Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Traditional Chinese Medicine is a complete system of medicine consisting of chinese diagnosis and a collection of treatment modalities that could include acupuncture and herbal medicine.

Practitioners

Traditional Chinese Medicine...

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a complete healing system that has developed in China over the last several thousand years. It is an integration of many different treatment modalities which include acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, tuina (a therapeutic form of massage), diet therapy and exercise. There are also many supplementary treatments that further support these main groups such as cupping, moxibustion, auricular acupuncture, acupressure, gua sha and electro-acupuncture.

Practitioners use a unique diagnostic system that views each patient holistically on an individual basis. The range of treatment methods available to the practitioner means that each patient will receive a personalised and unique treatment that can be modified as the patient’s health improves. Although all of the different treatments can be used in isolation from one another, TCM’s true healing potential lies in the skilful combination of the treatments and accurate diagnosis.

Like many holistic therapies TCM puts great importance on prevention of illness. A practitioner is held in much higher regard in China if he/she is able to use very small interventions in order to maintain good health. A practitioner should firstly be able to advise their patients on a healthy diet that will help maintain good health and protect their weaker organs. If the patient falls ill, further treatment with a modified diet and herbal medicine will be the next form of treatment. In this country it is most likely for patients to only visit a practitioner when the problem has progressed and treatment involving a combination of treatments is required to bring balance back into their health. Once this is achieved though, less frequent treatments are required in order to maintain good health with importance placed on maintaining a healthy diet. In this way the patient can enjoy a life less troubled with minor ailments, aches and pains.

TCM treatments include: Acupuncture, Abdominal Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Tuina, Chinese Diet Therapy and Traditional Therapeutic Exercise.

Below is a list of conditions that are commonly treated by TCM.

The above descriptions have kindly been supplied by our TCM practitioner Alex Owen.