about Oriental medicine

What is Oriental medicine and traditional Chinese medicine?

Oriental medicine is the broadest term for traditional medicines that originated in eastern Asia and the Pacific area. Classical medicines and especially Chinese medicine has its philosophical roots in Daoist thought, a viewpoint that uses universal principles observed in nature as metaphors to understand worldly phenomena, including health. This approach still has some significant advantages. It has been practiced professionally and continuously for well over 2500 years and is still effective today because its practice is based on evidence gathered and recorded over generations, an empirical system where trial preceded theory. Oriental medicine is also a complete system of medicine, it has an effective system of diagnosis and treatment therapies that able to treat a wide variety of illnesses. Another characteristic is that it is customized for each patient and does not take a mechanical viewpoint. The whole person is considered organically — mind, body and spirit, as well as lifestyle and environmental factors. It is very flexible and hence can often be used in conjunction with other standard Western medical therapies.

How does Oriental medicine view disease?

Oriental medicine sees dis-ease as an imbalance of the mind-body system that is caused by blockage, adverse movement, deficiency or dysfunction of the body’s vital-energy and metabolism. When the movement of has been rectified or supplemented, the mind-body can function freely and properly again and can then heal itself of any disease. This can be accomplished by using a single or any number of treatment therapies.