What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?

What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Definition & Philosophy Involved Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a group of oriental therapeutic interventions designed for restoring balance within various organ systems of the human body. They are based on beliefs differing from the treatment concept used by Western physicians and doctors. What is regarded as a disease by Western medicine practitioners may be considered a matter of imbalance or disharmony by Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners.

The philosophy of TCM has been derived by mixing various tenets from Confucianism, Buddhism, and the combined philosophical and religious ideas of Taoism. Though there exist many schools of thought among those practising oriental medicine, five axioms of Taoism primarily form its foundation: ➢

There are certain laws of nature that dictate the universe as well as human beings

➢

Everything in the universe is naturally well-organised and harmonious. When humans obey the natural laws, they live in harmony with the natural environment and the universe.

➢

The universe is changing constantly. Any stagnation is in contradiction with the natural laws and results in that which Western medicine considers illness.

➢

All living beings are interdependent and connected.

➢

Human beings are connected intimately to the environment and therefore affected by all its facets.

Origin of TCM TCM is not something that was found in the recent past. Its origins can be traced back to about 2000 years ago in eastern Asia, which includes Tibet, China, Korea, Vietnam

and

Japan.

The

first

documented Chinese medical treatises are believed to have been written down during the times of the Han dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). Before that, holy men and tribal men living as hermits in mountains of China during the early years of the 3500 BC followed something called ‘Way of Long Life’.

This included a special diet consisting of plants and herbs, kung fu exercises, and unique breathing techniques. Under the Tang, Song and Ming dynasties, who ruled China one after another from 608 AD to 1644 AD, various new medical institutions were established all throughout the region, in addition to recording of herbal prescriptions in encyclopaedias.

The concept of yin, yang and qi was derived from Taoism. According to the theory of Taoism, yin represents cold, moisture, dimness, passivity, slowness, heaviness, and inward or downward motion. On the other hand, yang represents dryness, heat, brightness, activity, lightness, rapidity and outward or upward motion. Both of these forces are equally important in nature as well as for the well-being of humans, and cannot exist without each other. The primordial energy, qi, connects with yin and yang and gives rise to five primary elements water, metal, wood, earth and fire.

Different Modalities of TCM

As has already been mentioned, Traditional Chinese Medicine is a group of therapeutic interventions. The primary therapies comprising that group include: ➢ Acupuncture ➢ Moxibustion ➢ Cupping ➢ Herbal remedies

1. Acupuncture Many people use acupuncture in order to get relief from various kinds of physical pain. It is perhaps the most popular form of oriental therapy among Westerners. Professional acupuncturists believe that the human body consists of meridians, which are pathways or conduits for the life energy qi. Any illness is caused due to blockage of those conduits.

Acupuncture helps in clearing away that blockage and restoring balance of qi in the body, thereby curing the illness.

In general, acupuncture involves insertion of fine, sterilised needles at certain points of the body known as ‘acupoints’. Scientifically, it has been proven that the needles stimulate the body for producing endorphins and various other hormones, which help in ailing the illness and also make the patient feel relaxed. The treatment is usually conjuncted with Chinese herbal medicine.

2. Moxibustion

Moxibustion involves burning of a moxa stick over vital points of a patient’s body. The word ‘moxa’ is a Japanese term and translates to ‘burning herbs’. Moxa sticks are usually prepared using Artemisia vulgaris (Chinese wormwood), though other herbs may also be used at times. They are employed for treating a wide variety of illnesses such as pulled muscles, nosebleeds, mumps, vaginal bleeding and arthritis.

3. Cupping

Cupping is done by applying small glass or bamboo cups on the skin and then reducing pressure inside them for drawing and holding skin as well as superficial muscles. For administering cupping, practitioners generally use the acupoints on the back of a patient. When viewed from a scientific perspective, cupping is an oriental therapy that can be helpful in activating the lymphatic system, deep repairing tissues and promoting blood circulation.

4. Herbal Remedies

Chinese herbal remedies are often used along with the other modalities of TCM for treating many different types of illnesses. A typical oriental herbal formula contains four kinds of ingredients ­ a 'chief' for treating the ailment, a 'deputy' for reinforcing action of the chief or treating coexisting conditions, an 'assistant' for counteracting side effects of chief and deputy, and an 'envoy' for harmonising the other ingredients and conveying them to different sections of the body. Each formula is modified in order to fit the needs of different individuals.

Benefits of TCM As a natural treatment method, TCM offers a wide range of benefits: ➢ It can treat a variety of chronic ailments more effectively than Western

medicine. ➢ Due to its holistic approach, all aspects of the person's entity are taken into

account. ➢ It aims at curing the root cause of an illness besides the conspicuous

symptoms. ➢ It enhances the general health of an individual in addition to treating the

particular disorder or disease. ➢ Quite often, it is cheaper than allopathic treatment.

The best thing about treatment with TCM is that it produces zero side effects, as long as the patient is being seen by a qualified and experienced practitioner. Sometimes, it is also used as a conjunctive therapy for counteracting the adverse consequences of Western medicine. What makes TCM so effective is its approach to cure the underlying cause of a disease to ensure overall well­being of an individual.

Reference: http://www.pointspecifics.com.au/ http://www.slideshare.net/pointspecifics/ https://medium.com/@point_specifics/