Abstract: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), especially acupuncture and herbal medicine, is mainly applicated in musculoskeletal diseases, gynaecopathia, functional gastrointestinal diseases and cancer related pain in recent decade over the world. The influence of TCM on quality of life of pain patients received more attention, but still lacked evidence-based basis. Recent years, the basic studies were focusing on the function researches and tried to find out the relationship between functional units with systems biology methods to explain the holistic concept of TCM. After searching the database during 2002 to 2012, this article reviewed the character, development and innovation of TCM applicated in pain management.

Key words: traditional Chinese medicine, pain, tradition, development, efficacy, review