The Sujok therapy became popular in some parts of India among people suffering from chronic diseases after delivering promising results
Medical experts are always busy inventing new medicines and procedures for the rapidly proliferating new diseases across the world. However, a large number of diseases still elude modern medical science. The Covid-19 pandemic proved that to tackle this serious menace, apart from vaccination, we also need to study and explore alternative therapies like Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy with an open mind.
The allopathic standard procedures and protocols announced by AIIMS and ICMR have been changing. First, the anti-viral Remdesivir injection was touted as an effective option for treating severe COVID-19 cases but now it is off the list. Patients bought this drug for as high as Rs 40,000 a dose.
Allopathic doctors at the same time pooh-poohed other claims of treatment by alternative therapies proposed by Ayurveda, Siddha and Homeopathy. It is a fact that Coronavirus was easily weathered by more than 85 per cent of population due to strong immunity; it is the balance 15 per cent that is at risk of complication and mortality. So, common sense demands that an immunity booster would help overcome the disease. It was successfully done by many Ayurvedic and homoeopathic formulations. The Yajurvid pharmacy, run by a young entrepreneur couple with modern methods of extraction of molecules for Ayurvedic medicines have successfully treated more than 200 Covid-19 patients in Jaipur.
The objective of narrating this is to exhort the government of India’s health experts to open their mind to alternative medicines. There are several diseases which have no treatment in modern medical science. The writer through his organisations, has been monitoring such examples of alternative therapies. One such therapy — which is doing well in India, especially in Nagpur belt of Maharashtra and in Uttarakhand — is the ‘Sujok Therapy’, an advance version of acupressure with several additional methods like use of colour, magnets and lentils. This drugless therapy was invented by a Korean Professor, the late Park Jae Woo, a few decades ago. It is a mixture of Acupuncture and other healing methods. Sujok is made of two words Su (Hand) and Jok (Feet). Sujok treatment is based on the principle that all parts of the body have a positional link in our palm and feet and it thus focuses only on treating the hands and feet. After successfully treating many chronic diseases in his country Prof Park chose India to propagate his therapy and established Sujok Association of India in Nagpur. He groomed and trained a few physiotherapists and kept on visiting India to popularise this treatment. The therapy became popular in some parts of India among people suffering from chronic diseases liked axonal neuropathy and cerebral palsy, epilepsy, migraine, autism, spectrum disorder, etc. It is a painless procedure and is a natural therapy, is safe and is without any need for oral medicine. Besides being affordable, itgives quick relief.
The Sujok treatment is carried out by using small needles and magnets specially defined and made with expert precision to carry out specialised treatment in the hands and feet. Sujok needles are made of steel suitable for medical use. The needles have spring-like handles and are perfectly shaped for painless insertion. The therapy also uses the energy in lentil seeds and colour therapy. One of the most effective ways to massage the points of the body where the treatment is needed is done by a diagnostic and therapeutic stick after identifying the points and then treating those points by massaging.
Magnets are the most important tools in the armoury of the Sujok healer. They are used to channelise the flow of energy in the identified body part. Yet another way of treatment is the application of elastic ring messenger as useful and hand way to provide continuous pressure on the identified point.
In chronic diseases like axonal neuropathy and cerebral palsy, Sujok therapy has achieved success. Then what is the hitch in recognising the procedure after verification of the protocol? After all, it is a procedure without any medicine and is not injurious to health. It is the obduracy and superiority complex of mandarins of health infrastructure in India that prevent recognition of such new procedures. The Sujok Association in India has been trying for recognition of its procedures for a few incurable chronic diseases. In some states like Uttarakhand, the health experts agreed to recognize it after they saw the cured patients’ details but insist on prior approval from the government of India.
(The author is chairman of Centre for Resource Management and Environment. The views expressed are personal.)
