Traditional Chinese Medicine (or TCM) is based on a holistic view of the human body as a set of interconnected systems and energies. Accepting the body as a network, TCM eschews the surgical precision of Western medicine and focuses on underlying causes instead of treating symptoms. Or, as Dr. David Xiaodong Zhang of the International Medical Clinic puts it, "Most Western doctors only look at their specialty, but TCM always tries to understand the whole picture." Key to TCM is the concept of balance between yin and yang, hot and cold, forces and the opening of wei (defensive points) to allow one's qi (energy) to flow freely through the body. While many swear by the benefits of TCM, beginning treatment and finding the right doctor are daunting tasks. So we did the hard work for you by test driving a variety of options around the capital.

By Peter Lafave, Laura Fitch, Sienna Parulis-Cook, Blake Stone-Banks

Initial Consultation

Doctor: Zhang Yuan at Beijing Zijincheng TCM Clinic Treatment: Immune system and sleep difficulties Cost: ¥60 (consultation) ¥340 (herbal tonic)

Consultation principles Any TCM treatment program should begin with a consultation. The most renowned option is the Guang’anmen TCM Hospital in Xuanwu. But for minor ailments, a neighborhood clinic—where you will rarely wait long to see a doctor—works fine. Do bring a native Chinese speaker as TCM vocabulary is technical. Alternatively, international clinics, like Beijing United Family, and top clinics, like Yuyuantang Clinic, also employ TCM doctors who speak English. Don't be surpised if the consultation involves some odd questions, often about bowel function.

Our experience We visited the Beijing Zijincheng Clinic to improve our immune system and sleep. After taking our pulse, Dr. Zhang told us we had too much “fire” in our liver, affecting our sleep, and that our kidneys were a little weak, which is bad for the immune system. He added, “The lines on your tongue and palms show you have problems absorbing nutrients." Zhang then created a tea made from four herbs: ginseng to nourish the qi and blood, erhu for our immune system, wild jujube seed to help us sleep and Scented Solomon’s-seal for our kidneys. We expected a bitter, unpleasantly pungent brew, but the nicely flavored and fragranced tea was a pleasant surprise.

Details
-Beijing Zijincheng TCM Clinic: 16 Chaoyangmennei Xiaojie, 朝阳门内小街, Tel: 6525-8888 -Yuyuan Tang Clinic: 1/F, North Bldg, Longtou Apartments, 8 Nanxinyuan Xilu, 南新园西路8号, 龙头公寓北栋一层, Tel: 8372-7455, Web: gogendo.longtou.net -Beijing United Family: 2 Jiangtai Lu, 将台路2号, Tel: 5927-7000

Tuina and Physiotherapy

Doctor: David Xiaodong Zhang Treatment: Post-op shoulder recovery Cost for treatment: ¥300-1,000 / session

Tuina principles The use of massage and similar hands-on therapies for treating physical disorders have been used in China for over 3,000 years. The tuina practitioner today kneads and presses on the joints, acupuncture points and muscles to open the body's wei and increase the flow of qi through the body. Many patients report strong results from tuina therapy in the treatment of pain, migraines, musculo-skeletal disorders, arthritis, stress, digestive problems, back pain and post-surgery recovery. In Beijing, TCM clinics line the streets offering tuina therapies, often in conjunction with other TCM treatments. There are also TCM massage clinics that specialize in tuina. As in much of TCM, finding the tuina therapist that is most effective for your troubles is often a process of trial and error.

Our experience Still recovering from shoulder surgery, we met with Dr. David Xiaodong Zhang at the International Medical Center. Dr. Zhang is both a licensed TCM doctor in Beijing and in Texas, as well as an American certified chiropractic doctor. Zhang examined our shoulder's range of motion and asked questions about the injury. For post-operative physical therapy, he suggested combining our current physical therapy program with tuina and other TCM therapies. Using tuina with a made-in-house herbal lotion high in magnesium would, Dr. Zhang said, "promote circulation, absorb the scar tissue and help the shoulder repair faster."

Details - International Medical Center: S106, 1/F Lufthansa Center, 50 Liangmahe Lu, 亮马桥路50号燕莎中心写字楼1层S106, Tel: 6465-1561, Web: www.imcclinics.com - Yuyuan Tang Clinic: 1/F, North Bldg, Longtou Apartments, 8 Nanxinyuan Xilu 南新园西路8号龙头公寓北栋一层, Tel: 8372-7455, Web: gogendo.longtou.net

Cupping and Scraping

Doctor: Lan Daifu at Wuxing Health Blind Massage Treatment: Cupping and scraping for a head cold Cost for treatment: ¥60

Cupping and scraping principles The two TCM treatments with the most visible effects, cupping and scraping aim to rid the body of toxins by releasing them from the skin’s surface. Not a treatment for swimsuit season, scraping leaves red welts on the back, and the suction from the cupping creates orange-sized hickeys. Lan Daifu of the Wuxing Health Blind Massage Center, who trained in massage and TCM techniques at a local TCM school for the blind, says that trained cupping and scraping practitioners can decipher the body’s qi from examining the marks left by the treatments. Lan says, “In order to get the full effects, you need to drink a large bowl of ginger slices and brown sugar dissolved in hot water. Not boiled water. Just hot.”

Our experience We visited Wuxing Health Blind Massage in the throes of a nasty head cold. After removing our shirt, we laid down on the massage table face first while Lan Daifu used the edge of a stone to scrape from our shoulders down to the small of our back. Though not painful, it wasn’t exactly comfortable, and we were gritting our teeth for the last five minutes of the 15-minute treatment. After running his fingers over the welts and asking his sighted assistant for the depth of color of the marks, Lan explained that we had an excess of fire in our system and needed to cut down on oils and drink copious amounts of water. Next, about 12 glass cups were suctioned to our shoulders, upper and lower back, porcupine-style. We were left to exude our toxins for roughly 15 minutes with a blanket laid gently over the cups. The feeling of our skin separated from our muscles was intense but subtly pleasurable. After the cups were removed, we felt much more relaxed than when we arrived. Though we still had a cold the next morning, we did feel better than the day before. We were guilty, however, of forgoing the hot ginger water in lieu of a glass of white wine.

Details - Wuxing Health Blind Massage: Rm 207, 2/F, Dongwai Residence, 3 Xinzhong Dongjie, 新中东街, 东外公馆2层207室, Tel: 6416-7629, Web: www.wuxingjianchina.cn

Herbal Medicine

Doctor: Pharmacist at Tongren Tang Pharmacy Treatment: Chinese olive and honeysuckle-based pills Cost for treatment: ¥10 / bottle

Herbal medicine principles Chinese herbal remedies have evolved over thousands of years. Unlike Western medicine, the crux of herbal remedies is not one active ingredient. It is the combination and proportions of a variety of ingredients that makes an effective remedy. Ingredients range from plants and roots to minerals and animal parts. Controversy has popped up in recent years over the use of endangered species in herbal medicine. Some Chinese doctors use crushed tiger tooth or elephant penis for certain remedies. Scarcity of supply can lead to high prices. After consultation with a Chinese doctor, medicine is generally freshly mixed with consideration for patients' specific needs. TCM hospitals and many private practitioners have their own pharmacies with ingredients ready for preparation. Certain rare ingredients can cost thousands of ¥. Tongren Tang pharmacy sells some ginseng roots that cost in excess of ¥3,000.

Our experience Like many foreigners, we've suffered respiratory issues since our plane landed in Beijing. Never serious enough to warrant a visit to the hospital, we call it the “Beijing sickness.” We went to Tongren Tang, a three floor TCM pharmacy off Qianmen Pedestrian Street, in search of relief. Here, doctors are available for consultation (¥200), but we decided to consult with a Tongren Tang pharmacist, who, though not a doctor, was knowledgeable and does not charge. She asked about the color of our mucus, length of symptoms and looked at our tongue, but still seemed perplexed. We volunteered that we wake up with a dry mouth and chapped lips and she said she knew just the thing: “The main ingredients are Chinese olive and honeysuckle,” she told us. The pills are supposed to be therapeutic for dry throats and even tonsilitis.

Details - Tongren Tang: 106 Qianmen Dajie, 前门大街106号, Tel: 6303-1155, www.tongrentang.com

Acupuncture

Doctor: Dr. Xu Wenbo at Yuyuantang Clinic of TCM Treatment: Acupuncture for back pain Cost for treatment: ¥200

Acupuncture principles Acupuncture has been shown to alleviate aches and pains, and in TCM is regularly used to treat arthritis, the flu, intestinal problems and sleep irregularities. "Even if you're not sick, acupuncture can benefit overall health," adds Dr. Xu Wenbo of the Yuyuan Yang Clinic. "Many illnesses are caused by blocked veins. Acupuncture can help with this.” The practical application of acupuncture consists of injecting small needles into specific wei points. Acupuncture needles are stored in medically sealed packages similar to a Western dentist's tools and disposed of afterward.At the Yuyuan Tang Clinic, Dr. Xu also practices moxibustion (the jiu in zhenjiu, the Chinese term for acupuncture), in which she affixes small pieces of incense to the tips of the needles and lights them on fire. “The benefit is two-fold,” she says. “First, the aroma of this particular incense is therapeutic and calms the nerves. Second, a hot needle more effectively releases tension and clears internal passageways.”

Our experience We've suffered back and neck pain for four years and seen over 10 TCM doctors. Various treatments have offered relief, but only one previous doctor seemed to put us on a course towards long-term recovery. In our visit to the Yuyuan Tang Clinic, Dr. Xu took our pulse, asked about sleep habits and looked at our tongue. She told us we should “get more sleep and wake earlier.” Then she examined our stomach. She put one needle just above our navel, then one needle in each foot. “These points are the furthest from the heart and thus important to overall circulation," she said. Next she put one needle in our left hand, one behind each ear lobe and one in our forehead. She then heated the needles in our forehead and stomach with moxibustion. After relaxing for 20 minutes, Dr. Xu returned and removed the needles. While acupuncture takes time to show its real effects, we could tell that Dr. Xu and the doctors at Yuyuan Tang are exceptionally skilled.

Details - Yuyuan Tang Clinic: 1/F, North Bldg, Longtou Apartments, 8 Nanxinyuan Xilu, 南新园西路8号龙头公寓北栋一层, Tel: 8372-7455