Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) , also known simply as Chinese medicine , is the name commonly given to a range of traditional medical practices , used in China , that have developed over the course of several thousand years of history.
It is also regarded as an instance of oriental medicine, a term which may include other traditional Asian medical systems such as Japanese, Korean, Tibetan, and Mongolian medicine.
Chinese medicine principally employs a method of analysis and synthesis, inquiring on a macro-level into the internal systems of the human body and their mutual relationships with the internal and external environment in an attempt to gain an understanding of the fundamental laws which govern the functioning of the human organism. This understanding is then applied to the treatment and prevention of disease, and to the maintenanceof health.
TCM is rooted in a unique, comprehensive and systematic theoretical structure and its treatments derive directly from this structure. Treatments include a sophisticated herbal medicine, Acupuncture, Qi Gong, Diet, Exercise and Tui Na (massage).
In the West, TCM is often considered alternative medicine; however, in mainland China and Taiwan, TCM is widely considered to be an integral part of the health care system.
