What is Traditional Chinese Medicine? Or we call it TCM? Im not sure if I should simplify allot of what I am writing as I am used to translating into a mix of Chinese and English words, so if anyone doesn’t understand let me know!
TCM comes from the country China, and covers a broad range of alternative means to Western Healthcare. By Western Healthcare, I mean literally Healthcare that was formed here in the West (I live in Canada). Western Healthcare is more about looking at a physical organ, or system inside the body. Eg. The Liver in Liver failure. Where Chinese Medicine is based on Eastern Philosophy that the body needs to be in full balance, or close to full balance with its own energies and body fluids to make a person healthy. If the energies or fluids are out of balance... the person will be sick, but it is not usually the fault of one single problem. If the energy of the kidney is out of balance then the energy of the liver will be out of balance. Such is the theory of Five Elements. Unlike Western Doctors, Chinese Practitioner will look at the body as a whole, not just pieces and parts of a machine. Every Symptom and Emotion links your Practitioner to an underlying cause that eventually will be treated in some form.
This is not to say Western Doctors do not have a place!! You wouldn’t go to your Chinese Practitioner fix a failing heart! Or a broken bone! NO! But you see Eastern Medicine can help with many problems that Western Medicine cannot aide you with. And our medicine is complimentary to Western Doctors!! Such as a Western Doctor fixes that broken heart or arm and we can help you stay healthy, happy, aide in recovery and stop allot of that pain associated with your recovery. As well, where Western Medicine hits a roadblock in treatment... such as a Dr. just cannot figure out your headaches, dizziness, depression etc.. and you have had years of drug treatments or therapy to no avail? Your TCM Practitioner may understand your body better than you do! It may be a simple imbalance that cannot be seen by your Western Doctor!!
Practitioner
You will be surprised how well your TCM treatments can help you! Where can you receive TCM treatments? Who can practice TCM? There are TCM Practitioner all around the world who practices a few art forms such as Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Doctor, Dr. TCM. Dr. Acupuncture. In different countries and states it may be listed differently.
I, for example, am an Acupuncturist and I am trained to perform Acupuncture, Auricular acupuncture, addiction acupuncture, cosmetic acupuncture, cupping, gua sha - Scraping, bleeding, diet therapy, TDP lamp, Electro acupuncture, Tui Na - Chinese Massage, Moxibustion, Acupressure, and the use of liniments/scents and assorted Chinese products to help aide recovery. All of these will be explained in a future blog... as im sure your all curious :)
A Dr. of Acupuncture in Canada, is an Acupuncturist who has been in the working force for 10 years after graduation from a college or university with a diploma in Acupuncture.
A Dr. of TCM has 4 years or more of schooling in Acupuncture and Herbal components where dispensing herbs for healthcare is taught. The same types of Chinese Medicine listed above is taught, but the difference is these Practitioner are able to sell and provide Herbal Medicine to Patients such as a pharmacist would at your grocery store, except these medicines are usually raw in nature, tailored to you and your specific needs and usually in conjunction with Acupuncture or other TCM medicine.
So that is the Practitioner... now what Fundamentals do they practice??? By fundamentals I mean Theories that they base diagnosis and treatment from? Well there are many many different theories us TCM Practitioner use to peel away your onion to find the core of your problem.. I like the onion theory :) It really helps people understand... what is on the surface may be completely different than what is in the center and core of your problem .
I will go into detail on each theory later on, but here is a brief list from the top of my mind:
8 Principal, 5 Element, Ben Biao, 6 Stage, 4 Levels, Zhong Fu, Channel, etc.
Each of these Theories form a different way for you to diagnose a patient. Each Practitioner forms their own form of each of these to help them provide the best and most effective diagnosis for you to help get to the core of your problem so we can solve the problem not just help the symptoms. Some of these theories are used more than others, and sometimes a Practitioner will use multiple theories to help diagnose you! There is a reason why we have a minimum of 5 years education while completing studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine... I literally have over 15 books just on TCM in my home.. and crave more :)
TCM isn’t just a medicine, its a way of life! Hopefully your life will be touched by TCM as well.. It maybe mysterious.. but together I can help unlock this mysterious medicine to help your decision on healthcare! Check back for more updates, add me, email me, and ill do my best to help!!!
Roberta Hammond D.Ac. R.Ac
TCM comes from the country China, and covers a broad range of alternative means to Western Healthcare. By Western Healthcare, I mean literally Healthcare that was formed here in the West (I live in Canada). Western Healthcare is more about looking at a physical organ, or system inside the body. Eg. The Liver in Liver failure. Where Chinese Medicine is based on Eastern Philosophy that the body needs to be in full balance, or close to full balance with its own energies and body fluids to make a person healthy. If the energies or fluids are out of balance... the person will be sick, but it is not usually the fault of one single problem. If the energy of the kidney is out of balance then the energy of the liver will be out of balance. Such is the theory of Five Elements. Unlike Western Doctors, Chinese Practitioner will look at the body as a whole, not just pieces and parts of a machine. Every Symptom and Emotion links your Practitioner to an underlying cause that eventually will be treated in some form.
This is not to say Western Doctors do not have a place!! You wouldn’t go to your Chinese Practitioner fix a failing heart! Or a broken bone! NO! But you see Eastern Medicine can help with many problems that Western Medicine cannot aide you with. And our medicine is complimentary to Western Doctors!! Such as a Western Doctor fixes that broken heart or arm and we can help you stay healthy, happy, aide in recovery and stop allot of that pain associated with your recovery. As well, where Western Medicine hits a roadblock in treatment... such as a Dr. just cannot figure out your headaches, dizziness, depression etc.. and you have had years of drug treatments or therapy to no avail? Your TCM Practitioner may understand your body better than you do! It may be a simple imbalance that cannot be seen by your Western Doctor!!
Practitioner
You will be surprised how well your TCM treatments can help you! Where can you receive TCM treatments? Who can practice TCM? There are TCM Practitioner all around the world who practices a few art forms such as Acupuncture, Chinese Herbal Doctor, Dr. TCM. Dr. Acupuncture. In different countries and states it may be listed differently.
I, for example, am an Acupuncturist and I am trained to perform Acupuncture, Auricular acupuncture, addiction acupuncture, cosmetic acupuncture, cupping, gua sha - Scraping, bleeding, diet therapy, TDP lamp, Electro acupuncture, Tui Na - Chinese Massage, Moxibustion, Acupressure, and the use of liniments/scents and assorted Chinese products to help aide recovery. All of these will be explained in a future blog... as im sure your all curious :)
A Dr. of Acupuncture in Canada, is an Acupuncturist who has been in the working force for 10 years after graduation from a college or university with a diploma in Acupuncture.
A Dr. of TCM has 4 years or more of schooling in Acupuncture and Herbal components where dispensing herbs for healthcare is taught. The same types of Chinese Medicine listed above is taught, but the difference is these Practitioner are able to sell and provide Herbal Medicine to Patients such as a pharmacist would at your grocery store, except these medicines are usually raw in nature, tailored to you and your specific needs and usually in conjunction with Acupuncture or other TCM medicine.
So that is the Practitioner... now what Fundamentals do they practice??? By fundamentals I mean Theories that they base diagnosis and treatment from? Well there are many many different theories us TCM Practitioner use to peel away your onion to find the core of your problem.. I like the onion theory :) It really helps people understand... what is on the surface may be completely different than what is in the center and core of your problem .
I will go into detail on each theory later on, but here is a brief list from the top of my mind:
8 Principal, 5 Element, Ben Biao, 6 Stage, 4 Levels, Zhong Fu, Channel, etc.
Each of these Theories form a different way for you to diagnose a patient. Each Practitioner forms their own form of each of these to help them provide the best and most effective diagnosis for you to help get to the core of your problem so we can solve the problem not just help the symptoms. Some of these theories are used more than others, and sometimes a Practitioner will use multiple theories to help diagnose you! There is a reason why we have a minimum of 5 years education while completing studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine... I literally have over 15 books just on TCM in my home.. and crave more :)
TCM isn’t just a medicine, its a way of life! Hopefully your life will be touched by TCM as well.. It maybe mysterious.. but together I can help unlock this mysterious medicine to help your decision on healthcare! Check back for more updates, add me, email me, and ill do my best to help!!!
Roberta Hammond D.Ac. R.Ac
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