Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a comprehensive healthcare system developed in China over thousands of years, rooted in philosophical concepts such as Yin and Yang and the Five Phases (Wu Xing). It views the human body as a small universe, where health is maintained through a harmonious balance of internal forces and the environment.

• Core Concepts:

  • Qi (Vital Energy): The fundamental life force or vital energy that circulates through pathways in the body called meridians or jing-luo, connecting to organs and functions (Zangfu). Disturbances in the flow of Qi are seen as the root of disease.

  • Yin and Yang: Opposite yet interdependent forces. Yin represents coolness, darkness, and passivity (e.g., blood, body fluids), while Yang represents warmth, light, and activity (e.g., Qi, heat). Health is a state of equilibrium between the two.

  • Five Phases: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—these elements describe the relationship of bodily organs, emotional states, seasons, and pathology in an interconnected system.

• Key Therapeutic Modalities:

  • Acupuncture and Moxibustion: Involves stimulating specific points on the body, usually by inserting thin needles (acupuncture) or by burning a medicinal herb near the skin (moxibustion). These techniques aim to adjust the flow of Qi along the meridians.

  • Chinese Herbal Medicine: The use of specific plant, animal, and mineral substances, typically combined into complex, customized formulas to address the unique pattern of imbalance in a patient.

  • Tui Na (Chinese Therapeutic Massage): A hands-on body treatment that uses various techniques to restore musculoskeletal and internal imbalances.

  • Dietary Therapy and Qigong/Tai Chi: Emphasis on food as medicine and the practice of gentle movement, breathing, and meditation to cultivate and balance internal energy.

TCM diagnosis involves observation of the patient's constitution, including a detailed examination of the tongue and pulse, to identify specific patterns of disharmony rather than focusing solely on disease names.