In my last blog, part one, I discussed the 3 main branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the thought processes behind the diagnostic system used, possible side-effects, and I identified Acupuncture (and TCM in general) as a natural, safe, and effective form of treatment.  What I didn’t touch on are the theories behind Traditional Chinese Medicine.  How does an Acupuncturist look at your body? 

It is important to me that my patients are familiar with the terms I am using even if they do not fully understand them.  I am going to attempt to explain some very basic and foundational concepts in Traditional Chinese Medicine.  Having many ways of observing the body puts me, as an Acupuncturist and TCM Practitioner, at an advantage because I have several ways to diagnose and treat my patients.       

The first thing to consider is that TCM does not look at anatomy the same way as Western Medicine.  There are ideas in TCM that are nowhere in Western Medicine, such as Meridians.  Meridians are channels of energy that flow throughout the body and are connected to the organs and energy reserves.  These meridians innervate organs and muscles, link each other together, hold stores of energy, and are the vessels in which our life force flows.  If there is a blockage, deficiency, or excess of flow in these meridians, health problems will ensue without proper treatment.  

It is important to me that my patients are familiar with the terms I am using even if they do not fully understand them.  

Essential, and a part of every human are:  Qi (energy/life force), Blood, Yin, Yang, and Jing.  Qi is our energy, it warms us, is essential for movement, holds our organs in place, transforms substances in the body, and protects as a vital part of our immunity.  Blood nourishes our bodies and tissues.  Yin represents body fluids of all kinds (yes, even blood) and is related to anatomy.  Yang is the warmth and is related to the physiological functions in the body.  Jing is what your Mama (and Dad) gave you!  It is your constitutional make up and is directly related to the state of your parents, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, at the time of your conception.  It is responsible mainly for growth and reproduction. 

At the root of Chinese Medicine is what is known as Yin and Yang.  You might be familiar with the Yin/Yang symbol.  

Simply put, this symbol represents balance, which is the main concept behind Yin and Yang.   Yin and Yang can be summed up as opposing forces that create each other, keep each other in balance, are dependent on each other, and cannot be separated (separation of yin and yang is death).   These forces are alive in our universe:  Yin represents cold, winter, deep, dark, etc. and Yang represents heat, summer, superficial, light, etc.   The internal balance (homeostasis) that your body constantly strives to keep for optimal health and function is representative of these two forces.    

The next concept I’d like to introduce you to is directly related to pathologies (things that make you sick) according to TCM.  Any imbalance in the body will create an environment of weakened immunity.  It is important to keep in mind that the Ancient Chinese had no fancy diagnostic tools or machines to make a diagnosis, they only had observation.  Being a good observer is KEY to being a good diagnostic practitioner.  So, in light of being keen observers, they noticed what happens in nature can occur in the body.  Examples of this are:  Heat, Cold, Summer Heat, Fire, Wind, Dampness, and Dryness.  These can occur in almost any combination.   An example of this is the common cold.  This is seen as an invasion of Wind and Cold or Heat because the symptoms of the common cold are similar to that of wind:  it starts suddenly, can change direction and move around, and varies in intensity.  The cold and the heat come in with accompanying symptoms, i.e., fever vs. no fever, with or without chills, etc.   

Being a good observer is KEY to being a good diagnostic practitioner.

In addition to this, there is the Zang-Fu concept, the organs.  Each organ is either Zang or Fu and paired with another (1 Zang and 1 Fu).  Respectively paired in the order listed, the Zang organs are the Yin organs:  Lung, Spleen, Heart, Kidney, Pericardium, and Liver.  The Fu organs are the Yang organs:  Large Intestine, Stomach, Small Intestine, Urinary Bladder, San Jiao, and Gallbladder.  Each pair is assigned to a Wu-Xing (element).  The elements and their relation to each other describe how things are created and controlled in nature.  When applied to the body, it also explains how the organs interact and how vital substances and energies are created or controlled.  This gives insight into the pathology and progression of the disharmony. 

The elements are Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood.  In TCM, the organs are seen from an energetic and a physiological point of view. This is why TCM can be an effective and preventative form of healthcare.  It allows for seeing imbalances in the organs and organ systems before (ideally) there are any major problems or illnesses.  It can prevent or slow the progression of the illness.  The Zang-Fu form of diagnosis is something that some practitioners will say is not taught in all schools, and while it may or may not be, it is a basic concept of TCM and your practitioner should know it.   

There are other diagnostic concepts I could talk about; these are the most commonly used and heard in treatment or diagnosis.    As you can see, this is not a simple, cut and dry medicine; this is just an overview of these concepts.   It is complex and thorough, and for this reason I underwent advanced training in Diagnosis and Differentiation.  It is a vital part of giving effective treatments to my patients.  You can read about me on the “About Tab”, scroll down and click on “About Sheila.”