What is Traditional Chinese Medicine?
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a healing system that has been practiced for over four thousand years. It includes herbal medicine and acupuncture as well as other healing therapies such as moxibustion, cupping, massage, nutrition therapies, tai ji and qi gong exercises. The goal of treatment is to restore the body to a state of balance (mentally and physically) and create harmony, or homeostasis. TCM seeks to stimulate the body’s own healing response, strengthen the body, and eliminate the causes, as well as the symptoms of disease. TCM also aims to educate patients about healthy living habits, and to help prevent future disease and illness.TCM is possibly best known for its success in treating musculoskeletal disorders, but is also very successful in treating a wide variety of conditions that involve multiple systems, including:
Digestive
Respiratory
Emotional
Urinary
Gynecological and Reproductive
Eye, Ear, Nose, Throat
Neurological
and other miscellaneous disorders including stress reduction, addiction control, chronic fatigue, and others.
TCM can be used in combination with Western medical treatments, and is being used more and more in hospitals across the country. Be sure to keep your doctor informed of all treatments that you are using.