Traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, is a body of healing practices that originated in China thousands of years ago.  TCM is based on the concept that imbalance among essential aspects of the body is the source of illness, and that when balance is restored, there is health.  It employs various therapeutic methods, such as acupuncture and herbal medicine, to balance the yin and yang aspects – very roughly, the substantial and functional aspects – of the body, mind and spirit.  It is a holistic system, taking all facets of the individual’s being into consideration when addressing a disorder. 

Please read on for answers to some frequently asked questions about acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine.