Eastern and Western Views of Traditional Chinese Medicine

          The Eastern View

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is one of the oldest forms of healthcare and ancient Chinese believed that humans are a microcosm of the larger surrounding universe, and are interconnected with nature and subject to its forces. TCM’s basic concept is that a vital force of life, called Qi, surges through the body. Any imbalance to Qi can cause disease and illness. TCM treatment seeks to restore this balance through treatment specific to the individual. This imbalance is thought to be caused by an alteration in the opposite and complementary forces yin and yang that make up the Qi.

TCM uses various modalities to regain balance and treat illness and stimulates the body’s ability to self-heal and self-regulate, including acupuncture, moxibustion (the burning of mugwort leaves on or near the body), cupping (the use of warmed glass jars to create suction on certain points of the body), bleeding, Tui Na massage, herbal remedies and movement and concentration exercises (such as Tai Chi and Qi Gong).

          The Western View

Acupuncture involves the insertion of very thin needles through the skin. This causes physical responses in nerve cells, the pituitary gland and parts of the brain. These responses can cause the body to release beneficial proteins, hormones and brain chemicals that govern a number of body functions. By stimulating physical responses, acupuncture positively affects blood pressure, body temperature, immune activity and causes the release of endorphins - the body’s natural painkillers.

TCM can treat a wide range of conditions without major negative side effects. Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine increase circulation, stimulate the body’s immune system, and desensitizes pain receptors. In this way, it can help with a variety of conditions, from virtually any type of pain, including migraines and headaches, to anxiety, depression, gynecological health, digestive health, and much more.

There are numerous sources of evidence that TCM is safe, and can be used as part of a treatment protocol for many conditions.