A - Z Guide

What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Traditional Chinese medicine (also known as TCM) is a range of traditional medical practices used in China that developed during several thousand years. It is a form of Oriental medicine, which includes other traditional East Asian medical systems such as Japanese and Korean medicine.

The Philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine

TCM says processes of the human body are interrelated and constantly interact with the environment. Therefore the theory looks for the signs of disharmony in the external and internal environment of a person in order to understand, treat and prevent illness and disease. TCM theory is based on a number of philosophical frameworks including the Theory of Yin-yang, the Five Elements, the human body Meridian system, Zang Fu theory, and others. Diagnosis and treatment are conducted with reference to these concepts. TCM does not usually operate within a scientific paradigm but some practitioners make efforts to bring practices into an evidence-based medicine framework.

How TCM Was Developed

Traditional Chinese Medicine developed as a form of noninvasive therapeutic intervention (also described as folk medicine or traditional medicine) rooted in ancient belief systems, including traditional religious concepts. Chinese medical practitioners before the 19th century relied on observation, trial and error, which incorporated certain mystical concepts. Like their Western counterparts, doctors of TCM had a limited understanding of infection, which predated the discovery of bacteria, viruses (germ theory of disease) and an understanding of cellular structures and organic chemistry. Instead they relied mainly on observation and description on the nature of infections for creating remedies. Based on theories formulated through three millennia of observation and practical experience, a system of procedure was formed as to guide a TCM practitioner in courses of treatment and diagnosis.

Treatments

Modern treatments consist of Chinese herbal medicine or Acupuncture as the primary method, with other methods such as massage, qi gong, or Chinese food therapy playing a secondary role. Illness in Traditional Chinese Medicine is seen as a lack of harmony, and the goal of all traditional treatment is to assist the body to regain balance and achieve homeostasis.

Treatment techniques
Historically, eight branches comprised Chinese medicine treatment:

1. Tui na - Chinese massage therapy
2. Acupuncture and Moxibustion
3. Chinese herbal medicine
4. Chinese food therapy
5. Qi gong and related breathing and meditation exercise
6. T'ai Chi Ch'uan and other Chinese martial arts
7. Feng shui
8. Chinese astrology

Specific treatment methods are grouped into these branches. Cupping and Gua Sha are part of Tui na. Auriculotherapy comes under the heading of Acupuncture and Moxibustion. Die-da or Tieh Ta are practitioners who specialize in healing trauma injury such as bone fractures, sprains, and bruises. Some of these specialists may also use or recommend other disciplines of Chinese medical therapies (or Western medicine in modern times) if serious injury is involved. Such practice of bone-setting is not common in the West.