Find
a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner
Traditional Chinese
Medicine
What Is It?
How Does It Work?
What Happens During Treatment?
What Is It Used For?
Side Effects/Cautions
Recommended Books
What Is It?
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a medical system which originated
in China around 2500 years ago. It is based on the belief that
illness is caused by disruptions and imbalances in the flow of
the body’s vital energy, qi (also written as chi and pronounced “chee”).
In ancient China, traditional medicine was used as
a complete system which combined acupuncture, herbal
medicines, massage, dietary therapy and forms of exercise
such as qigong and Tai chi. Today it is often fragmented
into these separate components.
Unlike many conventional doctors, who are trained
to treat specific organs or body systems in isolation,
practitioners of traditional medicine use a holistic
system which sees the body as a whole, with strong
connections between all parts of the body and mind,
as well as between the individual and the environment.
How Does It Work?
The aim of traditional Chinese medicine is to restore balance to
the body’s vital energy, qi. According to the philosophy
of this system, our body’s vital energy is influenced by
our environment - by the food we eat, and our lifestyle, for
instance if we get enough exercise, or if we smoke or drink too
much alcohol. Two fundamental concepts are central to the Chinese
way of thinking about how our health relates to our environment:
Yin and Yang - two opposite but complementary
forces in the universe which create movement in all
areas of our lives. Yin represents things that are
dark, cold and inactive, while yang represents things
that are light, hot and active. The human body is also
governed by these opposing forces, and good health
requires balance and harmony between them.
The Five Elements - in Chinese philosophy
the universe is governed by five basic elements: wood,
fire, earth, metal, and water. Each of our internal
organs and body systems resonates with the energy of
one of these elements, and imbalances in the natural
harmony of these elements can cause illness.
A TCM practitioner seeks to understand the complex
relationship between our body and the universe, and
diagnose any imbalances in qi, yin-yang, and the five
elements, and correct them with appropriate therapies.
These therapies include acupuncture, massage, dietary
changes, herbal medicine and qigong.
Chinese herbal medicines are preparations containing
mixtures of herbs which were designed centuries ago
to restore balance and to treat specific ailments.
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What Happens During
Treatment?
Your first visit to a TCM practitioner will involve a thorough
examination and history-taking. You will be asked about your diet,
lifestyle, bowel movements, whether you are sensitive to changes
in temperature, and how you react to stress. The practitioner will
examine your eyes, skin, tongue, hair and three different pulses
on each wrist, and may note the way your body smells and your posture.
This examination is used to diagnose any imbalances
in the body, and to choose a treatment which suits
your needs. The practitioner may recommend a combination
of dietary changes, acupuncture, massage or qigong,
or prescribe herbal medicines.
The length of treatment will depend on your condition.
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What Is It Used
For?
Traditional Chinese medicine is used to treat a wide range of ailments.
Chinese herbal medicines are used for colds, flu, migraines, fibromyalgia,
menstrual problems, eczema, malaria and irritable bowel syndrome.
Acupuncture is helpful for treating chronic pain, nausea from chemotherapy
and addictions. Chinese massage, known as tui na manipulates
acupoints to unblock qi and relieve stress and aches and pains.
Side Effects/Cautions
See separate entry for acupuncture.
Caution should be taken when using Chinese herbal
medicines. Find out what is in them and any adverse
affects they might have. Check with your conventional
doctor if you are unsure about taking them.
References
Find a Traditional
Chinese Medicine Practitioner
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Recommended
Books
Prices are in US Dollars
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The Web That Has No Weaver
: Understanding Chinese Medicine
Ted J. Kaptchuk
Completely and thoroughly revised, The Web
That Has No Weaver is the classic, comprehensive
guide on the theory and practice of Chinese
medicine. This accessible and invaluable resource
has earned its place as the foremost authority
in the synthesizing of Western and Eastern
healing practices.
Learn
more...
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Fundamentals of Chinese Medicine:
Zhong Yi Xue Ji Chu
Nigel Wisemann
English translations of traditional Chinese
medical texts rarely have conformed to the
standards required of a contribution to sinology.
One exception has been the first edition of
Fundamentals of Chinese Medicine, a ground-breaking
translation of the Zhong Yi Ji Chu Xue which
demonstrated that not only was it possible
to meet scholarly expectations for the translations
of T.C.M, but that the cooperation of living
Chinese speaking clinicians could reveal nuances
of practice. Beyond beginner's manuals, it
gives English-speaking students of TCM a chance
to appreciate the qualitative details available
to their Chinese-speaking colleagues. It offers
readers the rare opportunity to understand
Chinese medicine, not as it is perceived by
a Western writer, but as it is perceived and
taught in China, because Chinese descriptions
of TCM that confound Western expectations have
not been expunged from the textual translation.
Contents include yin and yang and the five phases; qi, blood,
essence, and fluids; the channels; the organs; diseases and
their causes. Pattern identification and treatment of eight-parameter,
organ, qi-blood, pathogens, and exogenous heat conditions
are discussed in detail, as are the principles and methods
of treatment. Illustrative acumoxa therapy has been added
for Western acupuncturists.
The revised edition includes explanations of terms and an
entire materia medica and formulary sufficient to practice
the treatments described by the text. As such it is not only
a unique, absolutely-defined and referenced text, but a self-contained
and inexpensive course of study. The revised Fundamentals
of Chinese Medicine is a bridge between scholars and clinicians
in both East and West.
Learn
more...
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Between Heaven and Earth
Harriet Beinfield
Two of the foremost American educators and
healers in the Chinese medical profession demystify
Chinese medicine's centuries-old approach to
health. Combining Eastern traditions with Western
sensibilities in a unique blend that is relevant
today, BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH opens the door
to a vast storehouse of knowledge that bridges
the gap between mind and body, theory and practice,
professional and self-care, East and West.
Learn
more...
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Traditional Chinese Medicine Books
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