What is TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)?

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) which includes acupuncture, herbal remedies, dietary therapy, Tuina massage and Qigong, originated and has been practiced in China for a few thousand years. Centuries of trial and refinement have produced herbal formulas, the science of acupuncture, and other strategies to treat and protect against many diseases.

Today, TCM still remains an inseparable part of China’s medical system, where Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine operate alongside each other. Chinese hospitals successfully treat over 300 million patients yearly, using both forms of medicine; herbal medications available in pharmacies and hospitals account for as much as 90 percent of all drugs in China.

For the last few decades, scientific research on Chinese therapies has been continuously progressing. Many new techniques such as acupuncture analgesia or electro-acupuncture have been developed in China. Today, as health in North America is failing despite the billions of dollars spent on pharmaceutical drugs, medical procedures and research, the popularity of complementary and alternative medicine, particularly TCM, is growing rapidly. While modern Western medicine is often recognized for its importance in emergency situations, acute cases, and surgery, TCM excels in therapies for chronic problems and preventative care.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy

Unlike Western medicine in which diagnosis in treatment focuses on the local changes in structure in isolation from the whole body, Chinese medicine views the human organism as an integrated system where a change that occurs in one part of the system affects the dynamic balance in the whole as well as each individual part. Furthermore, Chinese medicine considers the way in which a pathological change has been brought about as opposed to focusing solely on the outcome.

Every TCM therapy session – whether it involves acupuncture, herbal medicine, Tuina massage, or any combination of these treatments – starts with collecting information about existing unique physiological and psychological states of a person in order to identify patterns of disharmony. After the TCM diagnosis is made, a practitioner formulates a plan of treatment.

Herbal treatment not based on individual pattern identification (as could be the case with unqualified practitioners) or acupuncture comprising only those points located directly on the problem area are not always effective; this is because the underlying cause of the disorder has not been addressed. As such, a qualified practitioner will always be sure to identify individual patterns of disharmony and formulate a proper prescription of acupoints and/or herbs accordingly.