What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Traditional Chinese medicine, also known as Chinese medicine or TCM, is the umbrella-term for the healing modalities of acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, Chinese massage, dietary therapy, lifestyle coaching and movement therapies such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong. These tools each have there own strengths and weaknesses and are used in varying combinations depending on your illness. Acupuncture, herbal medicine and massage are used moreso to treat disease; while diet, lifestyle and movement therapies are often used prevent disease and promote longevity.

The theory behind treatment is to restore balance within the body. At a very simple level, disease arises when Yin and Yang are out of balance. That is, one or the other is deficient or in excess. Treatment seeks to correct your individual pattern of imbalance so that health can be restored.

The beauty of this system is that it is completely holistic. The focus is not on an individual symptom but rather on solving the problem of the underlying disharmony. Once solved, not only does your symptom disappear but so do many of your other, seemingly unrelated, health complaints. Everything is connected in Chinese medicine.

Chinese medicine's unique diagnostic methods allow the practitioner to think outside the Western medical circle that just about all other main-stream health modalities are tied to. It's treatments also present a unique angle of attack providing an extra option for those people that modern medicine has been unable to help.

One common misconception with Chinese medicine is that its use is restricted to back aches and quitting smoking. While it is excellent at addressing both of these, its scope is much broader. Whether it is sports medicine or gynaecology, skin disease or neurological disorders, the chances are that Chinese medicine has been treating it for a long time.