[SH Health Guide] Shanghai Longhua Hospital Emerges as A Global Hub for Integrated TCM Treatment

Shanghai is boosting international medical tourism. In this column, SH Health Guide, we will highlight the strongest features of each hospital, including services or specialties, as well as unique, attractive points such as price and efficiency.

Shanghai's health authorities have launched a pilot program to encourage local hospitals to offer streamlined health services to boost international medical tourism.

Hospitals are improving their processes and enhancing services to attract expatriate patients with excellent medical capabilities, innovative practices, efficient procedures, competitive pricing, and internationalized service.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a major attraction for foreigners because, while it may be available in a few countries, it is expensive and less comprehensive than in China.

Shanghai Longhua Hospital is a prominent TCM hospital in China, recognized as the city's first Joint Commission International-accredited TCM hospital. The hospital excels in oncology, rehabilitation, and anorectal surgery departments, thanks to its integration of Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine therapies.

Integrative TCM & Western Medicine for Cancer:An International Science Guide

Core Advantages of TCM in Cancer Treatment

TCM is a distinctive, time-tested therapy for cancer developed from decades of clinical practice in China. It combines oral internal medication and external therapies, targeting two key goals: relieving clinical symptoms and improving patients' quality of life.

"TCM focuses on balancing the body's yin and yang, which aligns with the modern medical concept of immune balance. By reinforcing healthy energy and eliminating pathogenic factors, TCM stabilizes the body's internal environment and maximizes the body's natural anti-tumor ability," said Dr Liu Lingshuang, director of Longhua Hospital's oncology department.

When combined with mainstream Western cancer treatments – surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy – TCM effectively reduces the toxic side effects of conventional treatments. It boosts patients' treatment adherence, ensures full treatment courses, slows disease progression, and lowers the recurrence and metastasis risks for post-surgery patients.

Many high-quality clinical studies and SCI-indexed papers have shown TCM's cancer treatment efficacy. Medical professionals and patients worldwide are increasingly appreciating it, she said.

Unique TCM Therapies Popular with International Patients

These standardized, effective methods are rarely accessible in Western countries and most Southeast Asian regions:

1. Personalized Oral Medication

"We formulate treatments based on a patient's cancer type, age, gender, physical condition, and different treatment stages. The core principle is one person, one prescription. Clinically validated proprietary Chinese medicines and approved intravenous TCM injections are also widely used for standardized tumor treatment," she said.

2. Non-pharmacological External Therapies

Acupuncture, tuina (massage), herbal soaking and drug penetration therapy are commonly used.

• Relieve peripheral nerve numbness and pain caused by chemotherapy drugs (such as Taxanes for lung cancer);
• Reduce skin rashes, itching and diarrhea triggered by targeted therapy;
• Alleviate immune-related inflammation (immune pneumonia, immune hepatitis) from immunotherapy.

These interventions allow international patients to continue targeted and immunotherapy long-term, securing better survival benefits.

"TCM focuses on balancing the body's yin and yang, which aligns with the modern medical concept of immune balance. By reinforcing healthy energy and eliminating pathogenic factors, TCM stabilizes the body's internal environment and maximizes the body's natural anti-tumor ability."

Dr Liu Lingshuang, director of Longhua Hospital's oncology department

Cost & Medical Service Strengths

1. Affordable pricing: Most TCM medicines and generic anti-cancer drugs (chemotherapy, targeted, and immunotherapy drugs) in China are far cheaper than original imported drugs overseas, with equivalent safety and efficacy.

2. Efficient medical treatment: Special international wards provide fast admission – patients can be hospitalized within 1-2 days after confirmation. A green inspection channel completes core tests quickly; a personalized integrated Chinese-Western treatment plan can be finalized in 3-5 days, and formal treatment starts on the third day of admission. One full treatment cycle only takes about one week.

"By comparison, patients in countries like Singapore often need to wait 1-2 months for admission and treatment planning. Short-cycle treatment also fits visa-free travel policies, making regular cross-border cancer treatment convenient for international patients," Li added.

Integrated Chinese-Western Medical Standards

Hospitals adopting this model follow global and domestic clinical guidelines to ensure standardized Western medical treatment. Professional TCM interventions are added to create a dual advantage: lower toxicity, higher safety and better overall therapeutic effects.

TCM Integrated Rehabilitation: Exclusive Therapies for International Patients

Acupotomy Therapy (Needle-Knife Treatment)

Acupotomy is a technique used in traditional Chinese medicine that involves the use of a small, needle-shaped knife to cut and release chronic pain issues in the body.

"This original Chinese therapy is not available overseas, with outstanding effects on chronic musculoskeletal and degenerative pain," said Dr Zhang Ying, director of Shanghai Longhua Hospital's rehabilitation department.

- Applicable conditions: Cervical spondylosis, lumbar pain, joint soreness, chronic soft tissue injuries; suitable for office workers, smartphone users, young and elderly patients.

- Core advantage: Shanghai Longhua Hospital is the founding and leading institution that formulated the official technical standards for needle-knife therapy in the city, ensuring standardized, authoritative and effective treatment.

Comprehensive Rehabilitation System

1. Neurological, Swallowing & Vocal Rehabilitation

This service covers disorders of the central nervous system and age-related degenerative problems.

• Address swallowing difficulties, hoarseness, and speech impairment; noticeable improvement can occur after just 1–2 sessions.
• Combine Western rehabilitation protocols with TCM acupuncture & needle-knife techniques for better overall outcomes than pure Western therapy.

2. Respiratory Rehabilitation (Exclusive Integrated Techniques)

Specially customized for mild to severe respiratory conditions:

- Suitable for: COPD, asthma, chronic pneumonia, interstitial lung disease, recovery after lung surgery, elderly, bedridden patients, and people with reduced respiratory or diaphragm function.

- Core features:

• Combine conventional active breathing training with optimized traditional Chinese manipulation techniques;
• Exclusive passive thoracic release therapy (dividing the chest into upper/middle/lower zones for targeted adjustment);
• Relieve tight back muscles and diaphragm tension with needle-knife therapy based on TCM meridian theory;
• Integrate swallowing and respiratory rehabilitation for holistic assessment & treatment instead of partial symptom relief.

3 Visceral & Internal Organ Rehabilitation

Introduce Western visceral release techniques and integrate with TCM organ regulation theories:

• Target chronic liver diseases, intestinal motility disorders, intractable constipation and gastrointestinal dysfunction;
• Gentle, precise manipulation based on anatomical positioning to adjust organ tension and improve visceral function.

Medical Service Advantages for Foreign Patients

1. Fast Admission: Confirm treatment via email in advance; patients can be hospitalized within 1–2 days after arrival in Shanghai, with immediate professional assessment and treatment.

2. Efficient Treatment Cycles: A full course lasts 1–2 weeks; patients can learn home practice methods for long-term maintenance after returning overseas, ideal for visa-free medical travel.

3. Adequate Professional Teams: No long waiting lists (unlike overseas hospitals, where rehabilitation appointments often take several weeks or months); experienced clinical therapists provide one-on-one treatment.

4. Cost-Effectiveness

• A full integrated rehabilitation package in China costs around 1,500–2,000 yuan (excluding hospitalization fees).
• Similar visceral or advanced manipulation therapy overseas costs up to US$2,000 per session; high-end international clinics in China also charge far more than this local standardized service.
• The combined TCM & Western therapy here is unique, cost-effective and inaccessible in most foreign medical systems.

Anorectal & Colorectal Care: Integrated TCM–Western Medicine for International Patients

The anorectal department at Longhua Hospital has a unique reputation, thanks to its mastery of Gu's Surgery – a technique so distinct it's classified as a national intangible cultural relic. Using a blend of Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine, the department handles over 70,000 outpatient visits annually and performs more than 3,000 surgeries. It's not just locals seeking help – patients travel from across China and even from abroad to access their expertise.

"All attending physicians in our department have overseas training backgrounds from top medical schools, including the Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic. We combine global advanced technology with a 160-year heritage of traditional Chinese surgical medicine, forming a unique integrated system for anorectal, colorectal, and pelvic floor disorders," said Dr Yao Yibo, director of Shanghai Longhua Hospital's anorectal department.

Core Unique Treatments Unavailable Overseas

Minimally Invasive TCM Therapies

The department offers exclusive low-trauma options that avoid repeated major surgery:

• Herbal injection therapy for bleeding/protruding hemorrhoids (no open surgery needed);
• Medicinal thread drainage, suture ligation, and targeted minimally invasive fistula care;
• Combined protocols with advanced Western tools: anal fistula endoscopy, laser therapy, and modern imaging guidance.

"These methods deliver less pain, smaller wounds, and faster recovery. Our research, including advanced fistula imaging and laser treatment studies, has been published in top global journals and cited by presidents of American surgical societies," Yao said.

Full Perioperative TCM Management

Unlike overseas care (where patients are discharged immediately after surgery with basic follow-up), we provide complete holistic support:

• Over 40 exclusive in-hospital herbal ointments and preparations for wound healing, infection control, and tissue repair;
• Custom herbal medicine to shorten recovery time for severe infectious conditions.

"For complex perianal inflammatory diseases, the average healing cycle abroad is 3–4 months; our integrated care reduces this to roughly 50 days," Yao added.

Fast, Streamlined Medical Service for Foreign Patients

• Ultra-fast admission & treatment: International patients can be admitted within 1–2 days; all tests (blood work, imaging, cardiac exams, colonoscopy) are completed within 24 hours. Surgery can be arranged for the next day.
• Short hospital stays: Simple hemorrhoid injection: 2–3 days total hospitalization; patients resume normal work quickly.
• Routine minimally invasive cases: Discharge in around 2 days.
• Complex fistula & severe conditions: 1–3 weeks for full recovery.
• No long waiting lists: In Europe and North America, initial consultation and treatment scheduling often take 3–6 months, and complex diagnoses can drag on for years. In Longhua Hospital, most clear diagnoses and full treatment plans are finalized within 1 week.

Advanced Management for Crohn's Disease & Complex Colorectal Conditions

Crohn's disease with perianal fistulas is a globally challenging condition:

• Overseas overall healing rates stay below 50%; Longhua's integrated TCM–Western protocol achieves a healing rate of 88.8%.
• Rapid full screening: small bowel CT, endoscopy, and multidisciplinary MDT consultation within 3–4 days – diagnoses that can take 4+ years overseas.
• Combined surgical, biological, and herbal therapy controls inflammation, repairs fistulas, and protects anal function long-term.

"We also help with other problems like pelvic floor prolapse, discomfort after childbirth, ongoing constipation, and long-term gut issues, using acupuncture and personalized TCM rehabilitation," she said.

Unmatched Cost-Effectiveness

• Standard hemorrhoid treatment (minimally invasive/injection): Around 14,000-15,000 yuan for patients with domestic government-run medical insurance, while it is about 20,000-30,000 yuan for international patients.
• Full-course Crohn's disease integrated treatment: About 30,000 yuan.
• Equivalent care in Europe/North America costs roughly 10 times higher, with months of waiting.

Short-cycle treatment fits visa-free travel policies; patients can complete core therapy in one trip and follow up remotely or during return visits every 3, 6, or 12 months.

Who Benefits Most from the Care?

• International patients with recurrent hemorrhoids, refractory anal fistulas (some having dozens of failed surgeries abroad);
• Crohn's disease patients with long, undiagnosed perianal complications;
• Postpartum women with pelvic floor weakness, anal discomfort, or mild urinary leakage;
• Patients with chronic colorectal inflammation, stubborn wounds, and slow healing after surgery.

If you want to have a consultation for medical treatment or reserve a TCM experience program:

Consultation and reservation hotline: 189-1776-7605

Venue: Longhua Hospital's international medical center

Address: 9/F, Bldg 1, 725 Wanping Rd S.

The hospital is covered by commercial medical insurance.