Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a medical framework which has been used as a form of primary health care in China and East Asia for thousands of years. As a health care system it incorporates acupuncture, herbal medicine, Tui-na (Chinese massage), diet and lifestyle advise.
With over thousands of years of practice and development, TCM possesses unique and integrated theories. It is a complete medical system that treats both acute and chronic conditions such as common cold, eczema, pain, menopause, period pain, asthma, acne, chronic fatigue, morning sickness and many more. It is suitable for all age groups from young babies to the elderly and even pregnant women and focuses on the prevention of illness just as much as it does on the treatment of the disease process itself.
The basic principle of TCM is the wholistic concept that good health relies on the restoration and maintenance of harmony and balance in the body. More specifically it is interested in the balance of ‘Yin’ and ‘Yang’ as well as an abundant and free flow of ‘Qi’ in the body.
A TCM treatment consists of the practitioner analysing all symptoms, signs, and experiences of the patient while taking into account age, gender, lifestyle, physical and emotional, to create an overall, wholistic picture of the patient. The medical history, general constitution, the pulse and tongue and a range of other indicators are carefully looked at and analysed from a TCM point of view.
The treatment is then specifically designed for the individual based on the presenting signs and symptoms, underlying conditions and their general state of health and well-being. It is important to note that treatment may change and vary as the state of the condition does until the desired health outcome is achieved.