There are four basic branches of Chinese medicine: Chinese herbalism, Chinese food cures, Chinese acupuncture, and Chinese Manipulative therapy. In most instances, a Chinese physician will be more likely to practise these four branches of Chinese medicine simultaneously, but various brances may also be practised separately in different clinics.

In general, however, Chinese herbalism and Chinese food cures are almost always practised together. Likewise, it is also customary for an acupuncturist to practise manipulative therapy as well, but today in China one can also see manipulative therapy set up as a separate department in hospitals the same way as acupuncture. Broadly speaking, traditional Chinese medicine can be divided into internal medicine, which includes herbalism and food cures, and external medicine, which includes acupuncture and manipulative therapy as well as other external treatment techniques such as moxibustion, acupressure, ironing, and cupping.