Although the controversy over Chinese Medicine(TCM) never stops, it is still a pearl of wisdom that has lasted for centuries. In this article, we bring you an introductory guide to TCM in 2024, hoping to help you understand it more objectively.
Chinese medicine was born in the primitive society, and the theory of Chinese medicine was basically formed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, and has been summarized and developed in successive generations since then.
It uses herbs, acupuncture, acupuncture, massage, cupping, qigong, food therapy and other therapeutic means to bring the body into harmony with yin and yang and to recover.
On October 1, 2018, the World Health Organization included TCM in its medical compendium with global impact for the first time.
What is Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), often referred to simply as “Chinese medicine,” is a medical practice with origins in the Han Chinese culture that dates back thousands of years. Compared to modern medicine, it’s typically classified as a form of traditional medicine. Today, the goal of TCM around the world is often to become more scientific and modern.
Currently, TCM is widely practiced in regions influenced by Chinese culture. According to the National Committee for the Standardization of Science and Technology Terminology in China, TCM is a comprehensive science that focuses on the theories and practices of Chinese medicine. It studies the patterns of health and disease in human life, aiming to prevent, diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate various conditions.
There are four classic texts in TCM: the Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon), Nanjing (Classic of Difficult Issues), Shanghan Zabing Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases), and Shennong Bencao Jing (Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica). Among them, the Huangdi Neijing is the earliest and most comprehensive, and it’s considered a cornerstone of Chinese medical knowledge. Some even describe it as a “heavenly book” because of its complexity. There’s a saying that understanding just half of the Huangdi Neijing can guide one’s life just like mastering half of the Analects of Confucius could help govern a nation.
The Shanghan Lun was based on an earlier text called Tangye Jingfa (Formulas from the Canon of Decoctions), which is believed to have been written by Yi Yin, a prime minister during the Shang Dynasty. Tangye Jingfa is said to have consisted of 32 volumes.
TCM has had a profound influence on the medical practices of countries within the Chinese cultural sphere, such as Vietnam’s Đông y, Korean medicine, Japanese Kampo, and others.
The theoretical foundation of TCM is rooted in the concepts of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. It views the human body as a unified whole, composed of Qi (vital energy), form, and spirit. Through the four diagnostic methods—observing, listening/smelling, questioning, and pulse-taking—practitioners identify the cause, nature, and location of diseases, analyze the body’s internal changes, and assess the balance between health and illness. Based on this analysis, they develop treatment plans using a variety of methods, including herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, cupping, Qigong, and dietary therapy, with the goal of restoring balance and harmony to the body.
What TCM is based on
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based on a holistic approach that has been developed and refined over thousands of years in China. The foundations of TCM are rooted in several key philosophical concepts and theoretical frameworks, which include:
- Yin-Yang Theory: This theory posits that all things in the universe are composed of two opposite yet complementary forces: Yin and Yang. Health is seen as a balance between these forces, and diseases arise when there is an imbalance.
- Five Elements (Wu Xing): This theory categorizes all phenomena in the universe, including the human body, into five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. These elements interact in a specific order, and an imbalance among them can lead to illness.
- Meridian Theory: This theory suggests that the body is interconnected through a network of channels called meridians through which Qi (vital energy) flows. blockages or imbalances in the flow of Qi are believed to cause diseases.
- Zang-Fu Theory: This theory describes the functions of the internal organs (Zang and Fu organs) and their relationships with emotions, the meridian system, and bodily functions.
- Qi Theory: Qi is the vital energy that animates the body and protects it from illness. In TCM, maintaining the proper flow and balance of Qi is essential for health.
- Blood Theory: In TCM, blood is similar to its Western counterpart but also includes body fluids and is closely related to Qi. Proper blood circulation is necessary for nourishing the body.
- Disease Causes: TCM identifies various causes of diseases, including external pathogens (like wind, cold, heat, and dampness), internal causes (like emotions), and other factors (like diet, lifestyle, and environment).
- Diagnosis: TCM uses a variety of diagnostic methods, including observation of the tongue, pulse diagnosis, inquiry about symptoms, and palpation, to understand the underlying patterns of disharmony in the body.
- Treatment Modalities: TCM employs a variety of treatments, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, moxibustion, tuina (massage), and dietary and lifestyle recommendations to restore balance and health.
TCM is a complex system that integrates these theoretical foundations with empirical observations and clinical experience. It is important to note that while TCM has a long history and is widely practiced, its efficacy and mechanisms of action are often approached differently from those of modern Western medicine, and there is ongoing scientific research to understand and validate its principles and practices.
Common Chinese Medicine Treatments
Herbal Medicine
Herbal medicine (Chinese herbal medicine or TCM) is widely used by herbalists. In most cases, patients are prescribed a mixture of various herbs that are boiled in water to make a tea-like brew. Thousands of different plant and animal species are used in TCM.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a general term for both acupuncture and moxibustion.
Acupuncture refers to the use of acupuncture tools (usually milli needles), which are inserted into the patient’s body at a certain angle under the guidance of Chinese medicine theory, to stimulate specific parts of the body using twisting and lifting techniques in order to treat diseases.
The point of penetration is called the acupoint of the body, or acupuncture point for short. According to the latest acupuncture textbook, there are 361 acupuncture points in the body.
Moxibustion is the use of prefabricated moxibustion cones or moxibustion herbs to burn and fumigate certain points on the body surface to prevent and treat diseases by heat stimulation.
It is usually called moxibustion because moxa is most commonly used, and there are other methods such as intermittent moxibustion, willow moxibustion, wick moxibustion and mulberry branch moxibustion. Nowadays, people often use moxibustion in their lives.
Moxibustion
often associated with acupuncture (moxibustion or yuk yuk) involves burning a mixture of herbs on acupuncture needles or directly on a vital part of the patient’s body. The heat generated by burning the herbs is believed to help the flow of Qi along the meridians.
Massage (Tui Na)
Tui Na Tuina) is a special type of Chinese medicine that combines massage and acupressure techniques. Practitioners apply strong, deep pressure to specific points on the meridians to help improve the flow of qi.
Cupping
Cupping therapy (cupping or bajuan, also often called fire cupping or bagua guan) involves placing an inverted circular cup on the skin to enhance the flow of qi. Before placing the cup, the practitioner usually burns a flammable substance inside the cup to create a vacuum effect that holds the cup tightly against the skin.
When removed, the cups leave circular, dark purple bruises that may take up to three weeks to disappear. Cupping is used to treat headaches, nasal congestion and various other types of ailments and pain.
Gua Sha
Gua sha involves using an instrument to apply pressure to the skin and rubbing it in an attempt to increase the amount of qi and blood stasis in the body. Gua sha is often used to treat joint and muscle pain.
Just like cupping, this treatment leaves bruises on the skin that take some time to heal. To explore in depth the cultural misconceptions about Gua Sha from both East and West, watch the movie Gua Sha Therapy.
Qigong and Tai Chi
Slow, meditative martial arts practices such as qigong (qi gong or qi gong) and taijiquan (taiji taiji, also known as taijiquan or taijiquan) require the practitioner to perform a series of movements with controlled breathing exercises. These practices are believed to promote health and help balance the patient’s chi.
Classification of Chinese Medicine
The classification is conducive to improving the research and treatment of disease specialization by herbalists, and also provides convenience for patients to ask for medical consultation, mainly.
1.Internal medicine
Internal medicine in TCM treats two main types of diseases: external diseases and internal injuries. External diseases are caused by wind, cold, heat, humidity, dryness, fire and epidemics. Internal injury diseases mainly refer to diseases of internal organs and meridians, qi, blood and fluid, and other miscellaneous diseases.
2.Surgery
TCM surgery mainly treats sores, galls, tumors, rocks, anal and intestinal diseases, male prepubic diseases, skin diseases and sexually transmitted diseases, traumatic diseases and peripheral vascular diseases.
3.Pediatrics
Pediatrics in TCM mainly treats pediatric diseases. Since the physiological and pathological characteristics of pediatric patients are different from those of adults, the treatment methods and medications are also different from those of adults. The main manifestations are: children have poor ability to resist external evil, and once the disease develops, the transmission of symptoms is rapid, which is very different from adults. Children are often unable to express the pain of the disease correctly, and the reaction and tolerance to drugs are also different from adults due to the delicate internal organs of children.
4.Gynecology
TCM gynecology mainly treats women’s menstrual diseases, hypochondriac diseases, pregnancy diseases, postpartum diseases, breast diseases, anterior pubic diseases and miscellaneous gynecological diseases. TCM has certain advantages in treating women’s diseases, such as dysfunctional uterine bleeding, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, postmenopausal osteoporosis, etc.
5.Acupuncture
Chinese medicine acupuncture is the combined name of acupuncture and searing method. Acupuncture is the treatment of diseases by twisting and lifting the acupuncture points of the meridians through the stimulation of the acupuncture points. The burning moxa is used to treat diseases through the stimulation of heat. Acupuncture is used for all kinds of diseases, including many functional and infectious diseases, as well as some organic diseases.
6.Five senses
It mainly treats diseases of the ear, nose, throat, mouth, and eyes.
7.Orthopedics and Traumatology
Orthopedics and Traumatology is a discipline that deals with injuries and diseases of the bones, joints and surrounding muscles. It has a long history and origin, and is the summation of the experience of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in their long struggle against injuries and diseases of tendons and bones.
Scientific assessment and criticism
Read Full Article: Is Traditional Chinese Medicine Evidence-Based?
From the scientific side of evidence-based medicine, the effectiveness of many TCM treatment methods is negated. The basic concepts of TCM contradict scientific principles, and empirical evidence is also lacking.
The criticism of TCM concerns various sub-aspects. One is that of “meridians,” which underlies a variety of procedures such as acupuncture, massage, movement exercises, and so on. The assumed meridians are not scientifically provable. There is no scientifically valid proof or plausible mechanism of action for the claim that one can influence internal conditions and organs via specific points on the surface of the body. The representatives of TCM argued that there is not a multitude of meridian teachings, but on the whole one teaching. However, this contradicts the fact that this has been changed and modified several times over the course of time. Furthermore, even uniformity or prevalence of a theory does not allow a conclusion to be drawn as to its truthfulness.
Systematic reviews of studies on the effectiveness of acupuncture show inconsistent results. A small number of reviews conclude that acupuncture is helpful for a very limited number of indications.
Regarding acupuncture, it has been shown that it does not matter for the effect where it was pricked. The effect when “classical” acupuncture points were observed and the deliberate disregard of these points and of meridians made no difference in studies.
Chinese phytotherapy has also been investigated in scientific studies. A group of scientists from the University of Bern had compared studies on Chinese phytotherapy with those of conventional medicine. Compared were 136 double-blind studies. The authors of the comparison concluded that bias was more pronounced in the Chinese studies and that due to the small number of high-quality publications it was not possible to make an authoritative judgment on the efficacy of Chinese phytotherapy.
As an argument for the efficacy of TCM, its millennia-old tradition is often put forward. However, the age of a healing method does not allow any conclusions to be drawn about its effectiveness. The Chinese government supports the spread of TCM in Europe, as this opens up a large market for Chinese manufacturers.
Side effects and quality control
There have been reports of cases of poisoning during the use of Chinese medicines (e.g., from aristolochic acids). In Germany, as a result of a 1981 step-by-step plan procedure, medicines containing aristolochic acid are considered to be of concern, and their marketing is prohibited under Section 5 of the German Drug Law (AMG). Since 1999, an interdisciplinary project on cultivation research of 16 selected Chinese medicinal plant species has been running at the Bavarian State Institute for Agriculture. According to the State Institute, controlled cultivation could make a significant contribution to the safety of medicines and also to security of supply in this area.
Concerns have been raised by some critics that the Chinese medicines, even artfully handled, could cause liver damage. However, a “long-term study on possible side effects of Chinese herbs” by the Förderverein Chinesische Medizin in Deutschland e.V. (Association for the Promotion of Chinese Medicine in Germany) concludes that it was able to refute the “frequently raised accusation of liver toxicity of Chinese herbs”. Contradicting this is a study by a group led by Rolf Teschke of the Hanau Clinic, which, in evaluating the scientific literature from 2011 to 2014, concluded that 18 of the classified herbal mixtures used in TCM, some unclassifiable mixtures, and 39 individual TCM herbs can lead to liver damage. Although most of the cases recovered, some cases were recorded in which the liver was permanently damaged, requiring transplantation of the organ. In rare cases, the patient even died.
In 2013, a study of Chinese medicinal herbs found pesticide residues classified as extremely hazardous or dangerous by the World Health Organization in 17 of 36 samples. Twenty-six of the 36 samples had residues above the maximum levels allowed in the EU.
The Center for Therapeutic Safety in Chinese Medicinal Therapy (CTCA), an alliance of the major professional societies for Chinese medicinal therapy in Germany as well as individuals, strives to ensure safe therapy with Chinese medicinal drugs.
A number of Chinese medicinal drugs are already specified in the European Pharmacopoeia and the German Pharmacopoeia.
Questions and Answers
The following are frequently asked questions about TCM, along with simple answers.
As you can imagine, TCM is not 100% accurate. TCM is more of a “possible method” than a “targeted answer”. This is not surprising considering the level of science that existed hundreds of years ago.
The main difference between Chinese and Western medicine is that the former is rooted in traditional culture, while Western medicine is a modern branch of natural science.
In today’s society dominated by Western medicine, people doubt the effectiveness of Chinese medicine. Even in today’s China, Chinese medicine is controversial.
In fact, for the past 5000 years, the Chinese have relied on Chinese medicine to cure their diseases and protect them from epidemics. As a result, Chinese medicine had contributed significantly to the population growth in China’s history.
Among the more than 300 kinds of traditional medicine that exist on earth, Chinese medicine in particular has gained increasing popularity. The effectiveness of Chinese medicine can also be measured by the growing number of people who choose to study it.
Chinese medicine has its origins in ancient China. The oldest textbook, the “Huang Di Nei Jing” (the classic of internal medicine of the Yellow Emperor) was written about 300 years before our era and is still considered in the East as well as in the West as an important basis for a sound education in Chinese medicine.
The diagnosis of Chinese syndrome (combination of different symptoms) is made by tongue diagnosis / tongue diagnosis and pulse diagnosis / pulse diagnosis and other special procedures. Chinese medicine is a millennia-old functioning form of medicine that can treat a wide range of diseases.
The effectiveness of TCM has so far only been scientifically proven in a few areas. This is especially true for acupuncture.
According to TCM, all diseases can be treated that are not too advanced, are purely psychological in nature or have not destroyed any organs. Surgery is not part of TCM therapy. In practice, Chinese medicine is mostly used for simple ailments, functional disorders and chronic diseases, but it is also used for the prevention of diseases. In the case of severe organ diseases, it is used as a supplement to conventional medicine.
The origins of ancient Chinese medicine go back a long way: some experts believe it originated in China more than 2,000 years ago, while others go back even further and speak of more than 6,000 years.
The duration of treatment depends on the clinical picture. For acute complaints, healing or improvement is usually achieved within 1 to 2 treatment series. For chronic complaints, the therapy can include up to 3-4 treatment series.
- Allergies.
- Colds with cough, cold or sore throat.
- Asthma.
- Sinusitis.
- Conjunctivitis.
- Spinal discomfort.
- Shoulder pain.
- Knee joint and hip joint osteoarthritis pain.
Trusted Sources
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