Chinese traditional medicine is rooted in Taoist philosophy and Chinese culture. Most of Chinese traditional medicines are inched on the concept of balance and flow. These include body fluids, blood, emotions spirit and the five senses. TCM dates back over 4,000 years. There are two most common traditional Chinese medicines that are presently used as alternative medicines throughout the world.

(a) Acupuncture: This is a procedure where tiny threadlike needles resembling filiform papillae (found in the toung) are inserted under the skin at points known as acupuncture points. Acupuncture points are parts of the body where blood flows. The Chinese indicate that there are twelve main and two extra meridian such points. The twelve areas are lung, stomach, heart, bladder, kidney, liver, large and small intestine, spleen gallbladder and pericardium. The other extra points are Luo vessels, divergents, sinew channels and the twelve main meridians. In conventional medicine, it is these points that make people live, get disease and are the focus of drugs. The filiform needles are inserted at these points where stagnation of blood is suspected to either relieve local pain or for therapeutic purposes. The practise of acupuncture spread from China into Korea, Vietnam and Japan and later to the rest of the world where different forms of acupuncture are now practised. Although acupuncture practise had reached US earlier, it became better known in 1970 when an American, James Reston, while on a visit to China, was treated with it for post-operative discomfort. The American National Acupuncture Association (NAA) was later to be formed and through seminars and presentations, made acupuncture practise to be accepted. This resulted in the establishment of UCLA Acupuncture pain clinic in 1972.

(b) Acupressure: This borrows heavily from acupuncture. In this, pressure is applied to the acupuncture (acupoints) points using a special instrument to relieve pain or for therapy. The amount of pressure is non-specific. Such instruments include;

1. The acuball. This small ball made of rubber and can be heated. It is rolled over an acupoint to apply pressure and therefore relieve local muscle pain or treat.

2. Energy roller: This is a small cylinder and is can also be heated. It is rolled over an acupoint back and forth to apply pressure to relieve pain or treat.

3. Foot roller: This is cylindrical and round. It is heated and placed on the floor. The feet (which have acupoints) are used to roll it back and forth and thereby apply pressure to those points.

4. Spine roller: This is a bumpy roller which has magnets attached to it. It is rolled along the spine to relieve any pain or to treat.

5. Pyramid mat: This is also known as power mat. It is a mat with short pyramid-shaped bumps placed near each other. Pressure is exerted on the feet (acupoints) when walking on them.

6. Wristband: This is a band designed to be worn on the wrist. It exerts pressure on acupoints on the wrist and is believed to relieve motion sickness and nausea.