Chinese Medicine

What is Chinese Medicine?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been used for thousands of years to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. It is based on maintaining the natural balance of the flow of energy (Qi or chi) which flows along meridians (channels) in the body. TCM includes acupuncture, Moxibustion (the burning of herbal leaves on or near the body), herbal therapy, Cupping, Tui Na, Qi Gong, mediation and massage.

TCM is based on the premise that our physical, emotional, spiritual and energetic selves are all inter-connected and so that what we are feeling has a huge impact on our bodies. Each of our emotions, both positive and negative, are associated with an organ. During times of prolonged stress, or following the trauma of a bereavement, if painful emotions are suppressed instead of being felt and transformed, they will eventually manifest in symptoms and disorders.

How Chinese Medicine can help

Through the practices outlined above, TCM aims to restore the body’s balance and harmony between the natural opposing forces of yin and yang which can block Qi and cause disease.

If you are grieving, alongside the over-whelming feelings of grief, it is common to experience physical symptoms including heavy pressure on the chest or in the abdomen, or even heart palpitations.

However, as Katie Brindle, Author of ‘Yang Sheng, the art of Chinese self-healing’ notes, whilst negative emotions can disrupt the energy of your organs, positive emotions can heal and balance them. You can intentionally choose your emotion and try conjuring it up to transform the negative into a positive.

TCM is a complementary therapy and should not be used as a replacement for conventional treatment, especially for more serious conditions. Some of the herbs used in Chinese medicine can be toxic when combined with other medicines, or can be unsafe with certain medical conditions, so it is advisable to inform your doctor if you are using TCM.