Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

How can TCM nourish you?

Traditional Chinese Medicine, often abbreviated as TCM, is a complex and holistic system which addresses your overall health and wellbeing, rather than focusing on individual ailments as isolated incidents. TCM places as much emphasis on the prevention of illnesses as on their treatment.^[1]   

Traditional Chinese Medicine evolved thousands of years ago, with the earliest comprehensive manual on the subject being Huang Di Nei Jing^[2] (often translated as The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Medicine).^[3] In Australia, it is regulated by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).^[4]

There are two foundational concepts which are central to understanding Chinese medicine. The first is the idea of qi, a vital energy that is believed to flow through the body^[5] along invisible pathways called meridians. The second is the importance of equilibrium or harmony, represented by yin and yang^[6] (the opposing elemental forces symbolising feminine and masculine energy, or light and dark). 

Each of the practices associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine plays a part in restoring the body’s inner balance and promoting a natural flow of qi. Through nutritional advice and herbal remedies, therapeutic techniques including acupuncture and massage, and activities which incorporate gentle exercise, such as tai chi, practitioners aim to correct qi imbalances and disruptions which are believed to cause ill health.

Popular treatments associated with TCM

Acupressure is a needle-free method of using fingertip pressure to stimulate key acupuncture points^[7] along the body’s meridians.

Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely fine needles into the skin^[8] at prescribed locations, with the aim of affecting the flow of qi through the body.

Chinese herbal medicines are intended to have a holistic effect on wellness and are often prescribed for preventing ailments, not only treating them;^[9] some traditional preparations also include animal extracts and mineral ingredients.

Chinese massage (tui na), possibly one of the oldest forms of massage,^[10] involves rhythmic kneading, pressing and pulling motions on your body, intended to promote the healthy flow of qi.

Cupping therapy is the practice of placing cups made of glass or other materials on the body^[11] for a suction effect, with the aim of relieving blockages or stagnation of qi.

Dietary advice plays a major role in traditional Chinese medicine,^[12] with a focus on the prevention of ill health as well as choosing foods that are seen as having ‘cooling’ or ‘heating’ properties as ways of restoring wellness.

Moxibustion is the burning of mugwort, a special herb, on or near the skin, at the locations of various acupuncture points.

Qigong is a collection of practices intended to balance the mind, body and spirit as well as promote self-healing^[13] through gentle stretches, repeated motions and breathing exercises.

Tai Chi, technically a martial art,^[14] is most often practised today as a form of gentle exercise involving slow, fluid, mindful motions that promote flexibility of the body and improved mental focus. 

Acupuncture is arguably the best-known healing modality associated with TCM, and today it is practised not only by traditional Chinese acupuncturists, but also physiotherapists,^[15] naturopaths^[16] and other practitioners.