Traditional Chinese Medicine sometimes uses herbs

TCM sessions could include acupuncture, herbal prescriptions made from many individual Chinese herbs, Qi Gong exercise, dietary advice and possibly Tui Na (TCM) massage. Practitioners may often combine these therapies to enhance results.

What is different about the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach?
The first thing to note is that Traditional Chinese Medicine theory characterises  emotional well-being or somewhat differently to conventional modern medicine. The term “depression” is used as a diagnosis in Western Medicine, but in TCM there is no such single, simple diagnostic term. Generally speaking TCM characterises illnesses according to common collections of symptoms, bodily and/ or emotional signs known as ‘TCM syndromes’ rather than the modern conventional medicine approach of naming each disease individually. (1)

Diet and lifestyle can be important to help patients in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Within the TCM tradition, emotional well-being is influenced by many many factors. The diet, lifestyle, other illnesses and life events can all contribute. In health, the patient’s Qi is said to flow smoothly, in a consistent, ordered fashion, through day and night.

Its also important to know Traditional Chinese Medicine ‘thinks’ in terms of interconnections, rather than the more recently introduced separated ‘anatomical systemic’ approach of modern medicine. Within TCM, there is a strong concept of unity, inseparability between the mind and the body. This does make sense even to modern medicine practitioners in some cases – for example, modern medicine may associate long term pain conditions such as “severe arthritis” with depression, which in TCM would be described in terms of Qi impeded from smoothly flowing, which would also influence any emotional distress.

Notes
1.Patients may hear the TCM approach called ‘Syndrome Differentiation’ by practitioners or in educational materials.

Meal photo credit: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/ilco

DISCLAIMER: NO information here is intended to be taken as medical advice – or used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Any person with any health concerns is advised instead to consult their doctor. In the case of persons seeking therapy using Traditional Chinese Medicine, this information cannot be taken as medical advice and persons are advised instead to consult a suitably qualified professional practitioner.

TCM theory is complex but a simple crystallization could be illness and/or ill-ease result from disordered Qi. TCM seeks to rebalance the disordered Qi. Qi is the ‘vital energy’, ‘motive force’ responsible for all the functioning of the body and mind. Modern theories have suggested Qi is energy of “both nutritive and cellular-organisational characteristics” (1).

The famous Yin Yang symbol denotes different types of Qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Brief History
TCM classical medical texts date back to approximately the 2nd century, detailing diagnosis and treatment of disease and the system has been in use ever since. In 1949, the Chinese government declared it part of the national healthcare strategy. The practice became standardised through the opening of large TCM medical universities during the 1950s. Today TCM accounts for a third of all of all outpatient hospital visits in China, some 1.3 billion per year. 49.7% of doctors in health care clinics practice TCM, with 32.3% practising both orthodox medicine and TCM (2). In China, TCM students train as part of hospital teams and are refered to as TCM doctors once qualfiied, typically traiing for a minum of 5 to 7 years.

Charts of acupuncture points

In the West, although TCM had been practiced previously, interest truly flourished in the 1970’s, due to the enthusiasm of the American President Richard Nixon. A programme encouraged China’s TCM doctors to share their knowledge with their American counterparts. TCM has become increasingly established in Western cultures and is taught as an undergraduate medicine degree in some British universities. Training at university level in the UK typicaly lasts 3 to 4 years at undergraduate level and 1 to 2 yeras at masters level, with a further 1 to 2 years for doctorate level studies.  The World Health Organisation recognises TCM acupuncture for treatment of many diseases and many UK GPs now refer patients routinely to TCM practitioners (3).

Photo credits: Yin yang http://www.sxc.hu/profile/personalfx

References:
1. Gerber, R. (2001). Vibrational  Medicine. Vermont: Bear & Co.
2. Xu, J. & Yang, Y. (2009). ‘Traditional Chinese medicine in the Chinese health care system’. Health Policy. 90, p.133-139.
3. Technology Assessment Collaboration (WMHTAC). (2006). ‘Acupuncture. Mapping the evidence base and use of acupuncture. within the NHS’. [online] Available from: www.euro.who.int/HEN/HTResults?language=English&HTParentPage=47541&HTCode=acupuncture

DISCLAIMER: NO information here is intended to be taken as medical advice – or used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Any person with any health concerns is advised instead to consult their doctor. In the case of persons seeking therapy using Traditional Chinese Medicine, this information cannot be taken as medical advice and persons are advised instead to consult a suitably qualified professional practitioner.