A critical examination of the main premises of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Eigenschink, M., Dearing, L., Dablander, T.E. et al. · The Central European Journal of Medicine · 2020 March 20
DOI 10.1007/s00508-020-01625-w
Objective
This article therefore provides an overview of the evidence underlying the basic TCM concepts, such as Qi, meridians, acupuncture, pulse and tongue diagnostics as well as traditional herbal treatments. Moreover, it discusses whether scientific literature on TCM reflects the current standard for evidence-based research, as described in good scientific practice and good clinical practice guidelines.
Conclusions
The utilization of TCM is based on a vast history dating back thousands of years, thereby justifying the word "traditional" in its title. It is well known in central Europe and its usage, even though hardly backed by scientific studies, enjoys general acceptance amongst the population. This review aimed on examining a number of important areas of TCM covering Qi, meridians, acupuncture, pulse and tongue diagnostics as well as herbal remedies. Furthermore, the publication frequency of TCM literature and the argumentative patterns found in the top cited publications were analyzed. It was observed, that most publications used fallacious descriptions or expressions to substantiate their argumentation. Moreover, it was impossible to determine a scientifically justified basis for the existence of Qi and the meridians; hence, it is difficult to reconcile how acupuncture works as it is based entirely on finding the right acupuncture point; however, there are measurable improvements albeit the evidence can only be graded as mild. It has been speculated that nervous stimulation by short-term pain induction or psychological interference may be the underlying reason for acupuncture effects to occur.
Critical Appraisal
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