
How Does Traditional Chinese Medicine Work?
Disease, which is an alteration in the normal flow of qi such that yin and yang are not balanced, is considered to have three causes: external or environmental factors, internal emotions, and lifestyle factors such as food. Through therapies, Traditional Chinese Medicine stimulates the body's healing mechanisms. Practices used in Traditional Chinese Medicine include:
- Acupuncture
- Moxibustion, burning an herb near the skin
- Herbal medicine
- Nutrition
- Tui na, chinese medicine
- Tai chi and qi gong
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the body's internal organs are thought of as complex networks. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, qi flows through organ systems, the kidneys, heart, spleen, liver, lung, gallbladder, small intestine, and large intestine, by meridians. These five systems correspond to more than individual body parts. The kidney, for example, represents the entire urinary system along with the adrenal glands, located on top of the kidneys. The heart, meanwhile, represents both the heart and the brain.
From the University of Maryland Medical Center, http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/treatment/traditional-chinese-medicine