Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) consists of Acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, Tuina (Chinese massage), Moxibastion, TaiQi, and Qigong, etc. The fundamental of TCM is based on the Chinese Yin Yang theory, which focuses on the balance of the energy level within the human body, and between human body and the environment.

For thousands of years, Chinese have relied on it to treat diseases and to keep them healthy. It has been accepted by the west since Chinese hospitals successfully used acupuncture as the only anesthetics in operations in 1950’s to 1960’s. Also, the western scientists have proved how acupuncture could control the pain in the laboratory studies.

Now, acupuncture has already become one of the most popular alternative health treatments for relieving pain in the U.S. Besides the pain relief, acupuncture has been widely used for variety of acute and chronic conditions in China and other Asian countries. The World Health Organization suggests that more than 40 disorders can be treated by acupuncture, including musculo-skeletal, neurological, urogenital, gynecological, gastrointestinal disorders, etc.

In China, hundreds of institutes and hospitals are involved in the basic research and clinical trials using acupuncture and Chinese herb medicine. This research has proven that the TCM always has positive results for treatment of many conditions such as migraines, allergies and anxiety which conventional medical treatments have very limited beneficial effects on. In the U.S., more than 30 states have legalized acupuncture treatment, including Washington State. Acupuncturists must pass the national acupuncture board exam (NCCAOM) before they could be licensed. Most health insurance plans in the Washington State now offer acupuncture benefits.

Chinese herbs are not as well known as acupuncture in the west, but it is an essential part of TCM. In China, it is always used in conjunction with acupuncture for chronic problems. For instance, almost every cancer patient and diabetic patient use Chinese herbs.

There are several hundred kinds of Chinese herbs, which are made of plants, animals, or minerals. In the U.S., the herbalists and acupuncturists usually provide two kinds of herbs: the raw herbs, called Chinese herb tea, and herb pills.

The advantage of the herb tea is that the practitioner can provide individualized treatments by selecting the kinds of herbs and the quantities required by the each patient. However, it is inconvenient to cook Chinese herb tea, and many patients are not accustomed to the smell or the taste. The herb pills are easy to take, very similar to the western supplements, but they are designed for groups of general conditions. Thus, they may not be suitable for every circumstance experienced by each individual.

Since TCM considers the herbs as medications, all Chinese herbal products must go through the similar processes as other pharmacological drugs in the western countries. Laboratory test, animal test and clinic observation are all required. In the U.S, Chinese herbs have been classified into health food category. So far, there are no certification requirements for the practitioners who provide Chinese herbs.

Traditional Chinese Medicine, holistic ancient science system, has its own point of view of human body and the world and also has its unique diagnoses and treatment techniques. The traditional tongue and pulse diagnoses are often able to alert the health problems people may not have been aware of. In fact, the philosophy of TCM is how to protect people from diseases instead of curing diseases.

Therefore, the TCM practitioners always pay special attention to people’s life style, dietary habits, and emotional status. If we look at medical treatment as a battle, a well-known Chinese saying perfectly expresses TCM’s approach to health: “A general who always defeats the enemies in every battle is not the best general, the best general wins the war without fighting.”