Western medicine remains the mainstay treatment for illness and injury in many parts of the world. However, in the last decade, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has shown that it too has a complimentary role to play in the treatment of many ailments.</p>

One of the oldest practised holistic medicines in the world, TCM aims to investigate individual organ functions as well as how effectively they interact with other organs. In essence, it focuses on treating the person and not the disease.

Unlike Western medicine practices that revolve around theories of modern sciences such as physics, chemistry and biology, TCM believes that diseases are triggered by an imbalance between the Yin (negative) and the Yang (positive) forces.

Its explicit aim therefore, is to restore harmony and balance in the body. Also, the flow of Qi (‘chi’) or bio-electrical energy has to be kept unobstructed throughout the body’s major meridians. TCM treatment factors a patient’s genetic blueprint, the location and time of day, appearance (facial, eye and tongue colour), noise (sounds from chest and nose) and smell (body and mouth odour), emotional condition, and touch (pulse).

Located within Raffles Hospital, the Raffles Chinese Medicine Centre offers approved treatments in acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and acupressure (Tui Na).

In addition to having access to in-house imaging, laboratory facilities and translators, the real strength of the Centre lies in its highly qualified physicians who work closely with western medicine specialists to co-manage patients with specific conditions. These can range from asthma and insomnia, to fertility and pain management in cancer.