What is ZHT?    Development History    ZHT Applications    Supporting Research

History of ZHT development by Dr. Zhou

The current sleep apnea understanding is incomplete and inaccurate. Undiagnosed and untreated prolonged hypoxia is the connecting link and a common pathway for many medical conditions, including obesity, heart attack, hypertension, diabetes, COPD, allergy, cancer, and mental disorders as well as chronic musculoskeletal pain syndrome.

ZHT is based on latest trachea caudal displacement (TCD) and sleep apnea research findings, and Dr. Zhou hypothesized that vocal cord dysfunction, apnea upper airway collapsing are mainly due to TCD, which in turn causes mild to moderate hypoxia, Dr. Zhou identified this TCD - hypoxia model, and developed a unique, simple, yet most effective clinical therapy. If Dr. Zhou's concept and theory are proven to be true, ZHT/TCD could be the most significant health care advancement in this decade.

Dr. Zhou was able to make these discoveries in part because of his unique background. In China, there are two “tracks” for medical education. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an integrative approach involving traditional herbalism, manipulations, and acupuncture, but conducted with similar rules of cleanliness and upon the same basis of anatomy and physiology as the companion track of Western medicine. Medical colleges that teach a western method in China, also cover certain aspects of TCM. This means that each practitioner is familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of both modalities, and in fact may switch modes during their career. This is in fact what happened with Dr. Jin Zhou, who began his studies at a school featuring TCM, moving on to become an instructor of surgery, then moved to become an orthopedic surgeon at the Chinese Air Force Hospital in Beijing.

When Doctor Zhou arrived in the United States in January, 1988, he sought an efficient path to allow him to treat patients in this country. He entered the Palmer Chiropractic College in Davenport, Iowa, and after graduation, opened first one, then another successful chiropractic clinics.

A keen reader, Zhou scoured every available source for information regarding the mysterious illness of sleep apnea, based upon a suspicion that a downward displacement of the trachea may be as much of a culprit as the current suspects of weak muscles and extra fatty tissue in the throat. Drawing upon his broad background to attack this new aspect of the problem, Zhou developed several novel techniques to restore the trachea to its normal position. These techniques involved both manipulations and exercises. The results were startling, in that not only did patients report snoring was decreased and sleep improved (suggesting that obstructive sleep apneas were improved), but several other apparently unrelated conditions often improved as well. These results were so encouraging that Zhou increased his research efforts, and turned to Edison Health Initiatives to help bring these techniques to the world.

We will not describe the results we are seeing, because we need to construct proper studies to document them, and obtain peer review. We encourage you to attend the seminar nearest you, however, to see for yourself. It will likely revolutionize your practice.