WHAT IS TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE?
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a
system of health care which has evolved in China and other parts of East Asia
over a period of more than five thousand years.
TCM comprises a number of traditional
therapies including acupuncture, herbal medicine, Tai Qi, Qi Gong, moxibustion,
cupping, massage, and others. However, acupuncture and herbal medicine are the
most popular therapies gaining acceptance throughout the world by both
individuals and governments.
What is the philosophy behind TCM?
The ancient Chinese philosophical concepts of Yin, Yang, and the theory of the five phases are the foundation of Chinese medicine and have been for thousands of years (1).
Yin and yang can be interpreted as
opposing forces and yet they complement each other; indeed, one cannot exist
without the other. Yin transforms into and sustains yang and vice versa.
Perhaps the easier way to grasp the concept is with some examples. Night
(yin) turns into day (yang) and day turns into night, hence they are both
stages of cyclical movements. Rest is yin while activity is yang,
moisture is yin and dryness is yang, cold is yin while heat is yang, liquid
water is yin while steam is yang, sweet foods are yin while pungent and
aromatic ones are yang and so on.
The Yin and Yang energies coexist in our
body and manifest as good health as well as ill states according whether they
are balanced or imbalanced. Our organs
can also be regarded as Yin and Yang and yet the opposite energy always coexists
within the other. Yin exists within a Yang organ and vice versa (Fig.1).
Symptoms like afternoon fever, night
sweats, dry mouth and throat, dizziness, ringing in the ears, dry and sore
eyes, dry cough, sleep disturbances and sexual hypo function are the
manifestation of yin deficiency.
Deficiency of yang, on the other hand, can be manifested by spontaneous
sweats, cold hands and feet, poor appetite, pale complexion, clear frequent
urination, loose bowel motions, severe fatigue, and low libido.
While a person with Yin deficiency usually prefers cold drinks and likes cool and cold weather, a person with Yang deficiency usually has the tendency to gain weight easily and likes warm drinks and weather.
Human processes can be also described by Yin-Yang. Harriet and Efrem (1991) put it beautifully in the following paragraph:
Yin is the material basis, tissue, for the transforming power of Yang, which reorganizes and
regenerates. Food (Yin) is transmuted by metabolic activity (Yang) into more substance (tissue) and more energy (heat and
metabolic activity). The sperm (Yang) joins the egg (Yin), and a new life is created by their
merger and interaction. Thus the sperm
mobilizes and transforms the substance provided by the egg. The sperm derives its propulsive and
activating power from the male (Yang),
and the egg derives its receptive and nurturing power from the female (Yin). (p.53)
We are now able to understand why both Yin
and Yang deficiencies are cause of sexual hypo function.
Another essential idea in Chinese medicine
is the concept of Qi or Chi which is one of the vital substances together with
Blood, Essence and body fluids. Qi is an
abstract concept that includes something very immaterial and subtle called
‘vital force’ or ‘life force’ to more material substances like blood. The
Chinese sages believe that all vital substances are manifestations of Qi. “All animate forms in nature are
manifestations of Qi. … an invisible substance… that has palpable and
observable manifestations” (3). Hence Qi is at the basis of all. However, in clinical practice when talking of
Qi, we mostly refer to that subtle substance flowing along pathways in the
body, otherwise called channels or meridians.
Furthermore, when the concept of Qi is applied to an organ, it can also
mean the function of that particular organ.
“The theory of the The Five Phases is an attempt to classify
phenomena in terms of … five processes, represented by the emblems Wood, Fire,
Earth, Metal, and Water; … is a system of correspondences and patterns that
subsume events and things, especially in relationship to their dynamics.”
(4). This model, like that of Yin-Yang, has
a wide range of applications, varying from the whole universe, solar systems,
planets, nature and societies, to the human body with its organs and cells.
Even macro and micro processes can be explained on the basis of this model at
physical, mind and spiritual levels.
Each phase is not a static element but an actual process that is dynamic
and complex.
The Five-Phase
Theory also explains the complex relationship that exists between our internal
organs. For example, Wood supports Fire
and also controls Earth while Earth supports Metal and controls Water. Furthermore,
when one phase controls another, such as in the case of Wood controlling Earth,
sometimes there may be over activity or excessive control.
Indeed, the ongoing stress that exists in
modern society may cause this over-activity of Wood on Earth, resulting for
example, in various digestive complaints. Specific manifestations include poor appetite, loose
stools, irritability, headaches, sore eyes, feelings of distention, lassitude,
painful flanks and other symptoms.
APPLICATION.
Are you a Yang person, Fire, or an Earth
person?
YANG PERSON: Do you have a body that is larger, muscular, sporty, energetic, and strong with capacity for lots of food? Do you usually like stimulating environments and act quickly with plenty of stamina? Are you a pioneer and like challenges? If your answer is yes, then you may be a Yang person. CAREFUL with: neck and upper back, tendons and joints, hyperactivity and digestion.
FIRE PERSON: Are you a natural
leader, expressive, affectionate, good communicator, and enjoy laughing? Are
you intuitive, optimistic, compassionate, and have a good sense of
humor? If yes, then the Fire phase may
predominate in you. CAREFUL with: heat
accumulation in the upper body, sleep pattern, cardiovascular system,
arthritis, emotions, and mental health.
EARTH PERSON: Do you have a body
that is smaller, slender, sinewy, and relaxed? Are you a peacemaker, loyal,
and a good negotiator? Do you enjoy
helping people, the community and like moderation, harmony, and unification?
Do you seek a perfect family?
If Yes, then you may be an Earth person. CAREFUL with: your digestion, fluid
circulation, hemorrhoids, lower back, manipulation, attention to details,
security, and feeling stuck.
Note: A Fire person is also Yang. The listed features are only partial.
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The Five-Phase
model is so widely used in clinical practice that some practitioners base
their entire acupuncture treatments on this theory.
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is
the insertion of disposable fine needles on specific points, called acupuncture
points or acupoints, along the meridians in the body. Acupoints are like reservoirs of the Qi
flowing through them and the acupuncturist is able to access the Qi circulating
in the meridians to achieve specific purposes.
For instance, a blockage or disruption of the smooth flow of Qi may
cause disturbances along the pathway of the meridian resulting in symptoms such
as muscular discomfort or pain, changes of skin color on acupoints, and even
dysfunction of the organ related to the meridian.
In the case of Wood
invading or over-acting on Earth, apart from the symptoms listed above, there
may be some physical symptoms such as soreness and/or some tender spots, along
the legs and below the knees in particular.
A few acupuncture treatments can restore the harmony between the two
phases and resolve the symptoms. Of
course some changes in lifestyle may be required as part of a holistic
approach.
Acupuncture may also
be helpful to reduce stress, to manage infertility, withdrawal symptoms from
addictions, compromised immunity, and recovery from surgery, stroke
rehabilitation, and aging. The World
Health Organization has recognized acupuncture to be appropriate in the
treatment of a number of health conditions in the following areas: infections,
musculoskeletal and neurologic, mental-emotional, dermatology, genitourinary
and reproductive, eyes-ears-nose-throat, and internal diseases.
What is herbal medicine?
Chinese herbal
medicine involves the ingestion of substances, in their natural state, mostly
from plants, and some from minerals, and animals. They can be taken singularly and as
formulas. Some formulations were
designed and have been in use for several thousand of years. Traditionally formulas consisted of raw herbs
and were taken as decoctions. Nowadays,
formulations are also conveniently prepared as pills, powders, granules,
capsules, and tablets; other preparations are for external application.
As is the case
with acupuncture, a wide range of health conditions can be treated with herbal
medicine. In particular, herbal medicine is exceedingly effective in the
treatment of infertility for both men and women.
It is important
to note that in some countries like Australia, the formulas have no animal
ingredients and are all government approved.
In conclusion,
Traditional Chinese medicine is a holistic system of health care with wide
popularity in both Eastern and Western countries. The concepts of Yin-Yang, Qi
and the theory of the Five phases are tools that are essential for diagnosis
and treatment in Chinese medicine.
References.
1. Yu Jin, ed., Handbook of Obstetrics &
Gynecology in Chinese Medicine. An Integrated Approach. Seattle:
Eastland Press, 1998.
2. Maciocia, G., The Foundations of Chinese Medicine. A Comprehensive Text for
Acupuncturists and Herbalists. Melbourne: Churchill Livingstone, 1989
3. Harriet, B., Efrem, K. Between Heaven and Earth. A Guide to Chinese Medicine (p.32). New
York: Ballantine Books, 1991
4. Kaptchuk, T.J.. Chinese
Medicine. The Web that has no Weaver
(p.343). London: Rider, 1983
