PHA4007

There are many misconceptions about

Chinese Medicine
There is a great difference between the modern
philosophy & the ancient philosophy of Chinese
Medicine
Folk remedy co-exists along side modern medicine
Mix Western & Chinese Medicines
For the Chinese practitioner the mixing is not
important, the results is what matters
Philosophy & Theory of
Chinese Medicine

Chinese medicine considers illness & cures in the

human body as a combination of emotional,
physical, psychological, environmental & cosmic
factors
Chinese medicine deals with the mind, body,
general health and disease totally when treating a
person
Origin of Chinese Medicine
The legendary founders of Chinese medicine for
the Chinese people are:

The Yellow Emperor (Huang Di) &

The Devine Farmer (Shen Nong)

Began to take form 5000 years ago

Two main types of Chinese
medical practitioners
Official doctors-trained in official training centers or
government colleges

Unofficial doctors (itinerant or religious folk doctors)-

educated by teachers, often family members or
religious teachers
There are several varieties of
Chinese Medicine including
Acupuncture Diagnosis-Observation
Acupressure of patient
Herbology Therapy & Therapeutic
Chinese Nutrition Techniques
Tuina
Moxibustion
Jiaofa
Massage
Yangsheng
Qigong
Mantras
Diagnosis
The four basic methods of examination (sizhen) are:
looking at the patient(wangzhen)
examination by listening, smelling, &
tasting (wenzhen)
examination by interrogation (wenzhen)
examination by touching (qiezhen)
Observing the patient
Observes body as a whole
Some diseases show in the way a person moves &
looks
Observes shape of the body- large, small, thin, fat
Observes posture of patient- may indicate deviation of
backbone
Observes color of face & parts of body
Observes how patient behaves- quiet, aggressive,
disturbed, does he think clearly, does he make sense
Observes parts of body -head, hair, hands, tongue,
Eight factors that guide the practitioner
Two basic elements of change-yin & yang can be
called by different names to distinguish areas but the
underlying theory is still the yin-yang relationship
biao-on the surface or superficial
li-internal or fundamental
han-cold
re-hot
xu-empty or powerless
shi-over-powerful or full
Chinese Therapy & Therapeutic
Techniques
Preserving health & preventing disease better than
curing
Herbal medicines & other external & internal
practices of prevention popular in China
Have innumerable exercises & herbal preparations
Prevent disease by practicing qigong & taijiquan
Physicians advise patient to take up form of
exercise to recover from illness, keep in shape &
prevent recurring illness
There are pills & medicines for regaining vitality
Eight methods of Therapy
(Curing)
Han- (sweating) making the patient sweat- damage
caused by external circumstances
Tu- (vomiting) making the patient vomit- like
when food is not digested or person has been
poisoned
Xia- (lowering) forcing matter in the body
downward- like when there is constipation
He- (harmonizing) adjust or regulate a body
function- as when upper & lower parts are not in
harmony
Methods of treatment in TCM

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Methods of treatment
Herbal Medicine 中草药
Acupuncture 针灸 & Moxibustion 灸术 , 艾
灼
Cupping 拔火罐
Massage 推拿
Diet therapy or food therapy 食疗
Gua Sha 刮痧
Qigong exercises and Medical Qikong 保健
气功
Exercise therapy （ Taijiquan and other Chi
nese Martial Arts ）运动健身疗法
Eight Methods of Therapy
(curing) continued
Wen- (warning) raising the temperature in an area
of the body- used when cold is cause of disease
Qing- (purifying) clearing heat & purifying the
body- used when heat is the source of illness
Xiao- (dispelling) eliminating or dispelling the
cause of disease- eliminate blockages, blocked
body fluid or blocked materials
Bu- (supplying) improve conditions of bloodfluid
& functions of the body- gives someone more
strength
Acupuncture
Zhenfa (needle technique) is a way of influencing
bodily functions by inserting needles in the Xue
(acupuncture points)
Was popular in ancient times then forbidden in 1822,
was rediscovered this century
Physician must be acquainted with the exact location
of the Xue or can cause damage instead of cure
Acupuncture Needles
Originally used 9 needles but now use many more
Needles originally made of bone, stone or metal
including gold or silver now they are made of
stainless steel
Needles used differ in both length & thickness
Smallest needles measure less than one inch but
largest can be one foot in length
Needles can be inserted perpendicular or slanting
Speed of insertion, depth of insertion differ
Once inserted needle may be turned, pulled, heated
Set of Acupuncture Needles
Documented Successes with Acupuncture

Acupuncture is combined with herbs in the treatment

of Chronic Fatigue
considered a paradigm shift that causes damp heat, latent
heat, Qi deficiency & blood deficiency
Acupuncture used for Back pain
considered blood stagnation causing damp heat &kidney
pathology(can be anything from stones to deficiency in
Yin or Yang)
Acupuncture & herbs successfully used for treatment
of “Women’s problems”
(Menopause, PMS, Pain occurring with menstruation and
excessive flow or spotting)
More successful uses of Acupuncture
Lupus-acupuncture combined with herbal
formulas for full recovery of patients
Sciatica-acupuncture combined with acupressure
for full relief of pain
Varicose veins-acupuncture combined with hot
herbal decoction to soak & wash area to speed
healing
Infertility-acupuncture has been combined with
traditional Chinese medicine in the successful
treatment of various causes of infertility in both
male & female patients
 Acupressure
Similar to Acupuncture in use of points but uses
pressure instead of needles

Pressure on different points can relieve or cure many

different ailments (including pain in bones, joints,
muscles & nerves to blockages like carpal tunnel)

Continued use will relieve many conditions that

normally require surgery in Western countries
Moxibustion
Application of very powerful & pungent essence to
strategic points

Mainly used in combination with Acupuncture

Moxibustion is the burning of the Moxa herb

Moxa particularly effective when patient is suffering

from cold or dampness
Moxibustion
Herb thought to be pure Yang in
nature therefore suitable for warming
One method of treatment is burn herb
rolled in paper a short distance from the
skin along the track of the jing
(meridians)
also burn over holes to allow to enter
body (as ears, mouth, nose)
 Cupping 拔火罐
In this modality ,glass or acrylic （丙烯酸） suction( 吸入 )
cups are applied to specific areas of the body. It is a
congested( 使充血 ) treatment using a vacuum cup sucked
firmly on the skin.
Usually, the doctor fires an alcohol sponge （棉） and
puts it inside the cup for a short while to make the cup a
vacuum one, then he places the vacuum cup instantly over
the selected spot of the skin.
It is mainly used for conditions that are associated with
“stagnation” （淤塞） which often manifests as chronic
( 慢性 ) pain ．　
Chinese Massage
Consists of internal & external aspects
Influence conditions of the skin & muscles
May be directed at the bones, joints,
bloodfluid, or other internal parts or functions
Uses techniques like chiropractic in the West
All parts of the body can be treated
Self-massage is form of this therapy
There are eight fundamental
techniques of massage from
which all other forms derive

Tui (pushing) Da (beating)

Na (grasping) Dong (moving)
An (pressing or Mo (rubbing)
pushing downward) Gun (rolling like
Qian (pulling) waves)
Different systems of Massage
There are many combinations derived from the
eight fundamental techniques of massage such as:
Tuina (pushing & grasping)
Anmo (pressing & rubbing)
Dianxue (touching of the holes)
Who techniques are practiced:
One hand Combination of hand & foot
Two hands Using other parts of body
With feet Using a massage medium (such as sticks,
rollers or herbal preparation)
Qigong
The skill of directing & controlling Qi
Rapid development of Qigong is based on clinical
results & supported by scientific research
Includes methods similar to hypnosis,
psychotherapy, trance, laying of hands and
magnetism
Is used for many things including the treatment of
cancer
IS also the practice of exercise (Physician must
undergo a long period of body & mind training
before they are allowed to practice or teach)
Qigong continued
Physician uses concentration & relaxation in his
body to make his own qi flow in the direction he
wishes ( he can transmit it into the patients body
directly or by touching the person)
When this is done, magnetic, bio-electrical reactions,
hormonal & molecular changes occur
Greatest changes seem to be within body cells
Qigong physician is employed at every respectable
hospital to teach patients health exercises both for
rehabilitation or to prevent development of disease
Chinese Herbal Medicine
The oldest medical book that mentions herbs is the
Huang Di Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of
Internal Medicine)
Book is dated to between 800 BC & 200 BC
Compendium of medical theory & practice attributed
to Yellow Emperor thought to have lived c.4700 BC
(he may be a mythical character used to provide
credence to the work)
Herbal medicine

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Period of the Nei Jing
This period one of great creativity & change
Period of transition from shamanistic
medicine to one based on theory &
accumulated knowledge of body
Book discusses theory of medicine &
knowledge even though it was suppose to
have been written 2500 years prior to this
The 28 substances & 12 prescriptions are the
first mention of Chinese Herbal Medicine &
continues to be practiced today
Herbology & Other
Medicines
Pharmacology is an ancient Chinese
science
Ingredients used range from herbs to
minerals to animal components
Almost anything within these boundaries
is suitable for use in a medication
Preparation of Medicine
When preparing medicines they take
into consideration the basic
compatibility or incompatibility of the
different products, the volume used, the
way it will be used (orally or
externally), the restrictions &
prohibitions or counter-indications of
the products
Herbs
Unique strength of herbal therapies is that the
prescription is made to order according to the
needs of a specific person
A formula for one person for a headache will
contain different ingredients for that person
than it would for another person also with
headaches
Ingredients are all natural
Can be without animal products (for a
vegetarian)
e.g. There are many uses of Ginkgo
Memory impairment such as Alzheimer’s disease &
other mental disorders from poor circulation-improves
the memory & mental acuity in many chronic brain
syndromes
Circulation problems-improves the blood flow by
reducing thickness in blood
The extract of the nut & leaves of the Ginkgo tree are
used.
Known as an excellent antioxidant
New product used as a cure for
Tumor or Cancer
New anti-cancer Chinese prescription proven
& recognized to have 80% curing rate in the
final stages of Cancer patients in clinical tests
all over China & the National Cancer Institute
of the U.S. Called “China No. 1 Tian Xian
Liquid”
Has been documented to reduce or cure breast lumps
Breast cancer patients cancer spread to bone tissue yet
after treatment patient returned to work
Colon cancer patient in final stage is cured
How Chinese medicine is classified:
Yaoxing-nature or Weidao-taste
Smell & taste of
Four qi (siqi) of
medicine: medicines allow them to
 Han-cold
be be classed in other
categories:
 Re-hot
 Suan-sour
 Wen-warm
 Ku-bitter
 Liang-cool
 Gan-sweet
Medicine not fitting these  Xin-pungent
categories are called  Xian-salty
pingxing yao (neutral  Dan-tasteless
nature)  Se-astringent
How the medicines work:

Each & every nature or taste influences the

basic cause of disease and creates a change in
the condition

The taste makes them harmonize with certain

body functions & through the relationships of
the five agents they affect the functions either
directly or indirectly
How are medicines prepared?
Choa-frying
Pao-roasting
Zhi-broiling
Zhi-roasting in a liquid (including vinegar, honey,
alcohol, water etc.)
Wei-stewing (wrapped in wet paper or wet bread until
outer material becomes dark)
Jiaofa
Jiaofa-(horn-method) where physician uses glass cups
or bamboo segments, heated on the inside by fire, and
stuck to parts of the patients body

Cup sticks tightly because of the vacuum created by

the heat and dispels cold & dampness from the body.
It then warms the Qi and reduces swelling
Yangsheng
This is the nourishment or cultivation of life
By taking care of one’s life & daily influences or
activities, disease is prevented
Uses diet & exercise
Uses martial arts & even Yoga
Some knowledge of the body is required for this
Stresses the importance of uniting the Qi otherwise no
single method will prolong life
Diet therapy or food therapy 食疗

It is the preparation of medicinal food dishes, using

selected food ingredients and superior herbs, to
derive the necessary nutrients to treat specific health
conditions.

This combination of foods and herbs to make

medicinal dishes to treat sickness is food therapy.  .
Food therapy con’t
Food therapy is believed to help improve
health on a regular basis, prevent seasonal
climate related problems, fight early symptoms
of health problems, complement the primary
treatment.

Also, to combat adverse side effects of harsh
drugs during sickness, revive and regain vitality
after sickness and repair damages and body
malfunctions to restore health
Mantras
Mantras are powerful therapeutic means to
the Chinese
Are pronounced silently or aloud
Promotes health & inner comfort
Mantras can have the opposite effect
Fu are talismans (secret writing in red ink or
blood on yellow paper & given to the person)
were used to expel evil influences or as a
spiritual means to make a person more in
harmony with their surroundings
46
Western and Traditional Chinese
Medicine compared
Generally speaking , the western and traditional
Chinese medicine is essentially different.
In principle , western medicine cures disease by
using external forces. TCM in another hand attempts
to reinforce and stimulate body's internal strength to
cure disease.
Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine
compared

Western medicine bases on the theory

that disease is caused by bacterial and
other external means. TCM believes
that disease is basically caused by the
imbalance of body.

48
 Western medicine is chemical
compound while the traditional
Chinese medicine is natural .
The western medicine works quickly, but
it has more side-effect .
The traditional Chinese medicine will
take more time to work, but it has less
side-effect.
Western and Traditional Chinese
Medicine compared

It is an element that cure the disease in western

medicine, but it is the prescription that works not
one element. For example, when we get a high fever,
the western doctor will give us some pills which
contain paracetamol( 扑热息痛 ), but the traditional
Chinese doctor may suggest some soup of ginger
with brown sugar.

50
 Research and regulation of TCM
In China, among the foreign students in natural sciences, those
who major in traditional Chinese medicine accounts for the
highest percentage.

World Health Organization has established 7 collaborating centers

of traditional medicine and pharmacology. International training
centers have been set up in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou,
Nanjing and Xiamen to train TCM personnel from over the world.

51
The current situation of TCM
Colleges of traditional Chinese medicine and
acupuncture have been founded in France, US, Italy
and Australia. An institute of TCM theoretical
research has been set up in the Munich University of
Germany. Cooperation in TCM has been

established between China and

Japan, the United State and

Germany.

52
To use or not to use TCM?
The current situation of
TCM
Though the development of TCM is promising,
there are still some problems.

First, while more and more foreign patients turn to

TCM ,more and more Chinese believe in western
medicine, because western medicine works more
quickly than TCM. Patient is to the doctor what
water is to the fish. No patients, no doctors, put
aside the prosperity of the TCM.

54
The current situation of
TCM
Secondly, because patients
believe in the western medicine,
less and less Chinese students will
choose this subject. So you can
hardly see young traditional
doctors. It will be not surprising
that one day , there is no Chinese
who masters TCM.

55
The current situation of
TCM

At last , the managerial system of TCM is in

chaos.
TCM hasn’t get enough focus.

56
Summary
The Chinese learned long age that the body was a
circuitry of electrical impulses with a variety of critical
points along the electrical pathways

A needle applied to the proper point energizes a

particular organ

Believed emotional events create blocks in the

circuitry & must be relieved so energy flow can be
restored
THE END !!!