The Chinese believe in a unique system of diagnosing and treating
illness. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is based on their belief
concerning Daoism. How illnesses are treated is basically centered on
the diagnosis and the differentiation of syndromes.

TCM classifies zangfu organs as the core of the human body with
tissues and organs being connected by a network of channels and blood
vessels that are inside the human body. There is believed to be a
connection between the diseases of the body surface tissues and the
related zang or fu organs. The zang or fu organs can also influence
each other through internal connections. TCM arrives at a diagnosis by
examining the entire network of body systems, and then focusing on the
correction of the pathological changes by readjusting the functions of
the zangfu organs.

Western medicine concentrates on the cause, mechanical factors,
location and nature of the disease; Traditional Chinese Medicine also
includes the pathogenic factors and the bodily resistance. TCM treats
illnesses based not only on the symptoms presented but by the
differentiation of syndromes. Two individuals presenting with
identical diseases may therefore be given different treatments as a
result. Individuals with very different diseases but with the same
syndrome are treated in similar fashion.

Clinical diagnosis and treatment in TCM are based on yin-yang and on
the five elements theories. These theories take the same principals of
nature and apply them to the physiological and pathological changes
within the human body. Acupuncture, herbal medicine and qigong
exercises are the basic therapies of TCM.

TCM is a holistic system of healing based on the principals of
internal balance and harmony.

Keeping the body’s internal systems and organs in balance and harmony
regenerates the following:

The circulatory system, endocrine system, neurological system,
excretory system, respiratory organs and also the urinary organs.

The complete medical system of TCM includes the causes of disharmony,
meridians, five elements, vital substances, Yin and Yang, Zangfu and
the diagnosis.

There are six external causes of disharmony: wind, cold, heat,
moisture, dryness, and summer heat.

There are seven internal causes of disharmony: sadness, grief,
pensiveness, fear, fright or shock, anger and joy.

The meridian system is a transportation system of channels and
meridians. There are twelve main meridians within the human body, six
are yin and six are yang. Each of these meridians relates to one of
the Zangfu organs.

The five elements (Wu Xing) are the processes fundamental to the
cycles of both nature and the human body. The Chinese believe that the
five elements have processes that include:

Wood feeds upon fire

Fire creates ashes, which then form the earth

Deep inside earth, metal which becomes heated then liquefies and
produces water vapor

Water then generates and nourishes the trees (wood).

TCM sees the human body as a “mini eco-system” that shares the same
qualities that nature does. The basic substances of the human body are
Qi, Body Fluids, Blood and Essence.

The two forces of yin and yang represent the bipolar manifestation in
nature. Since there exists “above” there must therefore be a
“below”, if there is a  “front” there must also be a “back”, the
existence of night, means there is day. Emotionally there could not be
great joy with out the existence of great pain or sorrow. Yin and yang
is not always exact even when the body is in a healthy state. There is
always change going on within the body, just as there is always change
going on in nature.

Zangfu is a term describing the different yin and yang organs.

The process of arriving at a diagnosis involves four areas:
observation, listening and smelling, questioning and palpation
(touching).