Traditional Chinese Medicine
History
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a healing system of Eastern medicine developed in China more than 2,000 years ago, incorporating therapies that are in some cases millennia older. TCM has formed a unique system to diagnose, treat, prevent and cure illness It focuses on strengthening the body’s defenses and enhancing its capacity for healing and to maintain health.
Principle
TCM encompasses how the human body interacts with all aspects of life and the environment, including the seasons, weather, time of day, our diet and emotional states. It sees the key to health as the harmonious and balanced functioning of body, mind and spirit, and holds that the balance of health depends on the unobstructed flow of qi (pronounced chee) or “life energy” through the body, along pathways known as meridians that run through the human body including the head, arms, hands, legs, feet, torso, and internal organ. It balanced, unimpeded flow is critical to sound health. Any misdirection, blockage, or other derangement of the amount, flow or balance of Chi may result in pain, dysfunction, and ill health.
Diagnosis & Treatment
The clinical diagnosis and treatment are mainly based on the yin-yang and five elements theories. These theories apply the phenomena and laws of nature to the study of the physiological activities and pathological changes of the human body and its interrelationships. The typical TCM therapies include acupuncture, herbal medicine, and qigong exercises. With acupuncture, treatment is accomplished by inserting hair-fine needles into certain points (acupoints) along the course of the meridians helps to restore the balance and flow of Chi, so organs and bodily systems can work together in harmony. This sets the stage for the body to repair itself and maintain its own health. If your Chi is too weak, your body will not able to hold the acupuncture treatment, because acupuncture uses your own energy and if your body is deficient in energy, the result will not last longer. Herbal medicine acts on zang-fu organs internally, it will be prescribed in order to strengthen your body system and then acupuncture can be given, if it is needed. While qigong tries to restore the orderly information flow inside the network through the regulation of Qi. These therapies appear very different in approach yet they all share the same underlying sets of assumptions and insights in the nature of the human body and its place in the universe. Some scientists describe the treatment of diseases through herbal medication, acupuncture, and qigong as an “information therapy”.
