The Lowdown on Traditional Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine, also known as TCM or Eastern medicine, is one of the oldest medical systems in the world, dating back more than 3000 years. At the core of TCM is addressing the root cause of a disease rather than simply treating the symptom. Many of the principles and ancient wisdom of TCM are being integrated into holistic wellbeing strategies today due to their effectiveness and nuanced outlook. There is a lot to be learned from TCM practices and they are increasingly being used in tandem with Western medicine.
Qi and the five element theory
Nature is the primary principle of TCM. Chinese medicine studies the natural order of the universe in order to understand the inner workings of the human body. The ancient Chinese beliefs were that humans are microcosms of the universe and are thereby connected with nature and subject to its forces. It views ‘Qi’ as the vital force of life. Ancient Chinese medical texts such as the “Compendium of Materia Medica” (which is regarded as the most comprehensive medical book in the history of Chinese medicine and plays a significant role in the history of medicine) explain how disease and health are linked to the movement of Qi.
Properly flowing and well interconnected Qi is essential for wellbeing. Qi flows throughout the body and any interruption, whether it be stagnation, excess or improper movement, can cause imbalances to the opposing but complementary forces that make up the Qi - which are called yin and yang. The idea of yin and yang is that opposing forces are interrelated and must exist in harmony for optimal health.
TCM seeks to restore this balance through treatment specific to the individual. In order to regain balance, you must achieve harmony between your body’s internal organs and the external elements of earth, fire, water, wood and metal. This is known as the “Five Element Theory”. Each of the five elements include categories such as a season, direction, climate, organ and emotion. In Chinese medicine, these elements help to describe the patient and their personality to determine the most effective treatment plan. This highlights TCM as an evidence-based framework that uses unique theories, treatments and therapies.
Interconnectedness
There are a wide range of modalities and remedies within TCM. These include but are not limited to: acupuncture, herbal medicine, moxibustion, massage, qigong and cupping. The meridian system is a basic premise of many of these treatments. Meridians are pathways that distribute energy, nutrients and blood throughout the body to enable the flow of Qi. There are 12 main meridians and each one is connected to a different organ. When techniques such as acupuncture or cupping are performed, they target specific points on different meridians to stimulate acupressure points and help clear blockages. This works to restore the proper flow of Qi and blood through the body and bring about balance.
There is no one route to healing and TCM is a huge advocate of that idea. It combines many philosophical concepts and has been proven to manage chronic pain, migraines, digestive issues, stress and anxiety. In 1971, New York Times journalist James Reston underwent surgery in China and was treated post-op with acupuncture as the sole anaesthesia. He was so impressed with the recovery that he wrote an article about it and TCM suddenly burst into the Western consciousness despite having been in use for at least 2000 years before that.
If you’d like to learn more about TCM, check out our online session, “Interconnected: TCM for better self-care”.