamo, a doctor at the clinic, believes that the the 3000-year legacy of Tibetan medicine is in itself proof of its validity. The medicine is made from herbs found in the Himalayan region.

Over 500 herbs are sourced from Sikkim, Dharamsala, Amritsar and some from Tibet. As for the patients, if their problem is severe, they may have to take medicines for years.

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Dr. Pema, another Tibetan medicine specialist at the clinic, explains: 8220;We try to root out the disease, not just make it subside or kill the pain. We give energy to the diseased organ. This takes time.8221;

Pema explains their methods of diagnosis: 8220;Tibetan doctors diagnose the problem after checking the whole body with the help of of their fingers. For example, the first finger of the right hand is used to feel the heart and the small intestine, the middle finger feels the stomach and the spleen and the ring finger feels the kidney and the urinary bladder. Similarly, the fingers of the left hand are taught to feel other organs of the body.

Different types of pulse readings help determine whether a disease is hot8217; or cold8217;.8221; Tibetan medicine recognises three energies in the body 8211; flame, wind and bile. An imbalance in any energy in any organ could lead to illness. Tamdin believes 99 per cent of heart problems are caused by mental stress. Hence, in case of imbalance of the wind in the heart, it is important for the patient to to take things easy and reduce stress.

Dietary restrictions are important in Tibetan medicine for both prevention of diseases and cure. 8220;Our medicines are not antibodies, they are not high powered doses. So diet becomes important for a better response,8221; says Tamdin.

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In addition, Tibetan medicines have a series of therapies which are carried out for chronic diseases hammer therapy, cuping therapy, golden needle therapy and maxivasion. But these therapies are painful and according to Lhamo: 8220;Most Indian patients cannot bear the pain.8221; They are mostly practised in Simla or Dharamshala and only rarely in Delhi.

Inherent in the medicinal tradition is the use of precious pills. There are six types of precious pills which are made of herbs and are prescribed to patients suffering from chronic diseases. 8220;Precious pills are usually in high demand. In fact, some years ago, their supply had stopped for three years at a stretch because the required herbs were not available,8221; Lhamo tell us.

There is a strong relationship between Tibetan medicine and astrology and the precious pills that are prescribed for general well-being and good health are given according to the calendar and are often taken on special days like Buddha Purnima.

According to Lhamo, if the precious pills are taken according to the season most suitable to their intake, they are more effective. 8220;Doctors of Tibetan medicine are also taught astrology,8221; she tells us. Herbs are also picked according to the charts. Amongst the diseases allopathy claims no cure to, Tibetan medicine is said to dramatically improve the condition of patients suffering from second or third degree cancer or AIDS by strengthening the body8217;s immune system. But Lhamo is cautious: 8220;We do not say we have a cure for cancer or AIDS.8221;

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In India, patients turn to Tibetan medicine only as a last resort, when disillusioned with allopathy. While the treatment takes time it has no visible side-effects and the success rate is high.