TCM Glossary!

 TCM Glossary gives brief note or detailed introductions to terms of traditional chinese medicine,includes a range of traditional medicine practices originating in China. Although well-accepted in the mainstream of medical care throughout East Asia, it is considered an alternative medical system in much of the Western world.!

 
 TCM practices include such treatments as Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, dietary therapy, and Tui na massage. Qigong and Taijiquan are also closely associated with TCM. Major theories include: Yin-yang, the Five Phases, the human body Meridian/Channel system, Zang Fu organ theory, six-channel pattern identification, four aspect pattern identification, etc.The same philosophy that informs Taoist and Buddhist thought informs the philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine, which reflects the classical Chinese belief that the life and activity of individual human beings have an intimate relationship with the environment on all levels.The foundation principles of Chinese medicine are not necessarily uniform, and are based on several schools of thought. Received TCM are shown to have been influenced by Taoism, Buddhism, and Neo-Confucianism.

 
 For the view of the TCM belief system,Everything in the universe exists as two opposing yet interdependent forces - Yin and Yang. They are two opposites of a whole which cannot exist without each other. Yin literally represents the “shady or dormant” aspect (e.g. water, dark,cold, night, passive, female) while Yang refers to the “sunny or active” aspect (e.g. fire, bright, hot, day, active, male).
 In TCM, the Yin Yang concept is applied to understand the complex interconnections and constant changes in the human body. TCM views the human body as an integrated whole, where all organs and systems are interconnected and interdependent of each other. Generally, when Yin and Yang are in balance, our body is healthy; but if one force dominates the other, pain and illness will arise. TCM uses the Yin Yang concept to diagnose patterns of disharmony and determine treatments to restore balance.

 
 TCM treats the mind, body and spirit as a single entity. This holistic approach is derived from fundamental beliefs in the Chinese culture, which emphasise the inseparable nature of Man with the Universe, as well as the need for balance and harmony.
 When a person’s vital life force, known as Qi (pronounced "chi"), flows smoothly through the body, it establishes a balance between his spiritual, emotional, mental and physical realms. Similarly, the person needs to function in harmony with his environment, which includes acclimatising himself to the climate and the changes in his daily lifestyle.If that flow and balance is upset, disease and illness will arise.
 TCM employs a system of diagnosis, therapy and medication to restore that balance by boosting the body’s immune system in an attempt to fight off pathogens. When the meridian points are unblocked, a person is healthy and life is exuberant. Illnesses may occur when the harmony of the Yin and Yang, or the equilibrium of the Five Elements in the body, are disrupted. This will give rise to an irregularity in physiological functions.In TCM, there are three main factors that cause illness:The external factor (caused by the environment or climate changes),The internal factor (such as emotional changes),The miscellaneous factor (such as lifestyle or personal habits).An illness can be in a constant state of change. Hence, treatments can also be altered according to how the illness progresses. TCM believes that the pathology of how some illnesses progress is due to poor organ functions, which requires steps to restore the organ as soon as possible.
 A TCM treatment usually includes a combination of medicinal herbs, nutritional therapies, physical treatments such as acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, massage or Tuina, and therapeutic exercises such as taichi and related breathing techniques.

 
 TCM practices include such treatments as Chinese herbal medicine, acupuncture, dietary therapy, and Tui na massage. Qigong and Taijiquan are also closely associated with TCM. Major theories include: Yin-yang, the Five Phases, the human body Meridian/Channel system, Zang Fu organ theory, six-channel pattern identification, four aspect pattern identification, etc.
 Principles of treatment behind every TCM herb are guided by the theories in Chinese herbal pharmacology:
 1.Chinese herbs are divided into 4 main types according to their properties: cool, cold, hot and warm. For instance, herbs with warm or hot properties can be used to treat illnesses that are classified as cool or cold in nature, and vice versa.
 2.Chinese herbs are also classified into 5 types of tastes based on their different features and effects: sour, bitter, sweet, pungent and salty. Chinese herbs that are bitter have a cooling property and can be used in cases of accumulated body heat due to lack of adequate rest, while pungent-tasting Chinese herbs have dispersing effects and can be used to treat the flu.
 3.Another feature of herbs is that they are attributed to different meridians to treat different problems and illnesses efficiently.
 4.Lastly, Chinese herbs also have both "ascending" and "descending" effects. These are used to guide the movements of the flow of Qi and blood in the body.

 
 Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is largely based on the philosophical concept that the universe is made of an energy called qi. This energy can be any state of matter or energy in existence. TCM believes that the body is a small universe unto itself that is a complex of subsystems of energy and matter, and that these systems work together to maintain a healthy mind and body. The characteristics of the operation of the mind/body are described in terms of the five elements (metal, water, wood, fire, and earth), Yin/Yang organs, deficiency/excess, emptiness/fullness, hot/cold, wind, dampness, pathogens, internal/external, meridian channels, qi (several different types), essences, body fluids, vessels and more.TCM posits that illness is caused by external and/or internal factors which disrupt the body's natural processes.The body concept is based on a functional description, as opposed to discrete tissues or specific organic compounds.

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♣ last edit date:1st,Nov.2010.