There is a great deal of confusion as to what to call what we do. We are called "acupuncturists" but acupuncture is only one modality utilized in our medicine. Herbal medicine, massage, nutrition, moxibustion, gua sha, cupping to name a few therapies, evolved together over centuries into what today constitutes Traditional Asian Medicine (TAM). The term TAM is also problematic. TAM, Oriental Medicine(OM), Chinese Medicine, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are often used interchangeably. The medicine originated in China and was exported over the years to neighboring countries which modified and developed their own styles. Currently Traditional Chinese Medicine is what is emphasized in most American acupuncture schools with Japanese and Korean styles being also very popular. At our clinic, we received the foundation of our training at a lineage-based, Chinese owned school. However, our current needling style is heavily influenced by Japanese acupuncture. We choose to use the term TAM because we feel it is the most respectful term that empasses all of what we do.
Traditional Asian Medicine (TAM), has its origins at least 2,500 years ago in China (according to the oldest written records, 5,000 years ago according to some experts.) TAM is an extremely sophisticated system of medicine. It is not a "folk" medicine as we in West sometimes call it, nor is it based on superstitions. TAM developed over a few millenia of scholarly and practical trial and error. It is based on the concepts of Daoism, Buddhism, and Confusionism, although today it is mostly secular in its practice. The focus of TCM is on balancing the Yin and Yang of the body and the 5 elements, which creates a state of health. The ideal is to deal with imbalances before they manifest as serious disease and to achieve a higher standard of health. TCM employs numerous modalities. The most common are acupuncture, herbal medicine (internal and external), moxibustion, nutrition, cupping, tuina (Chinese massage), and Qigong.
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