Chinese traditional medical techniques, like acupuncture and Tai Chi, start to spread successfully in Pinar del Rio province, west Cuba, local media reported on Thursday.

Carlos Callaba, Coordinator of the Natural Medicine Program, said that these techniques are applied in the integral rehabilitation rooms, the health centers and hospitals in the province for the recovering of the patients.

The aim is to preserve or restitute health with the balance of the vital energy, a main concept of these kind of therapies, said Callaba.

Callaba said that the acupuncture is one of the varieties most used in Pinar del Rio due to its efficiency as anti-inflammation method, analgesic and relaxing.

Tai Chi is also among the therapeutic options to combat the stress and keep the organism on good physical and mental conditions.

"It is a martial art of balance preferred mainly by youngsters and elders," Callab said.

The medical techniques developed in China arrived in Cuba during the 1980s.

(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2009)