Traditional
Chinese Medicine
by Lady Carla Davis, MPH
Specializing in Nutrition
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has a long history that goes back 2,500 years of Chinese medical practice. It includes acupuncture, various forms of herbal and medicinal medicine, massage (tui na), exercise (qigong), and dietary therapy. TCM has been the standard system of medicine in China for thousands of years and is still widely used in China today. Its philosophy is based on Yinyangism (i.e. the combination of yin/yang with Five Phases), which was later absorbed by Daoism.
Because of its therapeutic benefits, without the side effects of drugs, it is increasingly being used as a complementary or alternative medicinal approach in many other parts of the world.
TCM places more emphasis on the identification of functional entities that regulate digestion, breathing, aging, etc. Health is perceived as the harmonious interaction of these entities and the environment. Disease is perceived as disharmony or imbalance in the functions or interactions of yin, yang, qi, xue, zang-fu, meridians, and the interaction between the human body and the environment. Therapy is based on which pattern of disharmony can be identified. Thus, pattern assessment is the most important step in TCM diagnosis. To diagnose a condition, TCM measures pulse and inspects the tongue, skin, and eyes, along with eating and sleeping habits of the person.
DIAGNOSIS
There are eight principles of diagnosis:
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