Literally, millions of people throughout South East Asia and a growing number from the West use Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a natural healing system. TCM is far older than Western-based medicine, at least 2000 years and its effectiveness is recognized by the World Health Organization and research scientists from Australia, Europe, Japan and North America.
One of a number of TCM concepts concerns the flow of essential or vital energy, Qi or Chi, that gives and ends life. Qi flows around the body along a network of connected channels called meridians. When Qi flows freely without encountering blockages, vitality is high and health and well-being are good. When Qi flow is blocked, the body's energy balance is upset giving rise to low vitality, poor health and well-being.
When health and well-being are poor, the TCM practitioner applies acupuncture, a long-standing therapy that uses needles to stimulate specific points along the meridians with the objective of clearing away blockages and stimulating Qi flow. The meridian network is complex as it connects all areas of the body and outer surfaces with the internal. This in turn stimulates the body's own capacity to heal, improving health, well-being and vitality.
As every body is unique with its own Qi signature, TCM practice focuses on treating the entire individual by improving Qi flow around the body in a sustained way. Health and well-being whether physical or emotional are dynamically linked through the flow of Qi. This is yet another difference from Western medicine which treats a condition in isolation of its impact on the overall energy status of the patient. What is key is that two people with the same western diagnosis are quite likely to receive different acupuncture treatments.