Traditional Chinese Medicine: health is the fruit of harmony
When talking about Chinese Medicine, we must consider that this is a science that has endured throughout history and during the second half of the twentieth century was largely developed in the West, and especially in Europe.
Thus, techniques have been developed that are based on Traditional Chinese Medicine but according to some authors, the ear acupuncture is a technique developed in France and not by China. Other authors more orthodox, mentioning for example, ear acupuncture as a branch within the Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Anyway, most importantly, the Chinese Traditional Medicine has been and remains as a folk of medicine and is spreading ever further beyond the borders demarcating the countries. And it has been widely accepted in the Western world, especially by users of this medicine, they have seen in it an approach to medicine, not aggressive and very defensive, obtaining best results with extreme rapidity.
Holistic Medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine is holistic medicine, as it understands that there are no diseases but sick states; it takes into account not only what happens in the body, but also what happens in the whole organism, how it manifests, how it responds to external influences and how it responds to stimuli that produce the environment. Consider the body as a whole and not as a part of it.
Everything in nature, the world is in equilibrium, the same can be said of the organism and its physiological functions, which are also balanced both internally and externally. At the same time, they are in constant motion, hence it can perform these physiological functions, it can give life.
Also at the nature we have a balance of energy and when these are altered give rise to these natural phenomena are known to alter a way to return to normal.
In the individual, would be the case of a disease, such as a common cold, when it manifests the symptom picture is a consequence of these changes of energy balance that also stimulates the generation of energy to overcome external agents responsible for the alteration and restore balance, normalcy.
The Ying and Yang
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are two energies that control all this balance, called Yin and Yang, the two complementary and antagonistic at the same time, i.e., complement and oppose, and cannot exist without the other. Each becomes the other for its constant motion.
The Theory of Yin and Yang together with the Theory of Five Elements, are two of the fundamental pillars of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Theory of Yin and Yang
This theory defines two energies, as we have indicated are complementary and competing simultaneously. The way to understand them is saying that Yang would be all that is facing the sun while Yin everything would be back to the sun.
This is very easy to classify all elements and all situations. There are different ways of interpreting the Yin and Yang, all of which helps us to analyze both inside and outside, i.e., an element is yin when compared with another that is on the outside, but when compared to one that is in inside, then it is Yang.
It is also important to define as basic Yin and Yang is cold is heat, thus we can interpret as pathological states are going to manifest in the body.
From here we can also determine the treatment that must be applied, i.e. if it manifests excess heat, excess Yang, treatment should be aimed at the dispersal of the Yang of this heat, if on the otherwise, clinical manifestation is due to a lack of Yang, also manifest itself as cold as it is the prevailing, but the treatment will aim to remedy that deficiency therefore in tone Yang.
And these premises would be important in treatment in Traditional Chinese Medicine, using the Yin Yang to treat. It uses the principle of contrast.
Five Elements Theory
According to this theory, we can raise all the body's physiological functions, each of the essential elements of the universe, representing all parts of the body, all situations in our environment, every emotion, every way, and we could go to complete the universe.
For example, each element is related to a vital organ and taste, this is important because both consider the element, the body, taste or any other adjustment that is applied, the laws will be strictly enforced and can be explain all the movements.
In cases of disease on the body, i.e. the pathological aspects manifested in the body can interpret this method, in addition to the base to treat them.
Each element generates the next, the "son" and each element controls the next, i.e. the "grandchild" and we interpret all physiological functions and pathological body also, in case of a pathological condition, as we know its physiology can strengthen or disperse the item or the bodies resulting from this change.
The same can be applied fully to the diet. From the Western point of view we consider a balanced diet is when we provide the appropriate percentages of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. In Chinese culture, and especially within the framework of Traditional Chinese Medicine, there is not this concept of nutrients as carbohydrates, fats and proteins, however there is a combination of flavors to regulate physiological functions and the strengthen the body's systems, immune, digestive, ..
For example, when we met with cold symptoms, if we consider the actual practices and everyday of our seniors, we have to counteract these symptoms with certain practices such as drinking fluids, a warm soup, warming and sweating. Well, from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, we also have a number of premises to comply, they really match those applied to our ancestors, i.e. the characteristic flavor has to be spicy and hot nature, thus, we are encouraging warming, "to disperse heat inside the cold," while the spicy moves energy and blood, promoting the opening of the pores in the skin and stimulates sweating, "open to disperse the pathogenic factor.
If we analyze two popular practices, we see little difference; we are making the same, although we interpret it differently.
This is mainly what Traditional Chinese Medicine has contributed and maintained throughout the centuries and it will prosper in the West.
Treatment Techniques
The most commonly used therapeutic techniques in TCM can be summarized in five:
- Acupuncture
- Moxibustion
- Phytotherapy
- Tuina
- Qi Gong
All have the same objective, the same therapeutic principle: to recover the energy balance between the Yin and Yang. We will define the lack of pathogenesis, and the presence of health.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the technique that is based on the insertion of fine needles into certain points on the skin surface, called acupuncture points, high-energy points located along the route of the meridians, channels through which energy circulates in the body, called Qi.
The high acceptance of this technique has been just spectacular results in very short time, sometimes almost immediate. As the pain one of the more deeply developed and studied in the Western world.
Moxibustion
Another technique, also called acupuncture, because it is used often in combination with acupuncture and precisely the same energy points.
The objective is the application of heat in those same points, so it is often used mainly in cases with a strong influence of Yin and Yang which improves the heat. Also in the pain clinic, but evidently caused by the cold.
Phytotherapy
It is based on the use of medicinal plants for treating certain physiological disorders, treatment of pathological conditions.
Medicinal plants also use the same premises as in TCM, based on the theory of Yin and Yang of the Five Elements, first with diagnosis in TCM.
Tuina
It is the application of manipulative techniques to regulate the energy flow and travels through the meridians.
It is indicated where this energy is not flowing properly, is hindered manifesting as contractures, muscle aches. It is also useful in case of very old people, in that acupuncture is difficult to use and pediatric cases in which the acupuncture is not indicated due to the characteristic of the individual.
For some authors, a derivative of Tuina is acupressure, i.e. the finger pressure on acupuncture points, which is also called acupuncture without needles.
Qi Gong – Tai Ji Chuan
Using light, slow exercises and movements to achieve the fluidity and energy regulation of all organs. The great thing of this therapeutic technique is that the age limit practice of these exercises is very broad, due to the simplicity of this movements and ease in achieving them, without need for athletic preparation.
Hence all martial arts have arisen with different objectives, keeping them as therapeutics. The use of Qi Gong began looking for the therapeutic activity but its development has been made in various branches and divisions, currently reaching the wide variety of martial arts that are classified.
Chinese figure is typical to see a crowd of individuals practicing a variety of Qi Gong, Tai Ji Chuan, which is based on the development of ohn series of manuals, and physical exercises, they vigorously pursue them if the force and speed, this indicates the close relationship that have kept these two disciplines, now totally different and also very different objectives.
So many martial arts practitioners who continue their education in traditional Chinese medicine have understanding of the philosophy and essence of this medicine, which can sometimes be a rough and therefore difficult to understand.
We also excel in the field of Hua Tuo Qi Gong as one of the most representative authors.
Source: European Foundation of TCM – TCM College