What is Chinese Medicine (CM)?
Chinese Medicine is a fully developed medical system from China with a tradition dating from before the 2nd Century BC. Chinese medicine is not a static remnant of history. It has consistently been progressing, improving, and developing its self to meet the current needs it faces today.
Chinese Medicine is divided into physical and herbal medicine. Physical medicine is the application of needles or bodywork to affect the body from the outside in, and as such is sometimes referred to as 'external' medicine. Herbal medicine is the application of herbal formulas to affect the body from the inside out, and so is sometimes referred to as 'internal' medicine. The two approaches work well individually but are most complete when used together.
In Chinese medical thought every individual has 'qi', and their qi is constantly interacting with the qi that exists in their environment. This is an important relationship and is reflected both in the way factors can influence an individual and in how an individual engages with the world and people around them.
Chinese medicine has always been a holistic and pragmatic system, utilising many treatment methods to implement its various strategies to harmonise and balance the patient. The most well known treatments today are acupuncture, herbal medicine, energy-bodywork, while clinical qigong is a less well known, but also highly effective, branch of Chinese Medicine. Classically in China, medicine was a weave of different threads around a central core perspective on disease and healing. There was no seperation of acupuncture from bodywork, or herbs, or even from what has become known as medical or clinical qigong. It was all simply medicine. Today due to mis-understanding and association with New Age thinking the benefits and efficacy of medical qigong in a clinical setting is often overlooked.
Chinese Medicine places great emphasis on preventing disease before it occurs, treating complaints pragmatically. Health is seen as more than just the absence of disease.It has a unique approach in maintaining and enhancing our capacity for well-being and happiness.
In Chinese medicine qi naturally enters and leaves the body and has its rhythms and cycles. Internally qi is distributed to all parts of the body to supplying each and every cell, in much the same manner that food and oxygen are a necessary constituent of life. Qi flows throughout the body in pathways called meridians and is closely related to xue (blood). Good health is a result of correct and balanced movement of qi and blood throughout the body. If due to trauma, qi and or blood flow is prevented in an area of the body then pain and/or illness may result. One of the main strategies of Chinese Medicine is to return qi and blood flow to its normal state.
Chinese medicine has gained increasing popularity in the West in the last few decades and continues to produce scientific research from Universities all around the world.
For more detailed information on what Chinese medicine is and is not please see 'What is Chinese Medcine?' by Andrew Nugent-Head.
We offer a variety of treatment packages to suit, please look at our Pricing Structure for more details.
Registration with a professional body
Unfortunately, registration is currently voluntary in the UK so not all practitioners belong to an association. This does not mean they are not qualified but it is always advisable to see a practitioner who is registered with a reputable body such as The ATCM , RCHM and the BAcC.
It is always wise to:
Chinese Medicine is a fully developed medical system from China with a tradition dating from before the 2nd Century BC. Chinese medicine is not a static remnant of history. It has consistently been progressing, improving, and developing its self to meet the current needs it faces today.
Chinese Medicine is divided into physical and herbal medicine. Physical medicine is the application of needles or bodywork to affect the body from the outside in, and as such is sometimes referred to as 'external' medicine. Herbal medicine is the application of herbal formulas to affect the body from the inside out, and so is sometimes referred to as 'internal' medicine. The two approaches work well individually but are most complete when used together.
In Chinese medical thought every individual has 'qi', and their qi is constantly interacting with the qi that exists in their environment. This is an important relationship and is reflected both in the way factors can influence an individual and in how an individual engages with the world and people around them.
Chinese medicine has always been a holistic and pragmatic system, utilising many treatment methods to implement its various strategies to harmonise and balance the patient. The most well known treatments today are acupuncture, herbal medicine, energy-bodywork, while clinical qigong is a less well known, but also highly effective, branch of Chinese Medicine. Classically in China, medicine was a weave of different threads around a central core perspective on disease and healing. There was no seperation of acupuncture from bodywork, or herbs, or even from what has become known as medical or clinical qigong. It was all simply medicine. Today due to mis-understanding and association with New Age thinking the benefits and efficacy of medical qigong in a clinical setting is often overlooked.
Chinese Medicine places great emphasis on preventing disease before it occurs, treating complaints pragmatically. Health is seen as more than just the absence of disease.It has a unique approach in maintaining and enhancing our capacity for well-being and happiness.
In Chinese medicine qi naturally enters and leaves the body and has its rhythms and cycles. Internally qi is distributed to all parts of the body to supplying each and every cell, in much the same manner that food and oxygen are a necessary constituent of life. Qi flows throughout the body in pathways called meridians and is closely related to xue (blood). Good health is a result of correct and balanced movement of qi and blood throughout the body. If due to trauma, qi and or blood flow is prevented in an area of the body then pain and/or illness may result. One of the main strategies of Chinese Medicine is to return qi and blood flow to its normal state.
Chinese medicine has gained increasing popularity in the West in the last few decades and continues to produce scientific research from Universities all around the world.
For more detailed information on what Chinese medicine is and is not please see 'What is Chinese Medcine?' by Andrew Nugent-Head.
We offer a variety of treatment packages to suit, please look at our Pricing Structure for more details.
Registration with a professional body
Unfortunately, registration is currently voluntary in the UK so not all practitioners belong to an association. This does not mean they are not qualified but it is always advisable to see a practitioner who is registered with a reputable body such as The ATCM , RCHM and the BAcC.
It is always wise to:
- Find out if the practitioner is registered with a professional organisation in the UK and if in doubt ask to see proof
- Find out if they have full professional indemnity insurance cover
- Ask where their herbs and herbal products come from
- Use products that are clearly labelled with the pharmaceutical name of herbs and dosages
- Ask yourself if you are happy with the level of communication and understanding caused by any language differences (use of a good interpreter is acceptable and not unusual)
- Ask yourself if you are confident that the practitioner took a full medical history and is aware of any other medication (pharmaceutical drugs) that you are taking
