Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM for short is valuable heritage of ancient Chinese people, and has made great contributions to the Chinese civilization and world medicine history. Over thousands of years, Traditional Chinese Medicine is now known to the world, and accepted and taken seriously by those seeking for medical advice.
The theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine
TCM basic theory generalize the objective laws of the human body activities and the regular pattern of diseases. It mainly includes Yin and Yang, the theory of five elements, the circulation of Qi, internal organs theory, and the meridian and collateral theory.
Yin and Yang
It belongs to the ancient Chinese philosophy. Yin and Yang are the polarizing forces naturally in everything. The continuous mutual movement between Yin and Yang is the very beginning of the world, and vital for maintaining a balanced universe. Accordingly, if someone gets sick, it must be something wrong with the movements between Yin and Yang. And to find out the regular rules of diseases, and obtain satisfied treatment outcomes, we must know how Yin and Yang interplay inside human body.
The theory of five elements
The five elements are metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, each of which generalizes an attribute of the objective matter. The theory is that the five elements neutralize and reinforce one another. Based on this, traditional Chinese medicine explains the functional relationship of the vital organs of human body and figures out the solutions when the relationship is out of balance and disease comes.
The circulation of Qi
The theory works on what astrology and weather affect human body. The six Qi refers to wind, coldness, moisture, dryness and fire. Based on the circulation of Qi, ancient TCM doctors have found out the rules of disease.
The meridian and collateral theory
Meridians and collaterals are the tunnels of the circulation of qi and bloon, and important in human body activities. Through observing the functioning law of meridians and collaterals, doctors of traditional Chinese medicine can diagnose illnesses .
Internal organs theory
It it the pathology of heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney, small intestine, large intestine, stomach, bladder, bravery and triple energizer. Internal organs theory helps TCM doctor to diagnose illnesses.
The functions and treatments of TCM
Nowadays in China, doctors highly value the combination of traditional Chinese Medicine and modern Western medicine. The research shows that the comprehensive treatment of traditional Chinese medicine on a dozen diseases is more superior to the Western medicine.
Traditional Chinese medicine can be utilized to treat allergies, arthritis pain, and weight control, quitting smoking, back injury pain, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and stress. Other illnesses and conditions that can be helped with traditional Chinese medicine are digestive problems, menstrual problems, urinary problems and even infertility.
Doctors of TCM suggest all of us to lay greatly emphasis on lifestyle management in order to prevent disease before it occurs. Chinese medicine recognizes that health is more than just the absence of disease and it has a unique capacity to maintain and enhance our capacity for well being and happiness.
Four Diagnostic Methods
Bianque, a highly skilled doctor in Spring and Autumn Period, was regarded as a magic doctor in Chinese medicine circle, applied the comprehensive diagnostic techniques of traditional Chinese medicines, namely, four diagnostic methods of traditional Chinese medicine: observation, listening, interrogation, and pulse-taking. The four diagnostic methods of traditional Chinese medicine make enormous contributions to traditional Chinese medicine, and they are the basic diagnosis methods of traditional Chinese medicine.
Cupping
“Observation” refers to use eyes to observe the patient’s look and tongue fur and body fluid (including phlegm, waste, pus, blood etc.) to diagnose the disease. “Listening” refers to listen to the sound of the patient’s speech and breath, and smell the smell from patient’s breathing and coughing, which is a reference to diagnose disease. “Interrogation” refers to asking about the patient’s symptoms, and “pulse-taking” is just in the literal meaning that feels the pulse by fingers’ touch, through the pulse’s location, frequency and rhythm etc. to analyze patient’s disease.