Traditional Chinese Medicine: what is it and how is it practiced?

Traditional Chinese medicine is an ancient and fascinating scientific medical corpus aimed at the prevention and treatment of diseases through ancient principles and remedies.

Traditional Chinese medicine , often abbreviated with the acronym TCM , is a very complex holistic discipline distant from our cultural conceptions, but which has made inroads in the Western world . To simplify and try to make this medical-philosophical corpus understandable, we report the key concepts below:

  • Qi

    the energy that permeates the entire cosmos and manifests itself in all living beings.

  • Tao

    Unique and unifying principle.

  • Yin and Yang

    They are two philosophical concepts that indicate the duality of every single element that makes up the entire universe

  • The 5 elements

    Energy in the universe and in living beings is characterized, according to Chinese Medicine, by essential qualities which are named after five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, water .

  • The meridians on the face and head

    According to traditional Chinese medicine, energy channels called meridians flow along the human body, similar to vessels or arteries, which form an organic system. These are energy flows of fine matter that cannot be directly detected at a sensory level.

All these concepts are interrelated in a variety of different solutions. The state of disease comes from the disturbance of the energy balance . If the prevention of the subject and the doctor have not been sufficient to restore the state of well-being, traditional Chinese medicine can intervene through various therapies, including massage . TCM was born as a form of rural and popular medicine and over time became contaminated with various philosophical schools, such as Taoism and Confucianism. Today, traditional Chinese medicine is also enjoying well-deserved success in traditional therapeutic fields, both in Asia and in the rest of the world. TCM allows human beings to play their role within the cosmos and to feel at one with the nature of which they are a part. The benefits can be found in correct nutrition and balanced diets, in compliance with seasonal cycles, in the benefits of physical exercise, in restoring dormant energy and in the correct flow of vital lymph , in anti-stress and anti-aging therapies .

Who is it most recommended for?

Anyone approaching TCM is usually a curious person, fascinated by new conceptions of our cultural system. TCM is ideal for an individual interested in the well-being of body and mind, considered as an essential whole. There are many treatable disorders: anxiety, stress, sleep, muscle pain, skin problems, gastrointestinal and sexual disorders.