In fact, modern medicine still needs to rely on some traditional knowledge to become better, for example – the basic principles and treatment methods of Chinese medicine.
This traditional knowledge is not 100% correct, not even 50%, but they still contributed to the development of medicine in the past.
Next, take a look together at how Chinese medicine really works.
If you don’t know what TCM is, you can start here: 2022 Best Chinese Medicine Guide.
Yin and Yang – the basic principle of TCM
The way of thinking of Traditional Chinese Medicine is unusual in our latitudes for several reasons: While modern medicine tries to localize a defect as precisely as possible and then treat it, TCM assumes in the case of health problems a disturbance of force currents that normally keep our organism in balance – and this balance is by no means limited to our body, but involves the social organism, even the cosmos.
A central role in this concept is played by the life energy. It is kept in flow by a balanced interplay of the two life poles yin and yang. Yin and Yang embody different principles of life, which are often associated with “shadow side” and “light side” – Yin stands for calmness, passivity and coldness, while Yang includes dynamics, activity and heat.
Traditional Chinese Medicine holds that the life energy Qi is the basis of every substance and is inherent in all living things. While cosmic qi flows in the water of rivers, in the air, and in the wind, in the human body qi is concentrated in the organs and flows through the body in an energetic network of channels or pathways called qi channels. These channels run from pole to pole, i.e. from head to toe, and are thus comparable to the meridian system of the earth. They are therefore often called meridians.
The life energy Qi has different functions: It protects, nourishes, warms, transports, controls and transforms. Health exists when the life energy is balanced and can exchange itself, i.e. flow unhindered. Illness occurs when the flow of energy is obstructed.
Also read: Does Chinese medicine work?
Chinese Medicine Practitioners
The training to become a TCM practitioner is not precisely defined, but most training courses are based on recommendations from TCM umbrella organizations and last 3-4 years. The requirements are high. Many of the private training institutes require internships at Chinese TCM clinics.
Implementation. The diagnosis is made by questioning as well as by a close examination of the patient – the latter is limited to the body regions accessible on the clothed patient: eyes, skin, posture and tongue. In addition, the pulse is assessed at various points on the body. Up to 28 different pulse qualities are distinguished.
The detected disease is usually treated with a mixture of herbal, animal or mineral components to be taken several times a day. In many cases, more advanced procedures such as acupuncture, moxibustion or one of the exercise or massage methods are prescribed.
The Chinese medicines are precisely described in the Chinese pharmacopoeia and their testing, pretreatment and dosage are specified. Nevertheless, some of them do not reach the standards required in this country in terms of purity, exposure to heavy metals and pesticides, and mold. This is one of the reasons why TCM medicines are required to be sold in pharmacies (but finished medicines can also be imported from China on a doctor’s prescription). Some local pharmacies specialize in Chinese medicines and not only stock a wide range of several hundred medicinal drugs, but also vouch for assured quality through a precise testing protocol.
Also read: Who recognizes traditional chinese medicine?
Applications and Reliability
Fields of application
TCM treats all diseases, but most users in the West see it as a complementary procedure, at least for serious illnesses. Even in today’s China, Western medicine and TCM are used in parallel. The main areas of treatment are chronic diseases and pain conditions.
Assessment
TCM is based on traditions and concepts that cannot be transferred 1:1 to the situation here. While the procedures of TCM have traditionally been used primarily for preventive purposes, the focus of Western applications is on the therapy of diseases. Scientific studies attest to the effectiveness of TCM for a whole range of diseases. However, only a few of these studies meet the standards required today to prove a specific effect, so that a reliable evaluation is currently not possible.
