Traditional Chinese Medicine

What it is and How it Works

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a medical system that began in China thousands of years ago. The theory is based on 4 concepts: qi, blood, yin and yang. Qi or vital energy flows through the body and is influenced by the complementary opposites of yin and yang.

These concepts form the basis for all TCM disease processes, diagnoses and treatments. When the flow of qi is disrupted, this imbalance can result in disease or illness. The correct diagnosis of the disease or illness is then distinguished within a framework known as “pattern differentiation” and “differential diagnosis”

Certain biomedical diagnoses may be attributed to a particular pattern such as “spleen qi deficiency” causing symptoms such as diarrhea and chronic fatigue. However, this doesn’t mean that every person who has diarrhea has spleen qi deficiency.

Pattern differentiation can mean: “same disease, different treatment” or “different disease, same treatment.” This is the reason two people with diarrhea may be prescribed a different herbal formula or why one person with chronic fatigue and another with diarrhea may be taking the same remedy.

Diagnoses and Treating the Root Cause

Pattern differentiation is the primary principle used in order to identify and treat the root cause of each condition.

The TCM practitioner begins with an in-depth consultation to assess a patient’s overall health, diet, lifestyle choices and emotional state. Practitioners will also palpate the pulse and observe the tongue, complexion, skin, hair and nails.

Once the pattern is identified, a treatment protocol will be developed that may include acupuncture, herbal medicine, moxibustion, diet, exercise and lifestyle recommendations.

Conditions Treated by TCM

Controlled clinical studies conducted by the World Health Organization have proven TCM to be effective treatment for the following health conditions:

The World Health Organization noted 64 additional conditions for which the “therapeutic effect of TCM has been shown but for which further proof is needed”. These conditions include:

History of TCM

The history of Traditional Chinese Medicine began 5000 years ago with the legend of a chief named Fu Xi. He developed the Ba Gua (8 trigrams) of the Yi Jing (I Ching) after observing the 8 trigrams on the back of a turtle. The Yi Jing is the foundation of Chinese philosophy based on yin and yang and the natural order of the universe. These principles are the foundation of TCM.

The first complete documentation of TCM is believed to have been written between 800 – 200 BC and the Shang Han Lun (treatise on Cold damage) was written by the Chinese herbalist Zhang Zhongjing around 150 – 219 CE. Then during the Ming Dynasty, Li Shizhen wrote the Ben Coa Gangmu (Compendium of the Materia Medica) which contains over 11,000 prescriptions. Both of these documents are considered masterpieces and are still used by TCM practitioners today.

Despite attempts to modernize TCM at the turn of the 20th century, the communist party managed to sustain the practice and by 1979 the National Association of Chinese Medicine was established. During that time many of the original texts were edited and republished and by 1980, the World Health Organization released a list of more than 40 health conditions that could be effectively treated with acupuncture.

In 1996, the College of Acupuncturists of BC was established and by 1999, the first registrants were granted the professional title “Registered Acupuncturist” and the college was renamed the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of BC. In fact, BC was the first jurisdiction outside of China to grant the title “Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine”. In 2008, the BC government included acupuncture into the Medical Services Plan of BC.

If you have any questions about TCM, email us at info@IMeGHealth.com or call us at our Vancouver office to see if we can help with your conditions.