TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a system of health from China in which a practitioner checks your pulse and tongue, then suggests herbs and diet changes. It also includes acupuncture and movement such as qigong. TCM sees health as a balanced flow of energy (qi) along pathways called meridians; these ideas come from tradition. Check with your doctor before taking herbal remedies, especially if you take other medicines or are expecting a baby. There is good evidence that acupuncture, part of TCM, may help prevent frequent headaches, but Chinese herbal products lack firm evidence: see “Traditional Chinese medicine: what the research says”.