Theory
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), of which acupuncture is a part, is a system of healing based upon the Chinese philosophy of the correspondence between Nature and human beings. The principle of microcosm-macrocosm is based upon the observation of several thousand years that Nature has a vital effect upon the health of people. Another fundamental principle is that of Yin and Yang being the two basic complementary energies of Nature. All of the manifestations of nature are thought to be composed of a specific balance of these two forces. Health is also thought to be due to the appropriate balance of yin and yang in the body. This balance is reflected in many ways but the most fundamental is that of the relationships of Qi, the vital force or energy which flows through a system of channels and conduits in the body, and blood. Qi and blood are responsible for activating and maintaining all of the physiological functions of the body.
The methods of TCM all involve different approaches to altering the circulation of Qi in order to allow the body to naturally heal itself.
TCM discusses the various innate and pathogenic phenomena of the body using environmental terminology. In this system, there are five main organs (liver, heart, spleen, lung, and kidney) with five associated elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water). An illness is an imbalance in these five systems of the body due to a problem in the functions of qi, blood, yin, or yang, and is described in terms of what is out of balance. The imbalances are described as deficiencies or excesses of these various factors, as this is a system based on their relationship. Diseases are diagnosed according to an individual's innate susceptability and the current symptoms, so that each problem is addressed for its manifestations and root cause.