Gerhard Litscher

Swiss University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SWISS TCM UNI) · High-Tech Acupuncture and Digital Chinese Medicine

Auricular medicine, based on the concept that the ear reflects the entire body, has gained recognition for treating various conditions through targeted acupuncture. Despite documented short-term benefits, such as pain relief and nervous system regulation, research into its long-term effects is limited. This editorial discusses the need for further...

In this interview Professor Gerhard Litscher discusses how new technologies like laser acupuncture and electroacupuncture, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics are revolutionizing acupuncture by enhancing precision and personalization. He emphasizes the potential for digital tools to improve treatment outcomes and training while maintaining t...

Laser acupuncture, a rising complementary therapy, applies a low-intensity laser to acupuncture points, yet its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Proposed hypotheses include modulation of cellular signaling, tissue repair, and immune modulation. Laser acupuncture may stimulate energy flow, neurotransmitter release, cellular changes, immune regu...

Acupuncture, as a promising complementary therapy for cancer patients, offers personalized symptom management and improved quality of life alongside conventional treatments. With its proven efficacy in alleviating chemotherapy-induced side effects such as nausea, fatigue, and pain, acupuncture stands as a holistic approach to cancer care. Tailored...

To investigate the efficacy of laser acupuncture and photobiomodulation therapy in alleviating symptoms among patients diagnosed with Bell’s palsy with duration of greater than 8 weeks. The randomized controlled trial has been performed from May 2021 to April 2023. Patients were eligible who had Bell’s palsy with duration of greater than 8 weeks on...

Auricular medicine, an integral component of traditional medicine, has grown famous as a complementary and alternative Medicine (CAM) modality. Despite its widespread acceptance and anecdotal support, the scientific community grapples with multifaceted challenges that impede the establishment of a comprehensive empirical foundation for auricular me...

The current understanding of long COVID (LC) is still limited. This review highlights key findings regarding the role of gut microbiota, mitochondria, and the main pathophysiological aspects of LC revealed by clinical studies, related to the complex interplay between infection, intestinal dysbiosis, dysfunctional mitochondria, and systemic inflamma...

In today's high-tech-driven times, traditional ways are getting a digital upgrade, and Chinese medicine is part of this change. Mixing ancient healing know-how with modern high technology has created digital Chinese medicine (DCM). It could change healthcare worldwide. This editorial aims to explore this new area and look at its possibilities, chal...

Conference Report Report from the 11th International Symposium on Auriculotherapy Held in Copenhagen, 8-10 September 2023 - Auriculotherapy meets the field of Psychology Claire Marie Rangon ¹, Gerhard Litscher ^{2, *}, Robert Bering ³, Gary Stanton ⁴, Anne Marie Bering ⁵, Stephen W. Porges <sup>6,...

For over three years, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in children and adolescents has generated repercussions, especially a few weeks after infection, for symptomatic patients who tested positive, for asymptomatic ones, or even just the contacts of an infected person, and evolved from severe forms such as multisystem in...

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer, with high morbidity and mortality, which seriously threatens the health and life expectancy of patients. The traditional methods of treatment by surgical ablation, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and more recently immunotherapy have not given the expected results in HCC. Ne...

This editorial briefly describes possible relationships and similarities between chess and acupuncture. Although the methods of chess and acupuncture could not be more different, possible joint effects on the brain can be hypothesized. However, the effectiveness of these joint effects has yet to be proven in scientific studies. Both chess and acupu...

The reflex auriculo-cardiac (RAC), dynamic pulse reaction (Nogier reflex), or vascular autonomic signal was proposed by Nogier. It refers to the pulse changes that can occur in the radial artery immediately after auricular acupuncture is performed. RAC is helpful for the clinical practice of auricular acupuncture, but there is a lack of objective v...

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), as a neurodegenerative disorder, usually develops slowly but gradually worsens. It accounts for approximately 70% of dementia cases worldwide, and is recognized by WHO as a public health priority. Being a multifactorial disease, the origins of AD are not satisfactorily understood. Despite huge medical expenditures and atte...

This brief contribution is part of a Special Issue entitled ‘Laser Acupuncture: Past, Present and Future’ and primarily deals with the future of laser acupuncture from the author’s perspective. The procedure from developing the first laser to robot-assisted laser acupuncture is briefly shown. The latter has already become a reality and, in the near...

Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) and its complication, macrophage activation syndrome (sJIA-MAS), are rare but sometimes very serious or even critical diseases of childhood that can occasionally be characterized by nonspecific clinical signs and symptoms at onset—such as non-remitting high fever, headache, rash, or arthralgia—and are b...

According to recent translations by medical professionals of the foundational texts of Chinese Medicine, the acupuncture channel system can be reconciled with the neurovasculature. From there, the underlying mechanisms of the effects of acupuncture can be drawn from established physiology and known physical laws. A large body of research has been c...

Helmet designs have not only been used successfully in integrative medicine for decades in acupuncture research, but they are also increasingly being used in the field of transcranial photobiomodulation (TPBM), primarily in so-called mental diseases. The author of this article has been dealing with developed helmet constructions for neuromonitoring...

Light and lasers, as high-tech devices whose medical potential has yet to be fully discovered, have made important contributions to medicine, even in the current pandemic. The main aim of this review was to investigate how light was applied as a therapeutic tool during a crisis triggered by COVID-19. Another goal was to encourage scientists and ind...

This editorial briefly discusses the issue of potential toxicity in the case of long-term photobiomodulation (PBM). Scientific articles from PubMed, Google Scholar, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure were included in a heterogeneous search. There have been very few studies on the long-term effects of PBM, as well as its potential toxic...

In the last 25 years, helmet designs have made a significant contribution to the knowledge gained in acupuncture research and subsequently in photobiomodulation therapy. In principle, a distinction can be made between helmets that have diagnostic or monitoring functions and those that cause transcranial stimulating effects as part of therapeutic pr...

Thousands of years ago, phototherapy or heliotherapy was performed by ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans [...]

This short report is about the International Society for Medical Laser Applications (ISLA). A short list of the most frequently used methods within the research areas of the ISLA is included along with a description of how the great potential of these new laser methods led to numerous improvements in patient treatment. The ISLA attaches great impor...

Currently, the majority of commercially available laser acupuncture instruments are still hand-held and only support single-point stimulation. Simultaneous multi-point stimulation improves the therapeutic efficacy of laser acupuncture by stimulating multiple acupoints at the same time. A "2-dimensional (2-D) galvo mirror" was utilized as a position...

The dynamic pulse reaction (Nogier reflex), Reflex-Auriculo-Cardiac (RAC), or vascular autonomic signal is a physiologic phenomenon that is not fully accepted and widely understood in contemporary medical practice. In order to provide appropriate scientific evidence for better understanding, qualitative and-above all-quantitative research in this a...

Celiac disease (CD) comprises over 1% of the world's population and is a chronic multisystem immune-mediated condition manifested by digestive and/or extradigestive symptoms caused by food intake of gluten. This review looked at the risk of children diagnosed with CD developing SARS-CoV-2 infection and possible severe forms of COVID-19. A better un...

Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) is a serious multifactorial autoinflammatory disease with a significant mortality rate due to macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). Recent research has deepened the knowledge about the pathophysiological mechanisms of sJIA-MAS, facilitating new targeted treatments, and biological disease-modifying antir...

The difficult times caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated problems, also in the area of research management of intercontinental acupuncture research projects, require targeted, adequate solutions. For example, the author’s research project approved by Eurasia Pacific Uninet, which should have been carried out through a mutual exchange...

This innovative project within a successful Sino-Austrian cooperation on high-tech acupuncture between Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and Medical University of Graz deals with the promotion of a new research field entitled laser acupuncture and laser medicine. Laser acupuncture is defined as “Photonic stimulation of acupuncture points and a...

Background: The influence of gender is significant in the manifestation and response to many diseases and in the treatment strategy. Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy, including laser acupuncture, is an evidence-based treatment and disease prevention modality that has shown promising efficacy for a myriad of chronic and acute diseases. Anecdotal exp...

Benefits of photobiomodulation (PBM) have been known for several decades. More recently, PBM applied in sports offers a special chance to support the modeling of the performance and recovery. Increasingly complex physical activities and fierce competition in the world of sports generate a state of psycho-emotional and physical stress that can induc...

The aim of this editorial is to demonstrate publications on self-acupuncture from both the East (China) and the West and to bring new variants such as self-applied laser medicine into the focus of interest. Self-acupuncture with needles may of course only be carried out according to the applicable laws of the respective country and these are natura...

In the recent past, laser therapy has made immense progress as it is known to change microcirculation, modulate vegetative parameters, and stimulate mitochondrial activity in the human body. This editorial briefly describes a new laser watch prototype (generation 2021), which can be used to perform continuous and simultaneous blood irradiation at t...

In the context of the high incidence of cancer worldwide, state-of-the-art photodynamic therapy (PDT) has entered as a usual protocol of attempting to eradicate cancer as a minimally invasive procedure, along with pharmacological resources and radiation therapy. The photosensitizer (PS) excited at certain wavelengths of the applied light source, in...

Self-administered acupuncture has not only been used in China for many years, but the scientific studies on it are very seldom. There are indications, especially in Chinese, that self-acupuncture with needles is quite practicable and is of course also used in teaching there. However, there are only very few relevant scientific papers on the treatme...

Up to now it has not yet been scientifically proven whether the technical methods of photonics in the field of photobiomodulation (PBM), photodynamic therapy (PDT), and laser acupuncture in connection with COVID-19 have achieved effective medical success. As part of this short technical note, an overview of the current scientific status is given an...

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is an accurate term for an effective and important application of light in medicine (such as in photomedicine). Three review articles of authors from the International Society of Medical Laser Applications (ISLA-Transcontinental) on the topic of PBM with a total of 116 printed pages, published in one renowned journal of mol...

In recent decades, researchers around the world have been studying intensively how micro-organisms that are present inside living organisms could affect the main processes of life, namely health and pathological conditions of mind or body. They discovered a relationship between the whole microbial colonization and the initiation and development of...

Laser acupuncture (LA) and photobiomodulation (PBM) are used worldwide, but there is still a need for scientific studies. The aim of this short review article is to show progress in basic research in this area, which is important for evidence-based complementary medicine, and to focus attention on highlights of basic research. Our modern society ne...

In a pioneer transcontinental pilot study conducted with 50 volunteers, it was revealed that women could have apparently overcome the world's toughest lockdown in terms of changes in the general state of health measured using the heart rate variability parameter better than men. The results of the present study obtained in Wuhan provide information...

Women obviously have better lockdown coping strategy with overall health than men. A transcontinental pilot study in 50 persons on heart rate variability in Wuhan provides initial trend information on this subject.

The number of high-ranking publications on photobiomodulation is increasing disproportionately worldwide and it is therefore easy to understand that the therapy option should also be methodically expanded and tested in the treatment of COVID-19 as a complementary method for combating pandemics. In order to ascertain the current state of knowledge o...

Experimental studies on animals are conducted in almost all areas of medical research. The experiments offer insights into diseases and expand biomedical knowledge. Animal experiments are also imperative for studying acupuncture treatment mechanisms and the exploration of innovative acupuncture techniques. Laser acupuncture (LA), as a promising alt...

Acupressure is a non-pharmacological technique that has the potential to relieve various diseases. This mini review deals with facts of scientific acupressure studies and summarizes some of important aspects. Scientific articles from the PubMed, Google Scholar and CNKI databases served as research documents. In addition, the research of acupressure...

Neuro-photobiomodulation (PBM) is a relatively novel optical stimulation method that is not yet generally accepted in conventional medicine. Therefore, evidence-based research in this sub-area, which is important for laser medicine, is necessary in order to provide appropriate scientific evidence for a better understanding of neuro-PBM. In this edi...

The Nogier-Reflex or Reflex-Auriculo-Cardiac (RAC) or the dynamic pulse reaction is a physiological phenomenon which is not (yet) generally accepted in conventional medicine. Therefore, intensive evidence-based research in this sub-area, which is so important for auricular medicine, is necessary in order to provide appropriate scientific evidence f...

The Nogier reflex or reflex auriculo-cardiac (RAC) or the dynamic pulse reaction is a physiological phenomenon that is not generally accepted in conventional medicine. Therefore, evidence-based research in this sub-area is important for auricular medicine as it provides appropriate scientific evidence for better acceptance. In this editorial, a RAC...

Objective: To compare the immediate effect of acupuncture and moxibustion at Guanyuan (CV 4) and Zusanli (ST 36) on heart rate variability index in patients with qi deficiency syndrome. Methods: Ninety patients with qi deficiency syndrome were randomly divided into an acupuncture group, a moxibustion group and a blank group, 30 patients in each...

Immune modulation is a very modern medical field for targeting viral infections. In the race to develop the best immune modulator against viruses, curcumin, as a natural product, is inexpensive, without side effects, and can stimulate very well certain areas of the human immune system. As a bright yellow component of turmeric spice, curcumin has be...

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis and adult rheumatoid arthritis are two major groups with chronic joint pain and inflammation, extra-articular manifestations, and high risk of comorbidities, which can cause physical and ocular disability, as well as create great socio-economic pressure worldwide. The pathogenesis of arthritis manifested in childhood a...

SummaryA current research compendium from the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Research Center of the Medical University of Graz on Nogier-Reflex or Vascular-Autonomic-Signal (VAS) or on the “Dynamic Pulse Response” and on some aspects of basic research in so-called auricular medicine is presented.

This project within a successful Sino-Austrian cooperation on high-tech acupuncture between Hubei University of Chinese Medicine in Wuhan and Medical University of Graz deals with clinical transcontinental tele acupuncture measurements in healthy volunteers and patients with fatigue and stress. Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) measu...

This project within a successful Sino-Austrian cooperation on high-tech acupuncture deals with clinical transcontinental scalp acupuncture related to heart rate variability measurements in volunteers and patients with insomnia. Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) registrations should be performed under standardized conditions in Harbin...

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), pulse diagnosis is one of the most important methods for diagnosis. A pulse can be felt by applying firm fingertip pressure to the skin where the arteries travel. The pulse diagnosis has become an important tool not only for TCM practitioners but also for several areas of Western medicine. Many pulse measuring...

Background: Laser acupuncture is a relatively young modality in the field of acupuncture, used successfully for the treatment of various conditions since the early 1970s. It has, despite its ∼50 years of existence, already a comprehensive history behind it. This review deals with facts of this history and summarizes the most-important milestones. M...

Transcranial photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy includes an innovative optical stimulation method to improve brain function. Therefore a new helmet construction is introduced. The equipment is able to present frequency-modulated stimuli and consists of 256 infrared LEDs (wavelength 810 nm; continuous or frequency mode; 24 mW/cm2; ∼15 W total during c...

Background: The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the cerebral effects of laser stimulation and traditional needle acupuncture in patients after stroke. Methods: Seventeen stroke patients (12 female and five male; mean age ± SD: 66.5 ± 12.9 years) were randomly selected in a stroke rehabilitation hospital. Patients’ regional cerebral bl...