Traditional Chinese medicine
For years, traditional Chinese Medicine has been constituted by a set of theories and practices grounded on a specific cognitive system and dialectics which are far removed from those of Western medicine.
Chinese medicine considers that the different elements of the body are inseparable and interactive: the organs are linked together and communicate with the rest of the body thanks to the jingluo system (meridians and ramifications) Thus, it constitutes a complex network which is relational, has surface and depth, top and bottom, left and right.
The study of the relationships between humans and their environment attaches particular importance to the passage of time. The Chinese became interested very early in what is known today as "chronobiology or chronotherapy".
Traditional Chinese Medicine's primary objective is to maintain health and prevent disease. It also makes it possible to treat most health problems (occasional or chronic), including skin, musculoskeletal, neurological, digestive, respiratory, genital, hormonal disorders, as well as certain infections and certain emotional problems.
Traditional Chinese medicine:
• Helps relieve muscle tension and relax the whole body
• Restores energy and tone by promoting blood circulation
• Eliminates toxins due to malnutrition
• Improves the quality of life of palliative care patients.
• Reduces the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
• Relieves intestinal problems.
• Reduces head and back pain.
• Works on the reflex points of the feet, hands and head.
• Releases physical, emotional and mental tensions.
• Helps manage anxiety and insecurity.
• Reduces the negative effects of stress.
Chinese medicine is essentially marked by three legendary figures, namely three mythical emperors:
• Fuxi: he is credited with writing the Yi Jing (Book of Changes), generally considered to be the oldest Chinese book.
• Shennong: father of agriculture and phytotherapy. He is called the "divine plowman". He is credited with the first Bencao 本草 (Treatise on Medicinal Materials).
• Huang Di: the Yellow Emperor was the creator of rites and medicine. He is credited with writing the Nei Jing (Huang Di Nei Jing 黃帝內經 or Classic of the Esoteric Tradition of the Yellow Emperor) which spanned the centuries.
The oldest fragments of Nei Jing Su Wen date back to the 5th - 3rd centuries BC. Around the end of this period, under the Qin:
• Su Wen (素 問) "Simple Questions" composed of 9 chapters, presented in the form of a discussion between Emperor Huang Di and his adviser Qi Bo 岐 伯, mainly discussing theory.
• Ling Shu (靈樞) “Spiritual Pivot”, also composed of 9 chapters, focused on practice.
The treatments used in traditional Chinese medicine are:
• acupuncture
• moxibustion
• Tuina massage
• pharmacopoeia