Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) represents a broad system of medicine that includes acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, tui na (massage), exercise, breathing therapy (qigong), and diet. TCM emphasizes a holistic approach to understanding normal function and disease processes and focuses on prevention as well as treatment of illness. From the TCM viewpoint, the body is a balance of two opposing forces (yin/yang). Health is achieved by maintaining the body in a balanced state.

Disease is a sign of yin/yang internal imbalance, which is reflected in various mind-body aspects including: Qi (energy) and blood flow, jing (essence) and shen (spirit).

Disease-related imbalance could be due to excess of yin, excess of yang, deficiency of yin, and deficiency of yang. Chronic illness is yin dominance; acute illness is yang dominance.TCM focuses on treating the underlying causes of the imbalance as well as the disease symptoms.

Based on the four diagnoses of questioning, observation (tongue), palpation (pulse being most characteristic), and listening, individualized treatment consists of primarily acupuncture, Chinese herbs and tui na to correct the imbalance and restore health.Diagnosis and treatment are conducted with reference to models of the body in addition to yin/yang including: Five elements (related organs and senses), zang fu theory (organ syndromes), the meridian system (qi flow), and others to further differentiate energetic imbalances, syndromes, symptom patterns and the nature of a patient’s condition.

TCM can be more effective than allopathic remedies in the treatment of chronic and routine ailments including: Fibromyalgia, chronic pain, allergies, arthritis, stress, common cold, headache, PMS, toothache, sciatica, sinusitis, and digestive disorders.

Today TCM is practiced in allopathic hospitals and in conjunction with conventional medicine. TCM practitioners may be doctors as well as licensed acupuncturists.